Last month, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade published the September–October 2024 Bargaining Update.
This monthly report provides information about the unionized workforce, primarily in Alberta. In the months of September and October, Mediation Services received settlement information regarding 36 private sector and 31 public sector bargaining settlements, covering 3,408 and 4,855 workers respectively.
Among those settlements was a contract for about 80 workers employed by the County of Stettler Housing Authority.
These workers are represented by Local 4733 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. They include kitchen staff, housekeepers, activity coordinators, maintenance workers, and grounds workers.
Based out of Stettler, the organization oversees the operation of 3 independent senior living lodges in the area, which consists of 13 units. They also provide self-contained senior housing, affordable housing, community housing, and rent support programmes.
This is the first contract for these workers since their previous contract expired at the end of last year. This new contract was settled this past September, but it’s effective as of 1 January 2024.
These workers can expect wage increases in each year of the 3-year collective agreement.
| 2024 | 3.00% |
| 2025 | 3.00% |
| 2026 | 3.00% |
That’s a combine increase of 9%, which works out to an average increase of, well, 3%, per year.
This is much better than what they got in their previous contract:
| 2021 | 0.25% |
| 2022 | 0.75% |
| 2023 | 1.00% |
That’s a combined increase of just 2%, for an average of 0.67% per year, definitely far less than their new contract.
But, before we get too excited, we need some context.
In January 2020, the last time these workers got a wage increase prior to their previous contract, Alberta’s consumer price index was 144.7. By the time January 2024 rolled around, four years later, it had jumped to 165.9.
That’s an increase of 21.2 points, or 14.65%.
So, during the time these workers got a 2% wage increase, inflation increased by 14.65%, leaving them with a real wage cut of 12.65%.
It’s great that these workers ended up with a much larger increase in their new contract than they got in their previous one (and even larger than the one before that), but it falls short in helping these workers keep up with the ballooning cost of living.
Even with a 9% wage increase, these workers are still left with a 3.65% decrease in their real wages. Plus, remember, that’s not even including the inflation that is sure to come over the 3 years of the new contract.
For example, inflation between January and October (the latest data we have) of this year alone has already increased by 2.53%. And there is certainly more to come.
Also, keep in mind that the starting wage for some of these workers will still be under $20 an hour by the end of this new contract, and the starting wage of just two job classifications—head cook and maintenance workers—will be above $25 an hour.
Here are some highlights of changes between the previous contract and the new contract.
Union representatives will now be able to provide a 15-minute presentation during the new worker orientation regarding the collective agreement. This was not available in the previous contract.
“Gender identity” and “gender expression” have been added to the article on discrimination in the workplace.
Workers who work shifts that have less than 12 hours between them will be paid 1.5 times their regular rate of pay.
The workers will see an increase to shift premiums in their new contract.
| Previous | New | |
|---|---|---|
| Evening | $1.50 | $2.00 |
| Night | $2.00 | $2.50 |
| Weekend | $1.75 | $2.25 |
| Working alone | $4.75 | $5.50 |
| Housekeeper in charge | $2.00 | $2.50 |
| On-call, weekday | $1.75 | $2.25 |
| On-call, weekend | $2.00 | $2.50 |
The meal allowance has increased from $4.50 per day to $5.00 per day. In the previous contract, the meal allowance increased every year of the contract. It will remain at $5.00 for the entire 3 years in the new contract.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has been added to the named holidays, which will be eligible for stat holiday pay. This increases the total number of named holidays from 11 to 12.
The health spending account will increase to $900 from $850 in the first year of the contract, followed by another $50 increase in each of the next two years.
As well, the health spending account was for “all employees that qualify for benefits” in the previous contract, but the wording has changed to “all employees that are in permanent part-time positions” in the new contract.
It’s not clear if the health spending account is for only permanent-part time workers, or if the workers have to be at least permanent part-time (permanent full-time would also qualify, for example).
