Recent labour contracts signed or filed in Alberta include some hefty wage hikes

By Medicine Hat News on February 7, 2025.

@MedicineHatNews

Newell County workers secured a near eight per cent wage hike this year in a contract signed in mid-December, according to the latest summary of collective bargaining released by the Alberta Ministry of Jobs.

The overview also shows large pay raises for pipeline and utility workers resulting from contracts filed in the month of January.

Twenty employees in the region around Brooks represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local No. 1032, will see a 7.9 per cent raise this year, then 2 per cent annual raises going forward in the four-year pact that expires at the end of 2028.

Among other municipal contracts, the City of Chestermere and International Association of Firefighters, Local No. 5284, agreed to 4 per cent annual raises until 2028.

That comes after the two sides renewed an expired contract in May 2024, with 5.25 per cent annual increases retroactive over the previous four years.

Plumbers and Pipefitters, Local No. 488, also came to terms on a multi-employer fabrication and manufacturing agreement that includes a 13.4 per cent cumulative rate increase in 2024 and 2025 before wages are reopened in 2026.

Local 488, Labourers, Operating Engineers and Teamsters also have updated agreements with the Pipeline Contractors Association on mainline work through 2028. Increases for 2025 range from 4.0 to 4.6 per cent among the four separate unions.

Workers in Ledcor’s utility infrastructure division received a 22.5 per cent pay jump in December, and talks toward further increases in March. The deal, covering 175 workers, was negotiated by the Christian Labour Association of Canada, Local No. 63.

The same union reported a 14.7 per cent raise for its members at Aecon Industrial Solutions, along with wage-reopening clauses in 2025 and 2026.

Gas plant workers at Canlin and Peridae Energy have new deals through separate locals of Unifor that provide 5 and 7 per cent increases, respectively, in first contract years.

Average raises of 8.6 per cent were included in a two-year contract between Marmot Basin Ski Resort and 44 workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local No. 401.The final year increase is 4 per cent.

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