EDMONTON – A survey of 93,000 Albertans conducted by the provincial government has a very clear message: don’t touch the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). The results were released by the government after a lengthy request for information by the Edmonton Journal.

CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal says she was not surprised the survey showed 63% opposition to leaving the CPP, and only 10% support for an Alberta plan.

“There is no case for leaving the CPP,” said Uppal. “An Alberta plan would cost more, and deliver weaker investment returns and smaller pensions.”

Uppal called on the UCP government to abandon all plans to take Alberta out of the Canada Pension Plan.

“I know Danielle Smith likes to flirt with separatists, but the Canada Pension Plan is one of the strongest reasons for Alberta to remain in Canada. The Premier needs to abandon this idea and stop threatening the retirement security of Albertans.”

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – CUPE Alberta is sounding the alarm over a looming crisis in the province’s K–12 education system as hundreds of educational assistants (EAs) across the province face job losses following the withdrawal of most of the federal Jordan’s Principle funding for non-reserve schools.

Jordan’s Principle is a federal policy intended to ensure First Nations children receive the services they need without delay, including in education, health care, and social services. In Alberta, this funding has helped support educational assistants in public schools, benefiting both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students.

In a powerful open letter sent to Minister of Education and Childcare Demetrios Nicolaides, Wendy Harman, President of CUPE 5543, warned that the cuts would be “catastrophic” for students with complex learning needs, behavioural challenges, and those on Individualized Education Plans.

“This will devastate our Alberta schools,” wrote Harman. “Now, we are actively choosing to let more children fall through the cracks, and those cracks are growing into chasms.”

Harman cited alarming figures from Parkland School Division, where some schools will see their EA staffing slashed by more than half, dropping from 11 assistants to just 5 for student populations of over 600. “Our EAs are not ‘extras,’” she continued. “They are qualified professionals who de-escalate crisis situations, manage diverse learning needs, and play a critical role in allowing classroom teachers to teach.”

CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal echoed the concerns and called on the provincial government to immediately step in with targeted funding to protect front-line education supports.

“Educational assistants are the backbone of inclusive classrooms,” said Uppal. “When we cut EAs, we fail students who need support the most. The Minister must act now, because these cuts affect every student in Alberta who relies on additional help to succeed.”

CUPE Alberta is urging the province to demonstrate real leadership by reversing the EA cuts, restoring jobs, and investing in a public education system that supports all children.

MEDICINE HAT, Alberta — CUPE 829, representing approximately 350 education support workers in the Medicine Hat Public School Division, ratified a new four-year collective agreement on May 13 that will be in place until August 31, 2028. The previous agreement expired in 2024. Almost 90% of voting members supported the new contract.

This new deal comes after a forced vote on the employer’s “final offer” was rejected by members. This important step allowed CUPE 829 to return to the bargaining table and secure a stronger deal, one that better reflects the needs and contributions of education support workers. Both CUPE 829 and the employer have withdrawn their unfair labour practices complaints.

This new, ratified agreement secures the province-wide CUPE pattern achieved through the hard-fought efforts of striking education workers across Alberta.

CUPE National Representative Kim Wentzell said, “CUPE 829 is pleased to have reached this agreement that provides long-term stability for our members, for the school division, and for the kids.

Our members are proud of the work we do every day to support students and schools. This agreement recognizes that work and ensures we can continue supporting the community effectively.

CUPE 829 looks forward to continuing to build a strong and respectful working relationship with the Medicine Hat Public School Division as both parties move forward together under this new agreement.”

 

“Teens need adults to actually be adults about sex”

EDMONTON – CUPE 3550 represents 3,500 employees (including library workers) at the Edmonton Public School Board.  President Mandy Lamoureaux issued the following statement regarding Alberta Education Minister Dimitrios Nicolaides’s policy on ‘age appropriate books’ in school libraries.

“The problems in Alberta education today stem from underfunded schools. Today’s announcement is a transparent attempt to distract from funding issues with dubious culture wars.

The government should talk to parents, who will tell them book censorship does nothing to solve the real issues students face.

The education minister is nearly silent about the fact that schools are laying off staff as Jordan’s Principle funding dries up. The Minister also avoids discussing overcrowding in classrooms, funding levels that don’t match inflation, support for special needs kids, and staff wages that don’t keep up with the cost of living.

Instead, Minister Nicolaides bans books with gay and queer themes.

Experts agree that in an age when teens can access pornography at almost anytime, young people need literature with healthy depictions of sexuality. Sex is something kids know about, and need to learn about in thoughtful and respectful ways.

The UCP plan to divert attention from the failures of their own education system will only hurt teens who need adults to actually be adults about sex.”

EDMONTON, AB – A bill before the Alberta Legislature will, if passed, allow for the operation and funding of hospitals by private, for-profit entities.

Bill 55, The Health Statutes Amendment Act, lets the Health Minister turn hospitals over to private interests, and private operators and charge fees for services.

CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal joined NDP MLAs and other health care union leaders at the Alberta Legislature to call on the United Conservative Party (UCP) government to scrap the bill.

“Danielle Smith needs to keep her election promise to stay away from private hospitals,” said Uppal. “Charging fees for health care is mean, and it does nothing to bring down our already high cost of living.”

Uppal said the quality of health care has “dropped off a cliff” under the UCP’s watch, adding that reorganization, scandals like corrupt care, and underfunding “have added multi levels of chaos” to the system.

“Alberta health care needs stable funding, and quiet, competent management, not American style private hospitals and extra fees.”

A group of over 400 support staff in the Northern Lights Public School Division have voted to join the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 2559.

The employees voted 76% in favour of joining CUPE. The group includes clerical staff, educational assistants, cafeteria workers, library workers and other specialists. Custodial workers in the district already belong to CUPE Local 1098.

CUPE Local 2559 President Danielle Danis said the employees unionized to have a stronger voice in their workplace. The district has been hit with over 130 layoffs of educational assistants in recent weeks due to the cutting of “Jordan’s Principal” funding.

“These workers join the largest union of education workers in Canada,” said Danis. “We’re happy to have them in the family, and we look forward to helping them with their many workplace issues.”

Northern Lights School Division covers a large geographic area of over 14,000 square kilometres from the Saskatchewan border to Highway 63. The district has 28 schools and 5,800 students.

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.