Unionized city workers vote on new contract, but results likely not available until next week

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on March 29, 2023.

https://www.medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews

Most unionized city workers voted on a new contract offer on Monday night, but the results may not be known until next week.

Contents of proposed agreements are not released until both parties ratify a tentative agreement, a process that typically concludes with a vote by city council.

It next meets on April 3, while the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local No. 46, scheduled voting on March 27 at the Esplanade Theatre.

If rejected by workers, talks would resume.

The union represents about 800 inside, outside and transit workers with the city whose previous collective bargaining agreement expired at the end of 2022.

In the summer of 2020, CUPE members agreed to a two-year wage freeze to begin a three-year deal that ended with a 2 per cent wage increase in the final contract year.

Last month, city council approved a new four-year deal to end long-standing talks with 100 members of the Medicine Hat Police Association. That agreement provided raises of 2.5 per cent per year starting when the previous agreement ended in late 2020.

The contract with the city firefighters, represented by IAFF No. 263, expired at Dec. 31, 2022. Agreements with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local No. 254, at the power and water treatment plants as well as the line shop, expire at the end of 2023.

Recent settlements in the province involved smaller cities.

In late 2022, municipal workers in Brooks, represented by a separate CUPE local, endorsed a $1.50 per hour increase this year. Annual raises of either 1.25 and 1.75 per cent follow until the end of 2026.

Also among recent contract listings, provided by Alberta Jobs ministry, include CUPE workers at the City of Camrose. They struck a three-year deal involving raises between 2 and 3 per cent each year.

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