AUPE averts strike with tentative agreement; voting period to ratify ends today

By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on November 28, 2025.

newsdesk@medicinehatnews.com

After issuing a strike notice last Wednesday morning, the Alberta Union of Public Employees called its employees back to work Saturday just minutes before the strike was scheduled to begin.

AUPE, which represents 16,000 nursing care workers including licensed practical nurses and health-care aides, reached a tentative agreement with Alberta Health Services Saturday and promptly directed members to return to work.

“Reaching this tentative agreement was only possible because of your strength, solidarity and willingness to fight for what you deserve,” reads a statement from AUPE to its members Saturday.

“Alberta’s government is very encouraged that AHS and AUPE have reached a tentative agreement that will be recommended to their members,” wrote President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner on Saturday.

“The strike has been averted.”

The tentative agreement includes a 23.8 per cent total wage increase for LPNs and a 17 per cent total wage increase or health care aides. The included market adjustments, which amount to 10 per cent for LPNs and 4 per cent for HCAs, will be retroactive to April 1, 2024.

AUPE says the wage increases are some of the highest they have ever secured.

The agreement was put to AUPE members to vote on Wednesday morning. Members have until 4:30 p.m. Friday to vote to ratify the agreement.

Despite AUPE’s previous understanding, all members, including those working for the new health-care pillars, Lamont Health Care Centre and Allen Gray Continuing Care, will vote as a single bargaining unit.

“We respect the work of licensed practical nurses and health-care aides, and they deserve a fair agreement,” wrote Horner.

“We look forward to AUPE members having the opportunity to review and vote on the agreement. Member ratification is an important step in the bargaining process.”

13
-12