We demand fair compensation throughout mediation
We have been bargaining for over a year and have made some significant changes on our non-monetary proposals. However, the monetary negotiations aren’t negotiations at all; they are a façade. The Government of Alberta has imposed a “mandate” on all government and agency bargaining with no room whatsoever to negotiate outside of that mandate.
It is of note that this “mandate” was created long before the economy started booming and inflation and the cost-of-living spiked to an all-time high.
The Government of Alberta settlement is as follows:
Wage Increases and Salary Schedule:
The Wage rate contained in the April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 Salary Schedules/Grids in all of the Subsidiary Agreements shall be increased in accordance with the schedule below;
- Effective April 1, 2020 Salary Schedules/Grids in all of the Subsidiary Agreements shall be increased by Zero percent (0%).
- Effective April 1, 2021 Salary Schedules/Grids in all of the Subsidiary Agreements shall be increased by Zero percent (0%)
- Effective January 1, 2023 Salary Schedules/Grids in all of the Subsidiary Agreements shall be increased by one point two-five percent (1.25%).
- Effective September 1, 2023 Salary Schedules/Grids in all of the Subsidiary Agreements shall be increased by 1.5% plus an additional .5% subject to the following Gain Sharing Formula:
Gain Sharing Formula:
Alberta’s 20-year average (2000-2019) of Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is 2.7%. Provided that the “Average of All Private Forecasts for Alberta’s Real GDP” for 2023 Calendar Year is at or above 2.7% as of February of 2024, then an additional 0.5% will be added to wages retroactively effective September 1, 2023 for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year.
Your negotiating team rejects this imposed mandate and insists on a fair and reasonable settlement. With the cost of living currently exceeding 7.4%, the government mandate doesn’t even cover this increase in one year let alone keep up year over year. Fuel prices, interest rates, and every imaginable consumer product has increased significantly. We raised this with the employer and attempted appealing to their sense of decency and compassion; all to no avail.
Jason Kenney has been reporting budget surpluses and bragging about Alberta’s booming economy. Recently Jason Kenney raved about the savings of $1.2 Billion.
“With hundreds of initiatives completed that cut red tape and modernize the regulatory framework, Albertans and Alberta businesses have saved more than $1.2 billion.”
You can find this information at this link.
With those types of savings directly associated with the work that Alberta Innovates and Innotech does, you would think that the government would provide employees with the wage increase they deserve.
We are currently in mediation and are attempting to find meaningful ways to increase compensation. Unfortunately, this is not reflective of a change in mandate as the employer has been clear that any gains must be met with equivalent savings for the employer.
We are working hard to get you a meaningful increase to offset the inflation that we’ve all felt and continue to feel.
We want to hear from you and are sending out a survey to all members to give us some feedback. Should we accept the government’s mandate, or should we stand strong against this absurdly low mandate?
It is of note that the non-bargaining unit employees received a raise between 2 and 4% for one year.
AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAM - ALBERTA INNOVATES AND INNOTECH
Ryan Rybchuk
rrybchuk@gmail.com
Brittany Orfino
b.bay1@hotmail.com
Marcel Weinans
marcel.weinans@albertainnovates.ca
Sean Watt
sean.watt@innotechalberta.ca
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
Jason Rattray Negotiations
j.rattray@aupe.org
Farid Iskandar Organizing
f.iskandar@aupe.org
Kavi Chahal Communications
k.chahal@aupe.org