City of Edmonton Bargaining Update & Emergency Meetings

Posted on 1/22/2024

On Thursday, January 18, 2024, the CSU 52 City of Edmonton Bargaining Committee met to plan the next steps in regards to ongoing contract negotiations.

What You Need to Know

• The Bargaining Committee presented the City's negotiations team with available dates to meet to resume bargaining. It has always been our goal to reach a negotiated settlement.
• The Bargaining Committee has also decided to apply to the Alberta Labour Relations Board for a Strike Vote to take place following the end of the 14-day cooling off period which ends on January 30^th.
• Now, the Bargaining Committee is asking CSU 52 members to authorize a strike mandate.
• Member attendance at one of the six upcoming emergency meetings is crucial.

Why are we holding a Strike Vote?

We are hearing from employees throughout the City that managers are informing employees that they will be locked out by the Employer. The Bargaining Committee made the decision to hold a Strike Vote to protect CSU 52 members from the potential of the Employer declaring a lockout.

• A lockout is a strategy the Employer can use to force a Union to accept a bad deal. This lockout would make the current contract null and void.
• After 24 hours, the Employer would then invite employees back to the workplace under their own terms.
• Without a Strike Vote, CSU 52 members would return under the Employer’s terms as opposed to a negotiated return covered by a Collective Agreement.
• The Union would not be able to negotiate a return-to-work agreement to protect members upon re-entering the workplace unless we are able to counter the lockout with a strike.

CSU 52's President and the Bargaining Committee have called for Emergency Meetings on two upcoming dates with three scheduled times on each day (online attendance only):

• 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM
• 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
• 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM

We are encouraging every member to attend one of the sessions. Please help us spread the word to your colleagues. This is your future.

In the meantime, visit the Emergency Bargaining Meetings FAQs page (requires member login).