Last month, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade published the February 2025 Bargaining Update.
This monthly report provides information about the unionized workforce, primarily in Alberta. In February, Mediation Services received settlement information regarding 16 private sector and 5 public sector bargaining settlements, covering 1,598 and 3,407 workers respectively.
Among those settlements was a contract for about 15 workers employed by Bee Clean Northern Alberta Ltd.
With head offices in Edmonton and Winnipeg, Bee Clean sells the cleaning services of its workers to commercial clients throughout the country.
The workers in this collective agreement help clean Keyano College in Fort McMurray. They’re represented by Local 2 of the Service Employees International Union.
This is the first contract these workers have negotiated with this employer. Diego Mendez, the national communications coordinator for Local 2, told The Alberta Worker in an email that the employer lost the cleaning contract with Keyano College years ago, and only recently won the contract again. This gave the new workers hired for the contract an opportunity to unionize.
Local 2 also represents workers employed by Bee Clean to clean the University of Alberta.
The Keyano College workers settled with Bee Clean back in October 2024; although Mediation Services only recently received their copy.
The new collective agreement is for just 2 years, expiring in July 2026 and retroactive to August 2024.
The workers are set to receive wage increases in every year of their new contract.
| Pre-contract | 1 Aug 2024 | 1 Aug 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Probationary | $17.45 | $18.05 | $18.65 |
| Post-probation | $18.90 | $19.50 | $20.10 |
| 1 year | $19.42 | $20.02 | $20.62 |
Over the course of the contract, wages will have increased a combined 6.18–6.88%, depending on how long the worker has worked with Bee Clean. That’s an annual average increase of 3.09–3.44%.
Here are some highlights of benefits these workers receive in their new collective agreement.
Paycheque errors of $100 or more will be rectified by a manual cheque within 48 hours. Anything less than that will show up on the worker’s next paycheque.
Workers who report for their scheduled shift but end up not working will get paid for 4 hours of work at their regular pay rate, unless the employer had notified or the lack of shift is due to circumstances beyond the employer’s control, such as a flood or a strike by other workers.
The collective agreement lists only 9 recognized holidays, which are used to determine stat pay.
- New Year’s Day
- Family Day
- Good Friday
- Victoria Day
- Canada Day
- Labour Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Remembrance Day
- Christmas Day
If a worker must work any of these holidays, they will be paid their regular pay rate and an additional rate of 1.5 times their regular pay rate.
Workers employed with Bee Clean for under 5 years will be entitled to vacation time according to provincial employment standards. Those employed for at least 5 years will receive vacation benefits as follows:
| Length of employment | Vacation pay | Unpaid leave |
|---|---|---|
| 5–10 years | 6% | 3 weeks |
| 10–20 years | 8% | 4 weeks |
| 20+ years | 10% | 5 weeks |
Bereavement leave consists of 3 paid days off in the event of the death of a spouse, child, stepchild, parent, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild. It’ll be 1 day for parents-in-law.
Workers can take up to 3 days off for illness without needing to provide a medical note.
Citizenship hearing leave is 1 day with pay.
Bee Clean will provide any uniforms it requires workers to wear during their shift, including replacing any worn out or torn uniforms. Workers are responsible for cleaning and maintaining the uniforms they receive and must return them once they stop working for Bee Clean.
Footwear is not provided; however, winter coats will be provided for workers who must work outside in cold weather.
Cleaning equipment will be provided by the employer.
Workers scheduled for at least 5 hours will get a 30-minute unpaid meal break. Anyone working at least 8 hours will also be scheduled for 2 15-minute breaks, but they’ll get just 1 break if they work under 8 hours; although the collective agreement didn’t specify whether those were paid or unpaid breaks.
As well, workers scheduled for at least 5 hours will be entitled to a 5-minute prayer break.
Temporary workers are not covered by this collective agreement, but “the employer will not use supplemental or temporary staff to displace regular bargaining unit members”.
