Workers approved strike if necessary in June: AUPE
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members employed by the Town of Ponoka, Alta., on July 23 voted in favour of a new contract reached with their employer.
The new agreement means any potential job action has been avoided, said the union.
“Our goal was always to reach a settlement at the table and we are happy the employer agreed to come back to negotiate a fair agreement for these hard-working members,” said Karen Weiers, AUPE vice-president.
The tentative agreement was reached after negotiations between the union and the employer on July 11, said the union.
The agreement secures a three-year contract — from Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 1, 2019 — for about 64 AUPE members who provide a variety of town services, such as the lifeguard and police clerk, according to AUPE.
Workers in Ponoka voted last month in favour of strike action after the town council walked away from a settlement recommended by a third-party mediator.
AUPE is Alberta’s largest union, representing more than 93,000 members across the province.
