Union representing 22,000 Alberta health professionals reaches tentative agreement

The president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta says he is reluctantly recommending union members ratify a tentative deal that will grant workers at least a 12 per cent wage increase in four years.

“Did we get everything we were looking for? No,” said HSAA president Mike Parker in an interview on Friday.

“The people who need to make that decision on next steps are the members of HSAA who have to work under this agreement.”

Parker says the proposal is the best deal union leaders think members can get out of the employers.

Representatives from the union and provincial health employers, represented by Alberta Health Services, struck a compromise on Thursday. An HSAA news release says it would give 22,000 members in 160 professions three per cent wage increases each year for four years, from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2028.

HSAA has another 8,000 members who are not included in the deal.

About a fifth of 22,000 HSAA workers, who are among the lowest paid in the union, would also get a boost to bring their salaries closer to those of colleagues in other provinces, Parker said.

Specific professionals, including primary care paramedics, emergency communication officers, advanced care paramedics, psychologists and perfusionists would also receive extra wage boosts.

The news release said the arrangement would include better health benefits for workers, job-protected leave for education upgrades, and better on-call and preceptor pay, among other perks.

Other affected workers include physiotherapists, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, medical imaging technologists, and many others employed by AHS, four other new provincial health agencies, Lamont health care centre and Camrose’s Bethany Nursing Home.

Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner said in a statement Thursday he was pleased the parties had reached a tentative pact after 16 months with no contract.

“The partnership between the two parties is a testament to the importance of these health-care professionals and the services they provide to Albertans, and our health system,” Horner said.

His press secretary was not able to provide the potential cost to the treasury, should workers vote to accept the deal.

Professor: agreement could set tone for other unions

Parker said by last weekend, negotiations had hit an impasse.

“We contacted the highest levels of government and said, ‘Look it. This is not good enough,’ ” he said.

Parker said they came away with a letter of understanding that committed the parties to doing a detailed analysis of wages for different professionals across western Canada and Ontario. He said this leaves the door open to potential wage increases for some workers before the tentative agreement expires.

Workers will have two weeks to vote on the agreement online, beginning on Aug. 28.

Athabasca University human resources and labour relations Prof. Jason Foster said the pact could be a tough sell to some of the union members who wouldn’t benefit from extra wage boosts.

“They probably have a sense that their members aren’t going to be particularly thrilled with it,” Foster said of HSAA leaders.

Member expectations were high, said Foster, after the United Nurses of Alberta inked a spring deal that gives members about a 20 per cent wage hike over four years.

The nurses’ agreement came after they rejected an earlier recommendation from a mediator in October 2024. Unionized Alberta teachers also rejected a mediator’s settlement proposal in May.

“I don’t think this is over yet,” Foster said of HSAA’s tentative agreement.

If HSAA members vote to accept the offer, the agreement could set a precedent for other provincial public-sector unions also trying to negotiate new contracts. Some post-secondary employees have also settled for 12 per cent raises over four years, he said.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association’s 51,000 members are in a position to strike with 72 hours notice. 

Unionized Alberta government workers are in mediation. An Aug. 8 update on the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) website says if this round of negotiations is unsuccessful, they will serve strike notice on or before Sept. 6 and walk off the job 72 hours later.

“They have been the most willing and most vocal about their willingness to go on strike,” said Foster, who added that the union has spent the summer preparing members for a possible strike.

AUPE health-care workers have also been without a contract since April 2024 and have asked for the appointment of a mediator.