AUPE Lloydminster members are joining the rising chorus of voices across Alberta unhappy with the contract offer of 7.5 per cent over four years from the Alberta government.
“Seven and a half per cent sucks,” says Vice President James Gault. “At the end of the day, our members are worth more than that.”
Lloydminster and area has some 700 members, and Gault was in the Border City for a meeting of local members on Wednesday, June 12, as AUPE is holding town hall meetings across the province.
Workers are asking anywhere from 35-26 per cent depending on whether they are health sector, education, or government of Alberta staff, says Gault as workers face short-staffed conditions and seek better provisions on matters like mental health support.
“The work they do – the work they have done is worth more than that. They want better benefits. They want to live,” adds Gault.
The vice president sees negotiations as moving to an impasse with essential services agreements coming to the fore.
Finance Minister Nate Horner has said the government values public sector workers, but they will not be offering public sector workers the kind of money the union is demanding. He has stated that “the government will not increase taxes or cut programs, services or workers to give unprecedented salary increases that will result in pay well above market rates.”
Some 82,000 AUPE members will be in contract negotiations before the end of summer, and about 220,000 from various unions will also be having similar discussions.
More town halls are planned across the province this month including in St. Paul and Vegreville.
