Last month, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade published the January 2025 Bargaining Update.
This monthly report provides information about the unionized workforce, primarily in Alberta. In December, Mediation Services received settlement information regarding 28 private sector and 11 public sector bargaining settlements, covering 4,351 and 944 workers respectively.
Among those settlements were two contracts for firefighters in Chestermere and Leduc. These workers—which include firefighters and support workers—are represented by Locals 5284 and 4739, respectively.
These contracts were settled after an article I wrote last summer highlighted over 4,000 firefighters and related positions who were working on expired contracts.
The previous contracts for these workers expired in December 2024 (here) and December 2020 (here), respectively. The new contract for Chestermere workers was settled in December 2024, less than a month before the old one expired. It expires in December 2028.
Leduc workers ratified their new contract in October 2024; however, because nearly 4 years had passed since their previous one expired, they were able to enjoy this new contract for just two months before it, too, expired.
The workers in both communities are set to receive wage increases in every year of their new contract.
| Chestermere | Leduc | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st year | 4.00% | 2.00% |
| 2nd year | 4.00% | 3.00% |
| 3rd year | 4.00% | 3.50% |
| 4th year | 4.00% | 3.75% |
These combined increase works out to 16.00% and 12.25%, respectively. The annual average increase works out to 4.00% and 3.06%.
Here are some changes between the new collective agreements and their previous ones. Let’s start with the Chestermere workers.
The number of platoons has been increased from 4 to 6. Four of those platoons will comprise the suppression branch, and the remaining two platoons will belong to the training and prevention branches, respectively.
Suppression platoons will work a repeating schedule of 24 hours on, 48 hours off, 24 hours, and 96 hours off. The training platoon works 4 10.5-hour days followed by 4 days off, then 4 10.5-hours days with 2 days off. The prevention platoon will work 4 10.5-hour days with, followed by 2 days off, 4 more 10.5-hour days, and 4 days off. Shifts for all platoons begin at 07:30.
If a worker has to change platoons but receives notice of less than 30 days and receive less than 3 days off between the transfer, they’ll be paid twice their base pay rate on their first scheduled work day.
The shift differential has been changed from $2 an hour for any hours worked between 17:30 and 07:30 to 4% of base pay for each hour worked.
There are now articles for overpayment and underpayment.
The employer now has the ability to recover any overpayment that was made in the previous 6 months, but must work out a repayment schedule with the worker.
Underpayment will be paid on the next paycheque unless it’s more than 10% of their biweekly pay, then it must be paid in 3 business days.
The section on acting pay has become far more comprehensive, detailing how captain, lieutenant, and acting officer positions are determined.
If any change to the employee benefit plan requires increasing the worker’s cost by 15% or higher, the change must be mutually agreed to by the employer and the union.
PFAS blood screening and heavy metals testing have been added to the annual wellness evaluation each worker must undergo.
The employer will start to phase out the use of AFFF Class B fluorinated foams and will explore alternative Class B foams that are PFOA free.
Workers must report any hazardous exposure they experience.
Now let’s look at the Leduc workers.
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation was added to the list of general holidays, increasing the total number from 12 to 13. These are the holidays used to determine stat pay.
Medical training officers will now be eligible to take 1 float day per year, something that was previously available to just fire prevention officers and quality assurance coordinators.
Workers on long-term disability and still enrolled in the employer’s benefit plan must either opt out of the benefits while on long-term disability or stay with the benefits plan for a maximum of 24 months or until permanent disability is confirmed, whichever comes first, after which, the worker takes on 100% of the cost of the benefits.
