Last month, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade published the April 2025 Bargaining Update.
This monthly report provides information about the unionized workforce, primarily in Alberta. In April, Mediation Services received settlement information regarding 20 private sector and 19 public sector bargaining settlements, covering 990 and 43,727 workers respectively.
Among those settlements was a contract for about 15 workers employed by Alberta Custom Pipe Pending & Mfg. They include welders, boilermakers, machinists, crane operators, pipe benders, and general labourers.
Based out of Edmonton, Alberta Custom Pipe Pending & Mfg. specializes in metal bending services, as well as closures and manufacturing. They employ workers throughout the province.
The workers are represented by Local 146 of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers, otherwise known as The Boilermakers.
Their previous contract actually expired just this past March. Their new contract was ratified this past February.
This contract runs from the April 2025 until the end of March 2028, so it’s basically for 3 years, the same length as the previous contract.
This new collective agreement includes wage increases in every one of those 3 years.
| 1 April 2025 | 10% |
| 1 April 2026 | 2% |
| 1 April 2027 | 3% |
That’s a combined increase of 15% over the the length of the contract. This works out to an average of 5% per year.
This is way better than what these workers got in their last contract.
| 1 April 2022 | 3% |
| 1 April 2023 | 2% |
| 1 April 2024 | 3% |
Meanwhile, inflation increased by 14.15% during the same period, so these workers ended up with a cut to real wages of 6.8% heading into negotiations for their latest contract.
The raise coming in the first year of the new collective agreement will be more than enough to cover that shortfall, leaving 3.2% to deal with inflation between April 2024 and April 2025, which was only 1.48%.
The combined 5% increase in the final 2 years of the contract should be enough to cover inflation in those two year, especially when you tack on the extra 1.5 points left over from the previous 4 years. Unless, of course, something unexpected happens, driving a huge jump in inflation.
Here are some highlights of other things that have changed in this new contract.
Accidental death and dismemberment principal increases from $75,000 to $100,000.
Dependent life insurance has changed to “N/A”. In the previous contract, it was $10,000 for spouses and $5,000 each for children.
Short-term disability is no longer listed as a benefit in the health and welfare benefits plan.
Orthodontics coverage has increased from 30% to 60%.
Laser eye surgery coverage has decreased from $1,9000 lifetime maximum to $1,750 lifetime maximum.
Private duty nursing has increased from $5,000 per year to $10,000 per year.
