More than 23,000 Alberta civil servants represented by AUPE now primed to strike

With more than 23,000 civil servants represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees primed to strike, the ball is now in the United Conservative Party Government’s court.

At a noon-hour press conference yesterday, AUPE President Guy Smith announced the union’s strike mandate, which can only be described as resounding – 90.1 per cent approving strike action if necessary with 80 per cent of the unionized direct employees of the provincial government casting a ballot. 

So, over the next four months, unionized government employees can walk out any time after 72-hours’ notice. Meanwhile, earlier this month the government applied for and received permission to lock out AUPE’s members in the event of a breakdown in negotiations. So the government theoretically could also pull the trigger after 72 hours’ notice. 

At the union’s short news conference yesterday, Mr. Smith said AUPE had no intention of rushing into a strike. “We are determined to get a deal at the table.” Meanwhile, back at the Legislature, Finance Minister Nate Horner, responding to an Opposition question, stood up and said, “if they’re serious about coming back to the table, we’ll be there.”

But here’s the thing, at this point if the government is serious about actually getting a negotiated deal with AUPE, they’re going to have to stop taunting the union with offers symbolically lower than those in settlements with other unions, notably the public-sector deal with United Nurses of Alberta. 

So the question at this point is whether the government of Premier Danielle Smith (who is no relation to either AUPE President Smith or UNA President Heather Smith) can act like grownups long enough to get a deal that won’t make it look as if they’ve fumbled another important file.

On the other hand, there are certainly players in the UCP Caucus who wouldn’t mind a fight with as union because they think they can simultaneously look tough and deflect attention from that dodgy contracts scandal, a measles epidemic, and the UCP’s march toward privatization in health care, all of which must be generating unease among voters. 

However, as long as there are Liberals in power in Ottawa, this government would always prefer to focus on a fight with the feds, a factor that might incline the UCP toward trying to reach a deal with AUPE. Indeed, the government published yet another public statement yesterday complaining pointlessly about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet picks. 

The union noted in a bargaining update for members yesterday that “we are currently dealing with an employer that has proven to be particularly uncooperative throughout this process. Recently, the Government of Alberta’s spokesperson dismissed our position as ‘rhetoric,’ despite the fact that we are advocating for wages that reflect the real inflation affecting our province.”

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to good faith negotiations and will continue to push for an equitable agreement,” the AUPE update said. “We call on the government to move beyond dismissive rhetoric and engage constructively with us to secure a fair and sustainable outcome.”

Another factor in these negotiations is that this is the first time Alberta civil servants have had a legal right to strike, thanks to the repeal in 2017 of unconstitutional legislation that had banned all public-sector strikes in Alberta. 

So what’s likely going to be required to reach a deal?

Well, to move things forward, the government is going to have to up its offer at least to annual pay increases of 3 per cent a year over four years – which is what the government emphasizes in UNA’s agreement that was overwhelmingly ratified by the nurse union’s members in voting that took place on April 2. 

In a statement on April 3, UNA explained that when the dust had settled, the new nurses’ agreement would result in “pay increases of approximately 20 per cent over the life of the four-year Provincial Collective Agreement, plus significant increases in premium pay and other benefits.”

But at least an offer of four years of 3 per cent annual pay increases could get things moving in the right direction, although some sweeteners for civil servants would still be required to reach a deal. 

So far, though, the government has offered increases of 3 per cent, 3 per cent, 2.75 per cent and 2.75 per cent, which AUPE clearly views as insulting. 

So stand by for developments.

Ric McIver, former Calgary city councillor and longtime MLA, named Speaker of the Alberta Legislature

With former Speaker Nathan Cooper off to serve as Alberta’s trade representative in Washington, veteran Progressive Conservative and UCP minister Ric McIver was elected Speaker of the Alberta Legislature yesterday. 

Earlier in the day, Mr. McIver resigned as municipal affairs minister before defeating the Opposition NDP’s candidate, Edmonton-Manning MLA Heather Sweet, for the right to occupy the Speaker’s chair. 

A Calgary city councillor from 1998 to 2010, when he left to unsuccessfully run for mayor, Mr. McIver has represented Calgary-Hays since 2012. He is an old time Tory – which is to say that while it’s often not obvious he may actually have a progressive bone or two in his body. As a result, it may come as something of a relief to him to no longer have to stand up in the Legislature and defend the Smith Government’s MAGA policies. 

As Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt observed on Twitter/X yesterday, “This is a big blow to the UCP government. McIver was a major fixer of problems.” And heaven knows, the UCP has created lots of problems that need fixing! 

At 66, Mr. McIver will be in a position to retire after the next election if he feels like going out on a high note. In addition to the Canada Pension Plan, he’ll even qualify for an official portrait painted by an artist of his choice to be displayed in the Rotunda of the Legislative Building.