22,000 health-care professionals vote ‘yes’ to new contract with AHS

22,000 health-care professionals vote ‘yes’ to new contract with AHS

Published 3:14 pm Thursday, November 27, 2025

Health Sciences Association of Alberta members voted 66 per cent in favour of a new collective agreement that gives the health care workers a 12 per cent general wage increase over four years.

Additional wage increases were provided to those paid under market, or with high vacancy rates, including EMS communications officers and other EMS workers, psychologists, diagnostic sonographers, nuclear medicine technologists and cardiovascular perfusionists.

“This agreement is a step forward for Alberta’s health-care professionals who work long hours under incredible pressure to care for others,” said Mike Parker, president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA), in a statement.

“While we didn’t get everything we wanted, this new collective agreement is a step forward for retaining the vital health-care professionals we have today, attracting the next generation for tomorrow, and making sure they all have the support they need to continue delivering high-quality care to all Albertans.”

The new agreement with Alberta Health Services comes after 20 months of bargaining and a mediator’s recommended settlement. It covers more than 22,000 health-care professionals, including diagnostic imaging technologists, mental health and addictions counsellors, radiation therapists and dosimetrists, social workers, paramedics, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, speech language pathologists, psychologists, dietitians, physiotherapists, and more than 200 others across Alberta.

Other improvements in the agreement include:

• $54 million in a jointly administered Rural Capacity Investment Fund to retain and recruit health-care professionals in rural areas.

• Full portability of seniority, benefits and other rights across all new provincial health agencies and corporations.

• New workload appeal process to address ongoing or systemic workload issues, allowing members to raise concerns directly up to senior leadership.

• Two per cent long service pay for eligible members with 20 plus years of service.

• Preceptor pay and increases to on-call premiums.

• Increased mileage and meal reimbursement rates.

• Enhanced medical benefits, including new coverage for diabetic glucose monitors.

• Improved personal leave and improved leaves of absence.

• $504 professional fee reimbursement and three paid professional development days.

• EMS automatic progression trial for paramedics to ensure full step recognition when members move from Primary Care Paramedics to Advanced Care Paramedics, as well as improvements to breaks and treatment of EMS rovers.

The Government of Alberta also signed two new Letters of Understanding (LOUs) with HSAA that may result in additional improvements for members.

“Alberta is in a global competition for health professionals, which means our members need a fair, competitive compensation structure that keeps them here. These LOUs are an important opportunity for us to take a close look at how to accomplish this in Alberta,” Parker said.

Finance Minister Nate Horner said the new agreement provides fair compensation increases and improved benefits that will help retain and recruit these vital professionals and bring long-term stability to Alberta’s health care system.

“These skilled workers deliver exceptional care throughout the province every day and on behalf of all Albertans. I thank them for their expertise and compassion,” Horner said.