The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL), our 54 affiliated unions, and one million workers condemn the Alberta government’s threat to impose back-to-work legislation on more than 50,000 educators. This is not about keeping classrooms open, it is about trampling on the rights of workers and unions.
The right to free and fair collective bargaining is constitutionally protected under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We have already seen what happens when governments overreach: in 2022, Ontario’s Bill 28 tried to strip education workers of the right to strike. The entire labour movement pushed back, and the law was repealed within days.
By threatening similar legislation, Premier Danielle Smith is repeating a mistake that Canadians have already rejected. Back-to-work laws do not resolve disputes – they deepen mistrust, violate Charter rights, and set a dangerous precedent for all workers in this country.
The OFL calls on Alberta government to stop the threats of invoking this legislation immediately and negotiate in good faith. Attacking educators will not solve the crisis in education. Respecting them and negotiating in good faith will.
