Last week, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade published their May 2024 Bargaining Update, which includes details on recently settled collective agreements.
One of the agreements was between Local 955 of the International Union of Operating Engineers and OJ Pipelines Canada.
Local 955 of IUOE represents 3 workers employed by O.J. Pipelines, one of the largest pipeline contractors in Canada and who specialize in installing large diameter pipe.
The previous contract barely expired, at the end of last month, and the new 3-year contract was settled by both parties on the 9th of May.
The workers are set to receive 3 wage increases during the life of the contract.
| 1 June 2024 | 1.00% |
| 1 June 2025 | 1.00% |
| 1 June 2026 | 3.00% |
That’s a combined increase of 5%, or an average annual increase of 1.67%.
The wage increase in the previous contract—which was only one year long—was 3%.
There were very few other changes in the new contract; however, the subsistence allowance has been increased from $125 per day to $180 per day. The employer pays this to workers when they are assigned to jobsites from which they do not return home daily.
This is the first time these workers have has a contract for longer than one year since 2007.
