Nursing-care union members vote in favour of collective agreement

Health-care staff who nearly went on strike last weekend voted in favour of a new collective agreement with Alberta Health Services.

The nursing-care members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) have voted to ratify the collective agreement between them and Alberta Health Services (AHS).

According to a Friday evening release from AUPE, voter turnout was 71 per cent.

Those working for AHS and affiliated organizations voted 63.3 per cent in favour of the deal, with the exceptions of the Lamont Health Care Centre workers and the Allen Grey Continuing Care Centre.

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The Allen Grey centre’s members voted 95 per cent in favour of the deal while nursing-care members from Lamont Health Care voted against the deal and will instead return to the bargaining table.

A tentative agreement between AUPE and AHS was reached on Saturday, minutes before a strike deadline.

The details of the agreement include total wage increases for licensed practical nurses and health-care aides, as well as general wage increases to shift premiums and rates.

In a statement released just after AUPE announced voting results, finance minister Nate Horner said he was pleased to see a secured agreement after months of negotiations.

“The new agreement improves the salaries and benefits for almost 16,000 licensed practical nurses and health-care aides and will help bring long-term stability to our health-care system,” he wrote.

The agreement is retroactive to April 1, 2024 and set to expire March 31, 2028.