Back in May, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta published an update regarding contract negotiations for workers employed by Carewest.
The employer is the largest public care provider in Calgary. Their workers operate 14 locations throughout the city that offer long-term care, mental health care, alternate level of care, rehabilitation and recovery services, and community programmes and services.
HSAA represents over 200 paramedical workers employed by Carewest. These workers include pharmacists, pharmacy technologist, psychologists, speech pathologists, social workers, dieticians, occupational therapists, physical therapists, recreational therapists, music therapists, rehabilitation engineering technicians, amd information management professionals.
The most recent collective agreement for these workers expired in June 2024. They ratified a new agreement to replace that one on 1 May, according to the previously mentioned update.
In the new agreement, most positions will see a 12% increase over the course of the new 4-year collective agreement, which expires in June 2028.
| 1 July 2024 | 3.00% |
| 1 July 2025 | 3.00% |
| 1 July 2026 | 3.00% |
| 1 July 2027 | 3.00% |
| 12.00% |
This is on par with what most new public sector collective agreements over the last year or so have been getting. It is also larger than the 4.25% they got in their last collective agreement.
Unfortunately, prior to that 4.25% they got, they were given 5 years straight of wage freezes.
| 1 July 2017 | 0.00% |
| 1 July 2018 | 0.00% |
| 1 July 2019 | 0.00% |
| 1 July 2020 | 0.00% |
| 1 July 2021 | 0.00% |
| 1 January 2022 | 1.00% |
| 1 December 2022 | 1.25% |
| 1 July 2023 | 2.00% |
During that same period, inflation in Alberta increased by 22.42%, leaving these workers with a cut to real wages of 18.17% as they headed into negotiations on this new contract.
The 12% increase fails to cover the shortfall, which puts them over 6 percentage points behind inflation. However, that 12% is spread out over 4 years, which means that 6% will increase even more. For example, inflation since their last raise has already reached nearly 7.5%, and there are still 2 more years to go in the new contract.
Psychologists are also set to receive a 3% market adjustment on top of their annual increases; however, it is effective as of the ratification date, so it will not be retroactive.
On top of all that, there is also a new long service pay adjustment, which will be an extra 2% for all workers who have been with Carewest for at least 20 years.
Here are some other highlights from the new collective agreement.
Workers who work more than 6 consecutive days will be paid at twice their regular rate of pay. On a related note, overtime cannot exceed 77.5 hours.
Carewest has agreed to change the scheduling posting period from 8 weeks to 12 weeks.
Rideshare programmes are now included along taxis for call back modes of transportation.
The employer will no longer be able to withhold pay increments of pay increases based on job performance.
Under the previous agreement, Carewest would recognize previous experience, as long as less than 3 years has passed. That has changed to 5 years.
Each worker is now entitled to 3 paid professional development days annually for education directly related to their discipline.
Preceptor pay has been added to the collective agreement. It will be an extra $2 an hour for anyone working in a preceptor role.
Sick note fee reimbursement has increased from $30 to $50.
Domestic violence leave was 10 days of unpaid leave in the previous agreement. Carewest has agreed to make 5 of them paid.
Workers who must get a specific vaccination or titre will no be reimbursed for their time and travel.
The ratification vote began on 24 April and ended on 1 May. There were only 128 ballots cast in the vote, representing 58.72% of the eligible workers. Of those who participated, 98.44% voted in favour of ratification.
