Last month, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade published the November 2024 Bargaining Update.
This monthly report provides information about the unionized workforce, primarily in Alberta. In November, Mediation Services received settlement information regarding 20 private sector and 11 public sector bargaining settlements, covering 2,841 and 4,096 workers respectively.
Among those settlements was a contract for about 50 care workers employed by Park Place Seniors Living. These workers are represented by Local 3623 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Based out of Vancouver, Park Place operates over 30 residences and homes for seniors is British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario, including the Emerald Gardens Retirement Residence in Grande Prairie, which is where these workers are employed.
Emerald Gardens is a continuing care facility, which includes 64 supportive housing suites, 54 privately-owned condos, and 15 designated level-3 assisted living suites.
The previous contract for these workers expired 30 April 2024. The new contract was settled about two and a half months later, on 17 July.
These workers are set to get wage increases in each year of the new 3-year contract, which expires in April 2027.
| 1 May 2024 | 2.00% |
| 1 May 2025 | 2.00% |
| 1 May 2026 | 2.00% |
This works out to a combined wage of 6% over the the life of the contract—or 6.12% if you account for compounding increases—averaging out to, well, 2% (2.04%) per year.
It’s also much better than the 2.75% they got in their last contract, which was only their second contract since unionizing in 2019.
| 1 May 2021 | 0.75% |
| 1 May 2022 | 0.75% |
| 1 May 2023 | 0.75% |
Inflation in Alberta between May 2020 and May 2023 increased by 13.88%.
During that same period, wages increased only 2.25%, leaving a cut to real wages of 11.63%. That means that the 6% in this new contract won’t be enough to make up for the loss in real wages—they’ll still be nearly 6% short. Plus, that’s not even counting the inflation over the life of this new contract.
I mean, inflation between May 2023 and May 2024 was just over 3%, so we’re already up to almost 9%, with 2 more years to go.
Here are some changes between the previous contract and the new contract.
In the preamble of the previous collective agreement, there were 5 points listed regarding the intent of both parties in compiling this agreement. One of those points was “encourage efficiency in operation”. That point has been removed in the new agreement.
The two parties will create a 4-person committee (two of which must be workers) to collaborate on workplace issues. They are to meet at least quarterly.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has been added to the list of general holidays, which are the holidays that qualify for stat pay. This brings the total number of general holidays to 12.
Bereavement leave has increased from 3 days to 4 days.
The health spending account has increased from $450 a year to $650 a yeaar.
