About 16,000 hospital employees in Alberta have voted 98 per cent in favour of going on strike following a year and a half of unsuccessful contract negotiations. Global News
Tensions are rising in Alberta’s health-care system as about 16,000 unionized hospital employees, including licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and health-care aides, voted strongly in favour of strike action.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) reported that around 11,000 members cast ballots, and an overwhelming 98 per cent supported walking off the job if talks fail. The vote comes after 18 months of stalled negotiations between the union and the provincial government.
If mediation fails, workers could begin strike action as early as November 20.
Mediation Talks Begin This Week
AUPE president Sandra Azocar confirmed that four days of mediation are set to start Thursday. She said members want a fair deal but are prepared to strike if necessary.
“They are fed up with stagnant wages and unsafe working conditions that hurt workers, patients, and Alberta’s public health-care system,” Azocar said.
She added that the overwhelming strike vote shows health workers are no longer intimidated by recent government actions, including the back-to-work legislation that ended the teachers’ strike last week.
Government Responds to Strike Vote
Premier Danielle Smith faced questions in the legislature about whether her government might again use the notwithstanding clause to stop a strike. “We always bargain in good faith,” Smith replied, drawing laughter from opposition members.
Finance Minister Nate Horner told reporters the government is unlikely to use that clause in this case. “It’s a tool the government has, but it’s not something we’re focused on,” he said.
Horner explained that most of these hospital workers provide essential services, so not everyone would be allowed to strike legally. Smith added that 70 to 80 per cent of workers fall into that essential category, meaning health services would continue even during job action.
Dispute Over Wages and Pay Equity
The government says it has offered a 12 per cent raise over four years, while AUPE is asking for significantly more, especially for LPNs and aides whose duties have grown. Horner argued that the union’s proposal could cost taxpayers over $2 billion.
He noted that licensed practical nurses are demanding pay close to that of registered nurses, even though they have a smaller scope of practice.
However, Kate Robinson, AUPE’s lead negotiator, disagreed. She said LPNs now perform about 84 per cent of registered nurses’ duties but earn only 67 per cent of their salary. “It’s been a long time since wages reflected the real scope of their work,” Robinson said.
Opposition and Public Reaction
NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi warned that a strike would hurt patients and families. He accused the government of provoking labour disputes to justify using the notwithstanding clause again. “Albertans would be justified in asking if they’re engineering another strike,” he said.
The government’s earlier use of the clause to stop teachers from striking has already drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups, lawyers’ associations, and faith leaders, who say it undermines democratic rights.
For now, both sides return to the table this week, with health workers demanding fair pay and the province aiming to prevent another major labour disruption in Alberta’s public sector.
