City of Edmonton Bargaining Update

Posted on 12/20/2023


This morning, Michelle Plouffe released the details of the City's "Best and Final offer" offer (presented on December 13, 2023 to the Union). Justin Krikler released the same information to Edmonton Police Service (EPS) employees this afternoon. The document provided in their emails does not represent a negotiated settlement and the document was released solely by the City and EPS to our members without our permission. The Union rejected this offer.

The City's offer was made to the Union in response to an earlier Union proposed settlement which included wage increases of 1.5% for 2021, 1% for 2022, 2% for 2023, 3.75% for 2024, and 3.75% for 2025, along with 4 days of bereavement leave for provisional employees, continued hybrid work, and a 25 EDO option for the 73.8 hours of work option.

After receiving the City's "Best and Final offer" and being told that there was no room to move on the monetary offer, we thought that it would be best to concentrate on settling 2021, 2022, and 2023 and then get right back to the bargaining table for 2024 and beyond. This way we would also be bargaining at the same time as the other Unions at the City. We tabled an offer of 1.5% for 2021, 1.5% for 2022, and 2% for 2023. The City refused to consider this offer.

There are many reasons why the City's monetary offer is unfair:

  • While there are some items in the City's offer that were achieved (e.g. Hybrid Work Letter of Understanding, 3 bereavement days for provisional employees), the number one priority for our members, as identified in information sessions and surveys, was the general wage increase. The City's offered wage increases do not even begin to address inflation from 2018 onward.
  • When we consider that many of our members will move from 67.5 hours biweekly to either 73.8 or 80 hours biweekly, the first three years of the City's proposed wages represent a roll-back to 2018 in your hourly rate of pay. In our opinion, the City jammed the 73.8 hours of work option down our throats.
  • The offer for 2024 and 2025 is lower than what is currently being ratified by unionized employees in other municipalities in Alberta. Large organizations, such as the Government of Alberta, are starting to bargain in the new year. Given inflation, we expect to see higher negotiated settlements than what the City is currently offering.
  • 0, 1, and 2% for 2021, 2022, and 2023 are not reasonable wage increases. The City has constantly asked why our membership deserves a higher wage increase than other Unions' members at the City. We have consistently responded that some of the Unions accepted a 1.5% increase in 2021, and their members are not facing a rollback in hourly rates of pay, and an increase in hours. The City refuses to look at CUPE 38 in Calgary as our best comparator, who has a membership makeup that is similar to ours. CUPE 38 received 1.5% for 2021, 1.5% for 2022, and 2% for 2023. Our final offer to the City included these numbers.
  • Statistics Canada recently released information showing the poverty threshold for a family in Edmonton is $55,225. 25% of CSU 52 positions have annual wages at or under this threshold.
  • Our members told us very strongly in a recent survey that they will not accept 0%, 1%, and 2%.
  • More than 3,000 members signed our No Zeros petition.
  • The commentary in Ms. Plouffe and Mr. Krikler's emails regarding Hybrid Work is misleading. While the expiry date is removed, Letters of Understanding (LOUs) expire when the Collective Agreement expires and will only continue if the parties agree to re-sign an LOU in the next round of bargaining. This means that Hybrid Work is not permanent – the only way to achieve permanency is to add language for Hybrid Work into the body of the Collective Agreement.
  • Not included in the City’s offer is a way to address work/life balance, which was also in the top three priorities for our members.
  • The City appears trying to balance their budgets and prioritize other projects over paying you a fair wage increase.

Upon rejecting the City's offer, we requested to continue with mediation. We are awaiting the City's response and will communicate again once we hear back from them.