Raj Uppal elected President of CUPE Alberta

by

EDMONTON – Health care worker Raj Uppal has been elected President of CUPE Alberta. The forty-one-year-old mother of two was selected on Friday as the new leader of the 40,000-member strong organization, defeating incumbent Rory Gill.

Uppal appears to be the first woman of colour to lead a major union in Alberta.

Uppal has been the President of CUPE 41 for six years, representing 1,400 members at Grey Nuns and Edmonton General Hospitals. During her time as Local President, CUPE 41 focused on multiple health and safety improvements, with a successful push for better equipment and improved employer policies and practices.

“I’m honoured and humbled to gain the trust of CUPE activists,” said Uppal. “I’m excited to get started and to keep building our union as a strong force for working people.”

Uppal says as President she will work to improve ties with other unions. “We need to have strong working relationships with other unions, especially in the public sector, to build solidarity and win gains for working people.”

Uppal has served on the CUPE Alberta executive board for two terms as the Diversity Vice President.  She is a former mortgage broker and previous member of UFCW 401.

CUPE releases summaries of education settlements

by

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – The Canadian Union of Public Employees released summaries of the nine settled and ratified agreements in the education support workers’ strike.

CUPE 40 (Calgary Board of Education)
Term: 2024-2028

Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $3.65-$4.97
Percentage range improvement – 12.55%-17.81%

Subforman rate moved to Forman rate.

 

CUPE 520 (Calgary Catholic)
Term: 2024-2028

Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $4.03-$5.76
Percentage range improvement – 12.45%-20.04%

Health Spending Account increased by $300 per year.

 

CUPE 2559 (Fort McMurray Catholic)
Term: 2020-2028

Sept 1, 2023      1.25%
Feb   1, 2024     1.5%
Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $4.03-$5.76
Percentage range improvement – 16.1%-27.9%

Increase in health benefits premiums – employer coverage goes from 80% – 100% by 2028.

CUPE 2545 (Fort McMurray Public)
Term: 2020-2028

Sept 1, 2023      1.25%
Feb  1,  2024     1.5%
Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $4.50-$6.24
Percentage range improvement – 15.2%-19.9%

Increase of $125 in health spending account.

 

CUPE 3484 (Black Gold School Division)
Term: 2024-2028

Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $3.76-$6.62
Percentage range improvement – 14.3%-27.8%

Minimum 197 paid days.

Market adjustment for Educational Assistants (8%-9.6%)

Market adjustment for secretaries – all move to the head secretary rate.

Health spending account – $600-650

 

CUPE 3550 (Edmonton Public Schools)
Term: 2020-2028

Jun 1, 2023        1.25%
Feb 1, 2024       1.5%
Aug 31, 2024     0.5%
Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.10/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $4.03-$5.92
Percentage range improvement – 16%-20.87%

Removal of bottom two steps in the pay grid.

Certification bonus, $0.50/hour for “Certification 1”, $1.00/hour for “Certification 2”.

 

CUPE 4625 (Sturgeon School Division)
Term: 2020-2028

Feb 1,  2024      2.75%
Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $4.85-$6.37
Percentage range improvement – 20.40%-25.76%

3% market adjustment upon ratification.

Step 1 of the wage grid removed.

Health spending account increased by $100

 

CUPE 5040 (Foothills School Division)
Term: 2024-2028

Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $3.80-$6.16
Percentage range improvement – 13.9%-28.5%

Secretary rate moved to level 2 one month after ratification.

Addition of one paid family sick day.

 

CUPE 5543 (Parkland School Division)
Term: 2024-2028

Sept 1, 2024      3%
Sept 1, 2025      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)
Sept 1, 2026      3%
Sept 1, 2027      $1.25/hr or 3% (whichever is higher)

Dollar range improvement – $3.77-$8.86
Percentage range improvement – 12.55%-29.42%

Market adjustments for Educational Assistants (result is wage increases for EAs are 22-29%).

Minimum 200 days of work.

$400 vision plan.

CUPE AB Convention 2025 Election Results

by
TABLE OFFICERS ELECTED 2025
President Raj Uppal L41
Recording Secretary Kelly Spence L8
Young Workers Vice President Katey Schmidt L1825
General Vice President (South) Jason Fenske L46
Diversity Vice President Abbie Mitchell L40
   
AREA VICE PRESIDENT – CALGARY Cherise Stock L38
   
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Raj Uppal L41
   
TRUSTEE (3-YEAR TERM) Ryan Lauder L784
   
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT Raj Uppal L41
   
ALTERNATE AREA VP  
Peace River Vacant
Fort McMurray Lynn Fleet L2545
North West Vacant
North East Mary Morin L2550
Edmonton Shelly Lavallee L3550
Calgary Vacant
Red Deer Joan Keough L838
Lethbridge Lynda Easthope L408
Medicine Hat Tabatha Williams L1032

Education workers in Calgary, Sturgeon accept settlements

by

CALGARY, ALBERTA – Two more CUPE locals have voted to accept tentative agreements, ending strikes at the Calgary Catholic and Sturgeon School Divisions.

CUPE 520 members at the Calgary Catholic School Division voted 93% to accept their settlement. CUPE 4625 members at Sturgeon School Division voted 80% in favour. Return to work is scheduled for Monday at Calgary Catholic schools and March 31 at Sturgeon schools.

There is now only one group of striking education support workers left to ratify an agreement. CUPE Local 5040 members will vote tomorrow on their settlement with the Foothills School Division.

Two more CUPE locals vote to accept settlements

by

CALGARY, ALBERTA  – Two more CUPE locals have voted to accept tentative agreements, ending strikes at the Calgary Board of Education and the Black Gold School Division.

CUPE 40 members at the Calgary Board of Education voted 92% to accept their settlement. CUPE 3484 members at Black Gold Division voted 87% in favour. Return to work is scheduled for tomorrow at Black Gold and Friday at the Calgary Board.

There are now ratified agreements at:

Calgary Board of Education (CUPE 40)
Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545)
Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559)
Black Gold School Division (CUPE 3484)
Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550)
Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543)

There are tentative settlements in the following districts:

Calgary Catholic School District (CUPE 520)
Sturgeon Public Schools (CUPE 4625)
Foothills School Division (CUPE 5040)

Deal at Foothills Schools, two CUPE locals vote to accept settlements

by

Calgary – CUPE Local 5040 has reached a tentative agreement with Foothills School Division, marking the last of nine striking school divisions to reach settlements.

Meanwhile, two other CUPE locals have voted to accept tentative agreements, ending strikes at the Edmonton Public School District and the Parkland School District.

CUPE 3550 members at Edmonton Public School District voted 93% to accept their settlement. CUPE 5543 members at Parkland Division voted 97% in favour. Both groups will return to work tomorrow.

CUPE 5040 expects to hold ratification votes tomorrow and Friday. If the agreement is accepted by members, they will return to work Monday.

Later today, CUPE will release the results of voting on tentative agreements with Local 40 (Calgary Board of Education) and Local 3484 (Black Gold School Division).

There are now ratified agreements at:

Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559).
Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545).
Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550)
Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543)

There are tentative settlements in the following districts:

Calgary Board of Education (CUPE 40)
Calgary Catholic School District (CUPE 520)
Black Gold School Division (CUPE 3484)
Foothills School Division (CUPE 5040)
Sturgeon School Division (CUPE 4625)

CUPE, Sturgeon School Division reach agreement

by

MORINVILLE, ALBERTA – CUPE Local 4625 and the Sturgeon School Division have reached a tentative settlement in the strike that has been ongoing since January 13.

Voting will open later this morning for over 200 education support workers to ratify the settlement. We expect a result tomorrow by mid-day. If the members approve the agreement, they will return to work on March 31, after spring break.

This leaves Foothills School Division as the only striking education local without a settlement. CUPE 5040 and Foothills are bargaining today.

There are now tentative settlements in the following districts:

Calgary Board of Education (CUPE 40)
Calgary Catholic School District (CUPE 520)
Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550)
Black Gold School Division (CUPE 3484)
Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543)

Ratification results are expected today at CUPE 40, CUPE 3484, CUPE 3550, and CUPE 5543.

There are two ratified agreements at:

Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559).
Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545).

 

CUPE, Black Gold School Division reach agreement

by

LEDUC, ALBERTA – CUPE Local 3484 and the Black Gold School Division have reached a tentative settlement in the strike that has been ongoing since February 24.

The 570 members will vote on the settlement tonight. If the members approve the agreement, they will return to work on Thursday.

There will be no traditional picket lines today. The workers will be participating in a community clean-up.

There are now tentative settlements in the following districts:

Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550)
Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543)
Calgary Board of Education (CUPE 40)
Calgary Catholic School District (CUPE 520)
Black Gold School Division (CUPE 3484)

 

There are ratified agreements at:

Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559).
Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545).

 

Deal reached between CUPE and Calgary Catholic School District

by

CALGARY, ALBERTA – The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 520 has reached a tentative agreement with the Calgary Catholic School District.

The deal, like others reached this week, is a four-year agreement ending in August 2028. The wage settlement is higher than the provincial government mandate.

CUPE 520 will hold its ratification meeting on Thursday. If members agree to the settlement, employees will return to work on Monday morning.

There are now tentative agreements at Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550), Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543), and ratified agreements at Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559) and Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545).