Natural gas plant workers get 12% raise

Last month, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade published the January 2025 Bargaining Update.

This monthly report provides information about the unionized workforce, primarily in Alberta. In January, Mediation Services received settlement information regarding 28 private sector and 11 public sector bargaining settlements, covering 4,351 and 944 workers respectively.

Among those settlements was a contract for about 25 workers employed by Canlin Energy at their Wildcat Hills plant near Cochrane.

Based out of Calgary, Canlin Energy focuses on natural gas production.

The workers in this collective agreement include field operators, plant operators, utility workers, and maintenance workers. They’re represented by Local 1400 of Unifor.

The previous contract for these workers expired in January 2023. The new contract was settled in March 2024, over a year later; although Mediation Services only recently received their copy.

The new collective agreement is for just 3 years expiring in January 2026. This is shorter than their last agreement, which was for 4 years.

The workers are set to receive wage increases in every year of their new contract.

1 February 2023	5.00%
1 February 2024	3.50%
1 February 2025	3.50%

This combined increase works out to 12%, which is an annual average increase of 4%.

The last contract for the Calgary recycling centre workers gave them a 6.12% increase over 4 years, including a wage freeze in the first year of that contract.

Here are some changes between the the new collective agreement and their previous one.

Family status and sexual orientation were added to the clause on discrimination.

The employer will contribute 5% of the worker’s pensionable earnings into the company’s defined contribution pension plan. This wasn’t mentioned in the previous contract.

Travel time will be paid out based on distance from just Cochrane. The previous collective agreement had travel time calculated for Cochrane and Calgary.

Overtime is no longer banked, like in the previous contract. It’s paid out. Exceptions to this must be approved by a supervisor.

There is an increase in shift premiums for workers on a rotating shift.

	Old	2023	2024	2025
08:00–16:00	$0.92	$0.97	$1.00	$1.04
16:00–midnight	$1.91	$2.00	$2.07	$2.14
Midnight–08:00	$3.27	$3.43	$3.55	$3.67

For 12-hour rotating shift workers, here’s how the premiums will increase

	Old	2023	2024	2025
06:00–18:00	$1.29	$1.35	$1.40	$1.45
18:00–06:00	$2.85	$2.99	$3.09	$3.20

National Truth and Reconciliation Day has been added to the list of recognized holidays, which now sits at 12. The workers no longer have a flexible 12th holiday.

Vacation entitlement will now include previous experience up to a maximum of 20 years. It was just a maximum of 10 years in the previous collective agreement.

The following are new to the collective agreement:

13.2.1 The Company provides a confidential Employee and Family Assistance Program for its Employees and their immediate families. Employees may contact their immediate supervisor if they require assistance in accessing the Employee and Family Assistance Program.

13.2.2 Employees shall be entitled to the benefits provided under the Company’s Maternity and Parental Leave Policy and Short Term Disability Policy, such Policies are subject to review by the Company from time to time.

The following were added to the article on layoffs and recalls:

14.1.6 The Union will support the Company’s efforts in its Gradual Modified Return to Work Program when applicable for Employees returning to work after an absence on Workers’ Compensation or from an illness or disability. The Company may require an employee to undergo an independent evaluation to determine if any limitations are present which may affect the Employee’s ability to work and the Company’s ability to accommodate the Employee. The Company will reimburse the Employee for the cost of the independent medical evaluation and report. The Employee will be required to sign a limited medical release of information to the Company.

14.1.7 The Company recognizes that in the event of the sale or other disposition of the business to a purchaser, the purchaser is bound by successor provisions of the Labour Relations Code of Alberta.