Local education workers reject MHPSD offer

By Collin Gallant on March 13, 2025.

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Educational workers in Medicine Hat have soundly rejected a contract proposal after the public school board requested a “last offer” process to have it put it to a vote.

Educational assistants, clerical and custodial staff at Medicine Hat Public School Division voted this week in an Alberta Labour Board process, called for after a tentative agreement that was apparently signed off on by local union leadership.

Controversy followed however, as the provincial board of the Canadian Union of Public Employees removed Local No. 829’s leadership just ahead of the signing in early February.

CUPE then filed a “bad faith bargaining” accusation with the labour board, while the school division applied for a “last offer” vote process put directly to employees.

CUPE president Rory Gill said in a release that 235 out of 274 eligible members took part in a labour board-supervised voting on March 10 and 11. The result was a 79.1 per cent of ballots rejecting the proposal, he said.

“(I am pleased) that members of Local 829 voted in solidarity with other education workers across the province,” said Gill.

CUPE’s release also describes the monetary offer from the school board as in line with what it called a provincial government mandate to hold raises at 3 per cent per year within a four-year contract.

The rejection in Medicine Hat could restart negotiations, while a number of CUPE educational locals across the province are currently on strike or threatening job action.

MHPSD superintendent Tracy Hensel said in a statement the district believes its offer represented “a fair and competitive package, addressing key concerns raised during negotiations.”

“We are prepared to return to the negotiating table with the union to better understand their concerns and find a mutually agreeable solution,” stated Hensel.

CUPE officials told the News last month it had hoped to reform a negotiating committee soon after the previous local union leadership was put under administrative sanctions for reasons the union stated were unrelated to bargaining. CUPE sources told the News on Wednesday that a committee is now in place.

A school board release states the rejection of the contract offer leaves “uncertainty,” but it “respects that this decision reflects the concerns and priorities of support workers.”

“We remain committed to coming together with CUPE Local 829 to find a resolution and uphold our purpose of placing education at the centre of our community.”

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