Nursing care staff, represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), have overwhelmingly voted in favor of strike action, with a resounding 98% majority during the voting process held from October 30 to November 3. The AUPE president, Sandra Azocar, expressed the members’ frustration with stagnant wages and unsafe working conditions that impact both workers and patients in Alberta’s public health care system. Following unsuccessful negotiations between AUPE and the employer, Alberta Health Services, and other relevant organizations since April, discussions are scheduled to resume for mediation on Thursday.
The union’s 16,000 members, primarily comprising licensed practical nurses and health care aides, are now poised to issue a strike notice as early as November 17. Despite their preference to fulfill their duties, the members are prepared to advocate for their rights and take necessary job actions. This development follows a recent strike by teachers under the Alberta Teachers’ Association, who were compelled to return to work through provincial legislation utilizing the notwithstanding clause to prevent legal challenges.
Alberta’s Finance Minister and Treasury Board President, Nate Horner, voiced disappointment regarding the strike vote outcome, emphasizing the government’s fair offer of a 12% wage increase over four years. He highlighted that AUPE’s proposal, demanding substantial pay parity with registered nurses and reduced annual working hours for licensed practical nurses, would exceed $2 billion. The lead negotiator for AUPE, Kate Robinson, underscored the disparity in compensation between LPNs and RNs, noting that Alberta LPNs currently rank seventh in pay compared to their counterparts nationally.
The impending strike is further complicated by the pending regulation of health care aides as a profession, expected in February, impacting ongoing negotiations. While the union has laid out essential services protocols for a potential strike, concerns persist due to existing understaffing challenges in certain areas. Opposition leaders have criticized the government’s handling of workplace safety issues and the potential use of the notwithstanding clause to intervene in labor disputes.
As the situation unfolds, experts suggest that the government’s past reliance on such legislative measures may set a precedent for future interventions. Amidst widespread labor unrest nationally and economic strains exacerbated by the pandemic and inflation, tensions remain high in the public sector. The specter of the notwithstanding clause looms, with stakeholders closely monitoring developments in the ongoing labor dispute.
