Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.
Hundreds of Alberta public sector workers rallied outside Foothills Hospital on Saturday in hopes of getting a message to the province to get a “fair collective agreement amid collective bargaining.
Negotiations are underway for a new collective agreement between the province and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE). However, AUPE executive vice president Bonnie Gostola says those talks have stalled.
“They are very determined to get a fair collective agreement and actually demand a little more respect for the work we do every day for Albertans,” he said.
The union, which represents more than 95,000 members, says many of them have been without a collective agreement since earlier this year.
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He is looking for a solution to staffing and pensions issues. He also wants a pay boost of 26 per cent over three years, but the province offered 7.5 per cent over four years.
“(It’s) an insult really,” Gostola said.
“Our members have been taking zero for 10 years plus, zero and one percent. That is barely keeping up and far behind what inflation has actually cost for days,” he added.
In a statement, Alberta finance minister Nate Horner says, “the average Albertan has not seen this kind of wage increase and this government is not going to increase taxes or cut programs and services that Albertans depend on for support wage increases that are well beyond the market. .
“We must remain competitive with other public sector settlements across Canada that have secured market-based compensation.”
The statement goes on to say that the government’s proposal “is consistent with the findings of the Conference Board of Canada that most working Albertans received a wage increase between two and three per cent in 2023 and 2024.”
Rallies were also held in Edmonton and Red Deer on Saturday with a rally scheduled for Okotoks on Sunday and Taber next week.
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(Except translation, this story has not been edited by achinews staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
source link https://globalnews.ca/news/10738874/aupe-members-rally-message-government/
