Last week, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees published an update on their website regarding contract negotiations for health workers throughout the province.
The union represents over 31,000—as of 2022—health care workers employed by Alberta Health Services and Lamont Health Care Centre.
These workers span a wide range of positions, including support services, volunteer coordinators, lifeguards, graphic designers, driver training instructors, draftspersons, drivers, therapy aides, lab assistants, power engineers, painters, locksmiths, technologists, welders, mechanics, machinists, plumbers, analysts, clerks, and those working in food services, laundry, administrative support, stores, procurement, and maintenance.
According to last week’s update, the bargaining team for these workers announced a tentative collective agreement.
Their most recent collective agreement expired nearly 2 years ago, in March 2024. Bargaining on an agreement to replace it, however, did not begin until the month before expiration.
The workers’ bargaining team initially proposed a 35% wage increase over 2 years: 25% in April 2024 and 10% in April 2025.
That might seem a lot, but keep in mind that they have received several wage freezes in the last couple of collective agreements.
| 1 April 2017 | 0.00% |
| 1 April 2018 | 0.00% |
| 1 April 2019 | 1.00% |
| 1 April 2020 | 0.00% |
| 1 April 2021 | 0.00% |
| 1 September 2022 | 1.25% |
| 1 April 2023 | 2.00% |
That is a combined increase of 4.25%.
Between April 2016 and April 2023, the consumer price index in Alberta increased 28.6 points, from 135.1 points to 163.7 points. That is a jump of 21.17%.
A combined raise of just 4.25% when inflation is 21.17% leaves workers with a cut to real wages of 16.92%. An initial wage increase of 25% would cover that deficit and leave these workers with a little more than 8% to cover inflation in their first year of the new contract, which itself was an additional 3%.
The employers responded to that proposal with a far lower one. They wanted 7.5% over 4 years, with 2% in each of the first two year years, followed by 1.75% in each of the final two years.
Needless to say, there is a huge gap between 7.5% and 35%. Even when the employers increased their wage offer a year and a half later, it was still only 10% over 4 years, a third of what the workers originally proposed.
Ultimately, negotiations ended up going to mediation, just like it did last time.
The update the bargaining team for the workers published last week was a tentative agreement reached through that mediation.
According to the update, the recommended wage increases are 12% over 4 years, which is the same as other public sector contracts throughout Alberta.
| 1 April 2024 | 3.00% |
| 1 April 2025 | 3.00% |
| 1 April 2026 | 3.00% |
| 1 April 2027 | 3.00% |
The employer had to move 4.5 percentage points from their original offer, but the workers had to move 22 points on theirs. This is not really a right-up-the-middle kind of wage proposal.
Plus, it still leaves these workers nearly 5 percentage points behind inflation. Granted, that is not including inflation during those 4 years. For example, inflation was 4.52% in the first two years already.
That being said, several positions would get a market adjustment as well, if this tentative agreement is ratified.
| Environmental I | 13.0% |
| Environmental II | 3.0% |
| Protective services officer I | 4.00% |
| Protective services officer II | 9.97% |
| Telecommunications operator/dispatcher | 4.00% |
| Food Service I & II | 8.30% |
| Cook I | 3.20% |
| Therapy aide | 4.70% |
| Financial analyst | 14.86% |
| Senior financial analyst | 12.16% |
| Procurement specialist I, II, & III | 5.98% |
| Stores I & II | 3.09% |
| Administrative support II | 4.30% |
As well, level 1 food service workers in the first step of the wage grid would get and additional 31¢ an hour, and first-level administrative support would lose the first two steps of the wage grid, so anyone in those step would get an automatic bump.
The boot allowance would increase from $170 every two years to $250 every year.
Several pay premiums would increase:
| Old | New | |
|---|---|---|
| Acting incumbent | $1.25 | $3.50 |
| Preceptor | $0.65 | $2.00 |
| On-call duty (regular) | $3.30 | $7.00 |
| On-call duty (day off) | $4.50 | $7.00 |
Domestic violence would change to 5 shifts of paid leave. It is currently 10 days unpaid leave.
The employer has promised to reimburse non-refundable costs of cancelling a vacation if the employer cancels the vacation of a worker.
The flexible spending account would increase from $900 to $1,200, but only for the final two years of the agreement.
The per-visit maximum of $50 for massages has been eliminated. There is still a $1,000 annual maximum though.
Continuous glucose monitoring system has been added to the diabetic equipment coverage.
The bargaining team will be holding two informations sessions today: one that starts at noon and one that starts at 19:00. They will discuss the details of the agreement and be available for questions from members.
Voting will begin online tomorrow and end this Friday (6 February).
