Last month, the Mediation Services department of Alberta Jobs, Economy, and Trade published the June 2025 Bargaining Update.
This monthly report provides information about the unionized workforce, primarily in Alberta. In June, Mediation Services received settlement information regarding 29 private sector and 18 public sector bargaining settlements, covering 12,522 and 2,253 workers respectively.
Among those settlements was a contract for about 15 municipal workers employed by the Town of Thorsby.
Local 30 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees represents these workers, which include clerks, public works operators, facility operators, community programmers, and recreation and events supervisors.
Their previous contract expired last December. Their new contract was ratified in November 2024, over a month before the last one expired.
These workers are set to receive a 2% wage increase in each year of this 2-year contract, the shortest contract they have received in nearly 20 years.
| 1 January 2025 | 2.00% |
| 1 January 2026 | 2.00% |
This will result in a combined increase of 9.5% over the life of the collective agreement. That averages out to, well, 3.17% per year.
This is the first time since their 2016–2018 collective agreement that they have seen back-back increases this high.
| 1 January 2016 | 1.75% |
| 1 January 2017 | 2.25% |
| 1 January 2018 | 2.25% |
| 1 January 2019 | 1.75% |
| 1 January 2020 | 1.75% |
| 1 January 2021 | 2.00% |
| 1 January 2022 | 0.00% |
| 1 January 2023 | 1.50% |
| 1 January 2024 | 2.00% |
During the 9 years leading up to their new collective agreement, these workers have received a combined wage increase of 15.25% (or 16.30% if we account for compounded increases). That works out to an average of 1.69% (1.81%) per year.
Compare that to inflation.
In January 2015, the consumer price index in Alberta sat at 131.0. By January 2024, it had risen 34.9 points to 165.9, an increase of 26.64%.
So, while their wages had increased by 15.25% (16.30%) over that period, inflation outpaced it at 26.64%. This means that these workers actually ended up with a cut to real wages of 11.39% (10.34%) during those 9 years.
Even though 4% over 2 years is the best they have seen since 2017 and 2018, it will barely make a dent in the loss in real wages, leaving the workers with a real wage cut of 7.39%.
Keep in mind, however, that inflation will increase over the life of the new contract, so the real wages will decline even more by the time the new collective agreement expires news year.
For example, inflation between January 2024 and January 2025 increased 2.53%, and we still have another year to go.
By the end of the new contract, starting wages will range from $22.39 an hour for facility attendants to $30.31 public works operators and facility operators. Workers hired through Alberta’s summer temporary employment programme, however, will make $18.31 an hour by the end of the contract.
Here are some highlights of other things that are in this new contract.
The following is new to the collective agreement:
4.04 Respect for Picket Lines
An Employee covered by this agreement shall have the right to refuse to cross a legal picket line or refuse to do the work of striking or locked out employees. Failure to cross such a picket line or to perform the work of striking or locked out employees where a legal strike or lockout is in effect by a member of this Union shall not be considered a violation of this agreement, nor shall it be grounds for disciplinary action, other than loss of wages for the period involved.
Probationary extensions must be mutually agreed to by the employer and the union. This mutual agreement was absent in the previous collective agreement.
The following has been added to the collective agreement:
10.02 (c) Shift schedules may be changed, upon mutual agreement with the Union. Any change to a shift schedule, which includes days off, Employees shall be given one (1) week notice. Should one (1) week notice not be given, the first shift of the new schedule will be paid at the applicable overtime rate, as per Article 16.02.
Workers who are not office staff will be paid at double time for call out work. In the previous collective agreement, they were paid 1.5 times their regular pay rate, which is what the office workers are paid for call out work.
Vacation time has been changed from days to hours, based on years of service and whether they work outside or in the office.
| Service (old) | Vacation time (old) | Service (new) | New contract (new) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 years | 10 days | 1–3 years | 80 hours (outside) 70 hours (office) |
| 2–7 years | 15 days | 3–7 years | 120 hours (outside) 105 hours (office) |
| 7–14 years | 20 days | 8–12 years | 160 hours (outside) 140 hours (office) |
| 14–20 years | 25 days | 13–17 years | 200 hours (outside) 175 hours (office) |
| 20+ years | 30 days | 18+ years | 240 hours (outside) 210 hours (office) |
The following was added to the collective agreement:
22.06 A seasonal or temporary Employee is entitled to a pro-rated number of paid personal days per calendar year based on their hours of work.
The following clause:
30.03 When a new position is created, the Employer shall consult with the Union with respect to the rate of pay prior to implementation.
has been changed to this:
30.03 When a new position is created, the Employer shall negotiate the rate of pay with the Union. Should the negotiations not be successful within seven (7) days, the Employer shall post the position with the rate the Employer has determined and the Union shall have a right to file a grievance at Step 3 up to and including arbitration.
And these two clauses were added after it:
30.04 In the event that the Employer changes the required knowledge, skills or qualifications of an existing classification, the Union shall be advised of same as soon as the change is finalized and prior to the posting of the position.
30.05 Should the Union consider that the aforementioned changes to an existing classification are such that they deem a new classification has been created, the Union will advise the Employer of this decision and request that the rate of pay for the classification be negotiated.
The Town of Thorsby will cover 80% of the costs for life insurance, dental benefit, long-term disability, and extended health care plans. Under the previous plan, they covered only 75% of the costs.
