February 9, 2024
Following a lengthy period of negotiations, including 30 bargaining sessions and multiple mediation dates, the City has put forward a best and final offer for CSU 52 members that offers a 7.25 per cent wage increase over a five-year period (2021-2025).
“We value our employees and the contributions they make to the City and all Edmontonians,” says Michelle Plouffe, Chief People Officer. “We believe we have a strong offer and that every CSU 52 member should have their say on the offer.”
About 8,000 City employees have already accepted that their 2020 wages will be maintained in 2021, despite the pandemic’s economic impact. All other civic unions negotiated a 1.0 per cent wage increase for their members in 2022 and a 2.0 per cent wage increase for their members in 2023. The additional 2.0 per cent wage increase that the City has offered to CSU employees in 2024 is the same increase that the City and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) union negotiated.
In response to the CSU 52 union’s decision not to take the City’s best and final offer to a vote of their membership, the City has applied to the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) to conduct an employer proposal vote that will provide every eligible union member a voice and vote on the City’s offer. The City continues to work with the ALRB on this application and anticipates that the date of this vote will be confirmed shortly.
“It has always been the City’s goal to reach an agreement that is fair and equitable for CSU 52 members, the City and taxpayers,” says Michelle Plouffe, Chief People Officer. “We believe our offer represents this balance and should avoid any potential strike or lockout.”
The City does not plan to proactively lock out CSU 52 members and is focused on the outcome of the vote on its proposal for a new collective agreement. However, on February 8, the City took a procedural step and applied for a lockout poll. This will provide the City the ability to implement a lockout if needed during a strike, to minimize disruption to City services and the impact to Edmontonians.
“We know that if CSU 52 members strike, there will be impacts to City services,” says Michelle Plouffe. “Both the extraordinary application to the ALRB and the service planning work happening internally are being done with the sole intent of minimizing any impacts from potential disruptions.”
The offer affects about 5,000 City staff, largely office staff providing professional, educational, business and other front-line services.
