Last week, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees published an update regarding contract negotiations for workers employed by Green Acres Foundation.
Based out of Lethbridge, Green Acres Foundation is a non-profit housing management body established by the Province of Alberta. They oversee the operations of 20 housing facilities in Barons, Coaldale, Lethbridge, and Picture Butte.
AUPE represents about 160 health care workers at 5 locations in Southern Alberta: Alberta Rose Lodge in Lethbridge; Piyami Lodge, Piyami Place, and Piyami Manor in Picture Butte; and Sunny South Lodge in Coaldale.
Collective agreements for all these workplaces expired at the end of last year (here, here, and here).
According to last week’s update, AUPE reports that the bargaining team for these workers have reached tentative agreements for all the workplaces.
Although there will be 3 separate collective agreements (1 for all the Piyami facilities), the changes are the same in all the tentative agreements.
Like most public sector collective agreements, these tentative agreements promise a 3% annual wage over the course of the 4-year collective agreements.
| 1 January 2026* | 3.00% |
| 1 January 2027 | 3.00% |
| 1 January 2028 | 3.00% |
| 1 January 2029 | 3.00% |
| 12.00% |
On top of that, some positions could expect to see market adjustments if the contracts are ratified.
| Maintenance I | 16.6% |
| Recreational therapists | 8.9% |
| Licensed practical nurses | 5.1% |
| Food services, cook I, cook II | 2.0% |
| Resident services | 2.0% |
| Facility clerical | 2.0% |
| Activity coordinator | 2.0% |
| Labour & maintenance II | 2.0% |
As well, the wage grid for licenced practical nurses and health care aides would be reduced from 8 steps to 6 steps, which will allow these workers to progress to the highest wage more qickly.
There would also be a living wage adjustment, so none of these workers will be making less than $22.30 an hour.
The final wage increase would be a 2% long-service adjustment for workers who have been with Green Acres for at least 20 years.
There were several non-wage improvements to all 3 collective agreements as well.
Under the previous collective agreements, Green Acres covered 50% of the co-pays on benefits. This would increase to 75% if the tentative agreements are ratified, reducing the workers’ share from 50% to just 25%.
Starting in January 2028, workers would receive a new flex/health spending account of $400 per year.
Green Acres had agreed in previous agreements to match members RRSP paycheque contributions up to 3.25%. They have now agreed to increase that to 4% in the proposed agreements.
Shift differentials would increase:
| Old | New | |
|---|---|---|
| Evening | $2.50 | $2.75 |
| Night | $3.75 | $4.00 |
| Weekend | $3.00 | $3.25 |
The employer would reimburse up to $40 towards the cost of requited doctor’s notes, up from $20 in the most recent agreements. As well, they have agreed to reimburse 100% of the cost for subsequent notes.
Preceptor pay would increase from 65¢ an hour to $1.25 an hour, and charge pay would increase from $1.00 to $2.00.
Green Acres has agreed to pay 100% of dues to professional colleges and insurance fees.
Call back pay for maintenance workers would increase from 2 hours of pay to 3 hours of pay for anyone who is called back and returns to work outside of their regular scheduled hours.
Bereavement leave has been expanded to including niblings and piblings.
Finally, assuming workers ratify the new agreements, the employer has agreed to move toward a common agreement by the time these agreements expire.
The bargaining team will be meeting soon with workers to discuss the tentative agreements and answer questions. Voting dates have not yet been announced.
