Earlier this week, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees published an update on their website regarding contract negotiations for workers employed by Red Deer Polytechnic.
AUPE represents over 200 workers in a wide variety of positions at the institution formerly known as Red Deer College.
These positions include event services workers, horticulturists, studio technicians, child cared educators, educational aides, lab technicians, peer mentors, markers, technicians, personal trainers, therapists, safety coordinators, accountants, analysts, IT workers, and library workers.
Previous to May 2024, some of these workers were represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, but a majority of the former CUPE workers voted in May 2024 to join AUPE. As of the signing of their last collective agreement in 2022, there were about 100 CUPE workers.
The previous contract for both groups of workers (here and here) expired in June 2024, over a year ago. Red Deer Polytechnic representatives did not meet with the workers’ bargaining team to begin bargaining until July 2024, after the last collective agreement had already expired.
According to last week’s update from the workers’ bargaining team—which includes a telecommunications coordinator, a librarian, and a materials management aide—the two parties reached a tentative agreement.
The agreement, if ratified, would include a 3% wage increase in every year of the 4-year agreement, just as so many public sector agreements in Alberta have over the last year.
| 1 July 2024 | 3.00% |
| 1 July 2025 | 3.00% |
| 1 July 2026 | 3.00% |
| 1 July 2027 | 3.00% |
The first two increases will be retroactive.
Now, 12% might seem like a lot to some people, but take a look at the increases from their last two collective agreements.
| 1 July 2017 | 0.00% |
| 1 July 2018 | 0.00% |
| 1 July 2019 | 1.00% |
| 1 July 2020 | 0.00% |
| 1 July 2021 | 0.00% |
| 1 July 2022 | 0.00% |
| 1 April 2023 | 1.25% |
| 1 December 2023 | 1.50% |
That was 5 wage freezes over their last two contracts, with a combined increase of 3.75%. That works out to an average annual increase of just 0.54%.
But, how about we provide even more context?
In July 2016, the last time these workers received a raise prior to the last two contracts, the consumer price index in Alberta was 135.6. By July 2023, 7 years later, it had increased by 30.4 points to 166.0, a 22.4% jump.
Because these workers got a combined wage increase of 3.75% during a period when inflation had climbed by 22.4%, they were left with a cut to real wages of 18.67% heading into bargaining.
A 12% increase will not be enough to erase that 18.67% wage cut. Especially considering the additional inflation during the new 4-year contract.
But you know what would? The 26% wage increase the workers originally asked for. Instead, they got an increase that was not even half that amount.
Plus, let us compare the increases in the tentative agreement with the original wage proposals from each party.
| Tentative | RDP | Workers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2024 | 3.00% | 0.00% | 13.00% |
| 1 July 2025 | 3.00% | 2.00% | 6.50% |
| Ratification date | — | 2.00% | — |
| 1 July 2026 | 3.00% | 3.00% | 6.50% |
| 1 July 2027 | 3.00% | 3.00% | — |
| 12.00% | 10.00% | 26.00% |
So, the final agreement has Def Deer Polytechnic moving 2 percentage points and the workers’ bargaining team moving 14 percentage points.
That hardly sounds like a middle of the road agreement.
Now, to be fair, some workers will see even more increases. For example, permanent and term certain employees at Level A of the salary grid will move to Level B, which will effectively increase their wages by an additional 4%.
Here are some additional changes that would come into effect should the workers (and the employer) ratify their contract.
The shift differential for all hours worked between 18:00 and 07:00 would increase from $1.40 to $1.55.
The health spending account would become a flexible spending account and will increase from $750 per year to $950 per year.
Bereavement leave would increase from 5 days to 6 days of paid leave and could be used to attend not only a funeral but also similar events.
Workers would no longer need a doctor’s note for massage therapy.
Named holidays, which the employer uses to determine stat holiday pay, would expand to include those proclaimed by the Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada. National Day for Truth and Reconciliation would qualify under this change.
Under the previous agreement, casual workers could be hired up to 4 months. That would increase to 6 month if the new agreement is ratified.
The probation period would be reduced from 9 months to 6 months. Also, a 9-month probation period is wild.
Anniversary dates used to reset when a worker was promoted or reclassified. The new agreement would change this to allow for cumulation of service time, allowing workers to move through the pay grid faster. Also, promotions would also come with an automatic 4% wage increase.
The bargaining team for the workers held an information session yesterday to present the tentative agreement and answer questions.
Voting on the tentative agreement begins online at 08:30 today and will end at 15:00 on the 17th. Workers should have received an email with a link to the online ballot box.
