The president of the Alberta Teachers' Association says its bargaining team asked the provincial government if it can fund class size recommendations issued in 2003 following the province's last major teachers' strike.

ATA president Jason Schilling said on Wednesday that the province's public, Catholic and francophone school divisions would need to hire more than 5,000 teachers to reach the recommended pupil-teacher ratios in that report.

"We're still trying to see if government would move on those numbers," Schilling said on the radio program. "But obviously, it's something that is not of their interest."

Schilling made the comments as 51,000 teachers are poised to go on strike on Monday.

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