Contract negotiations between the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) and the provincial government have reached a standstill, raising the prospect of a strike involving more than 16,000 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and healthcare aides as early as Saturday.The union issued a formal strike notice Wednesday morning, confirming mediation efforts had failed to produce a tentative agreement.“Mediation was not successful. We did not reach a tentative agreement nor receive recommendations from our mediator,” AUPE stated. “The employer’s offer is simply not good enough, especially when it comes to our wages.”A key point of contention is compensation. The union says wages have not kept pace with the growing responsibilities and expanding scope of practice of LPNs, calling for the pay gap between licensed practical nurses and registered nurses to narrow..Beyond wages, AUPE says significant differences remain on issues including professional development time, scheduling rules, banked overtime limits, on-call pay rates, mileage reimbursement, benefits, and licensing-related fees.Negotiators for the union are urging the province to return to the bargaining table with a revised proposal.“There is still time to reach a fair deal at the bargaining table before we go on strike,” the statement reads.Union members would receive strike pay via direct deposit should job action begin.Earlier this month, 98 per cent of participating members voted in favour of authorizing a strike.The Alberta government has not yet issued a public response to the notice.MORE TO COME....
