No talks planned as 51,000 Alberta teachers set to hit picket lines next week

The head of the Alberta Teachers' Association says no talks are scheduled and 51,000 teachers are set to hit picket lines Monday in a provincewide strike.

Jason Schilling says teachers sent a clear message Monday night by overwhelming rejecting the latest contract offer from Premier Danielle Smith's government. Schilling, in an interview on Corus radio, says the government's offer of a 12-per-cent pay raise over four years and a promise to hire 3,000 more teachers is a drop in the bucket compared to what's needed to catch up on wages and reduce overcrowded classrooms.

He says the government's suggestion that teachers are out of touch with their demands is ``ludicrous.'' Finance Minister Nate Horner says he's disappointed with the vote, which saw almost 90 per cent of teachers reject the deal.

Horner also laid blame on union leaders for not explaining clearly to the government negotiators what teachers are looking for.