The main issues in the labour dispute have been wages and overcrowded classrooms.

The union representing Alberta teachers and the provincial government’s bargaining committee met Tuesday for the first time since a provincewide strike began a week ago.

As of Tuesday afternoon, neither side was able to provide details on the discussion.

The strike, in its sixth day, has kept some 740,000 students out of 2,500 schools.

Finance Minister Nate Horner said last week the government had received a new proposal from the Alberta Teachers’ Association, which represents the 51,000 teachers.

Horner said the union’s proposal is complex and the two sides wouldn’t meet until after the long weekend to give the government’s bargaining team time to review the deal.

Alberta minister calls teachers union

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