MH seniors’ residence workers among recent labour deals

By Medicine Hat News on April 11, 2024.

Workers at a Medicine Hat retirement residence brought their collective agreement up to date in late 2023 with a four-year deal, but talks will begin again this summer.

Staff at Good Samaritan South Ridge Village, represented by the United Steelworkers Local No. 1-207, ratified the 48-month agreement on Oct. 24, according to the latest summary of collective bargaining published by the Alberta Jobs Ministry.

That provides a total of 4.25 per cent in wage increases over the term, though it expires at the end of June. About 163 union members are subject to the contract.

Five members of the Teamsters No. 362 in Medicine Hat will receive 2.5 per cent increases in each year of a two-year deal ratified with Burnco Rock Products in February. It expires in February 2026 and comes after the Teamsters applied last summer to bring local mixer drivers into the same union as company drivers in other locations in the province.

In the oil and gas sector, Unifor Members at Keyera’s Rimbey Gas Plant will earn an extra 3.5 per cent in each of the first two years of a four-year pact ending in 2027. Wage changes will be determined in the final two years.

About 3,300 workers with Suncor represented by Unifor will see increases of 5 per cent to start a three-year deal, then 3.5 per cent hikes annually until mid-2026.

City of Calgary and 1,570 firefighters represented by IAFF Local 255 have agreed to bring their contract up to date with a retroactive three-year deal that sees wages rise by 7 per cent over the 36-month term, which ended in late 2023.

The ministry states that average weekly earnings in the province rose 2.5 per cent in January, to $1,297, compared to early 2023.