The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Collective Agreements

In Alberta, collective agreements negotiated between teachers and their employing school board normally contain clauses specific to substitute teachers. In all cases, these clauses refer to a daily rate of pay and when a teacher will move to grid pay. More recently, attempts have been made to increase the number of issues bargained on behalf of substitute teachers, and ways have been devised to ensure that substitute teachers have adequate input into the decision-making process. Some locals invite a representative of the substitute teachers to sit on the teacher welfare committee to provide input with respect to bargaining objectives. In all cases, the substitute teacher has the same right as any other teacher to propose amendments to the collective agreement.

The bargaining guidelines developed by the Association state that bargaining units should attempt to improve the collective agreement provisions related to substitute teachers. Some objectives that bargaining committees might work toward could ensure that

1. placement on the grid occurs on day one;
2. substitute compensation recognizes the modified workday, workweek and/or school year being implemented in some jurisdictions;
3. substitute teachers are paid at a rate of not less than 1/200 of the teacher’s salary for each day taught, according to years of teacher education and years of experience;
4. time spent by substitute teachers on professional development during normal working hours is paid work and is credited for experience.

Other important provisions might deal with

1. retroactive pay following grid placement after the required number of consecutive days of service;
2. a benefits package for substitute teachers;
3. board contributions toward the cost of these benefits and/or a Health Spending Account;
4. the need for substitutes to be given preferential consideration when contract positions become available;
5. a requirement that a substitute teacher be employed each time a contract teacher is away;
6. the payment of kilometrage for substitute teachers who must drive beyond a certain distance or between multiple locations;
7. the provision of sick leave benefits or injury on the job provisions;
8. an appropriate number of substitute teachers available for service with the school jurisdiction;
9. an appeal process for substitute teachers whose service is discontinued;
10. substitute teachers being assigned the regularly scheduled supervision duties and workload (excluding supervision that precedes the first instructional block assignment) of the teacher being replaced; and
11. The half day rate of pay

School Board Policies

Substitute teachers must find ways to influence the development of school board policies that directly affect them. The working conditions for these professional replacements should be governed by policies that include such components as

1. assigned teaching responsibilities that are, in general, equivalent to the teaching responsibilities of the teacher being replaced;
2. not being assigned supervision duties in the first half day in a new teaching situation nor duties beyond those normally assigned to the teacher being replaced;
3. provision of feedback on their professional performance, provided that they are aware of existing evaluation policies and procedures and the criteria to be used in the evaluation;
4. payment for attendance at one or both days of the annual teachers’ convention if sufficient services have been provided prior to the convention;
5. invitations to attend and payments for participation in inservice and/or professional development activities or the opportunity for funds for other professional development opportunities;
6. the opportunity to be assigned to a particular school staff for inservice, social or professional activities;
7. an average chargeback rate to schools for substitute teacher costs based on the actual system cost for a certificated substitute teacher from the previous school year, plus any negotiated increase for the current school year;
8. policy that is communicated to substitute teachers regarding the criteria for the selection, retention and removal of teachers from district substitute teacher rosters in accordance with due process, natural justice and good employer–employee relations;
9. a clearly outlined, open, transparent, year-round posting and hiring procedure for teaching and administrative positions that is adhered to;
10. practices such that substitute teachers receive appropriate performance evaluations on request;
11. reductions in substitute teacher pools/lists that are done in a fair and equitable manner and that, as much as possible, leave the decision to continue as a substitute teacher up to the individual substitute teacher;
12. a system whereby substitute teachers have equitable access to technology and related professional development; and
13. boards offering and funding, including pay at the daily rate, voluntary programs for professional development specific to substitute teachers to assist them in remaining current with curriculum changes, as well as new educational technology and trends in teaching and learning.

Substitute teachers must be aware of and have input into the development of school-based and district policies that will affect their role as professional educators. This input would be in both school-based decisions and district policies.

Since school-based decision making is the norm throughout the province, substitute teachers need to have input into school-based decisions that might affect their working conditions. These decisions could involve internal substitution, preparation time and supervision to name a few. Substitute teachers must be aware of the terms of the collective agreement in relation to these policies.

Employment Insurance

The Alberta Teachers’ Association, through its Teacher Welfare program area, provides advice and assistance to substitute teachers regarding employment insurance (EI). Advice is offered by telephone and in person. The Teachers’ Guide to Employment Insurance is available on the Association’s website (www.teachers.ab.ca). Teacher Welfare staff are available to present workshops on the topic of employment insurance.

Substitute teachers may qualify for EI benefits if, in the 52 weeks preceding application for benefits or since the start of their previous EI claim, they have the required number of insurable hours of work. The Association tried to achieve agreements with school boards to use 9.1 hours per day; where there are agreements, hours range from 6 to 9.1. Substitute teachers are advised to call Barnett House for assistance.

The interests of substitute teachers must be considered when locals are determining their priorities in the upcoming round of bargaining. As well, school board policies should be developed that meet the unique needs and concerns of this group of employees. The Alberta Teachers’ Association encourages local bargaining units to improve conditions for substitute teachers and will facilitate such local efforts.

Benefits

The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP) offers a benefit program to substitute teachers at the employee’s cost. You are eligible to apply for this plan if you are on the substitute teacher roster of an ASEBP participating employer. For further information, contact an ASEBP benefit specialist at 780-431-4786 in Edmonton or toll-free within Alberta at 1-877-431-4786. E-mail benefits@asebp.ca; the website is www.asebp.ca.

Teachers’ Conventions and Professional Development

Under the Teaching Profession Act, the Association is responsible for advancing and promoting the cause of education in Alberta and improving the teaching profession. A primary way in which the Association fulfills this obligation is by organizing annual conventions for teachers. The Association has established 9 convention associations in the province, which are responsible for authorizing, planning, conducting, evaluating and governing teachers’ conventions. Each convention association is governed by a formal constitution and a board made up of teachers selected by the participating locals. These teachers give freely of their time and energy to plan a program that reflects the needs and interests of teachers in their area.

Teachers under contract have a professional and legal obligation to attend the convention organized in their area. Such conventions afford teachers the opportunity to keep up with new approaches and instructional methods, to identify common problems and to exchange ideas with colleagues. Conventions also help instill in teachers a sense of pride in their profession. Discipline charges can be, and have been, brought against teachers who fail to attend their annual convention.

Substitute teachers not under contract to work on the scheduled convention days may attend their designated convention. Substitute teachers should contact their local or their convention association regarding attending convention.

Convention associations maintain their own websites, which can be accessed through a link on the provincial Association website (www.teachers.ab.ca).

The Alberta Teachers’ Association hosts the Substitute Teachers’ Annual Conference in October.  Information from past conferences is available to members when they log into the ATA website.

Back to top.

« Previous  | Next »