EDMONTON – A significant labour disruption is imminent in Alberta's health-care sector as thousands of licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and health-care aides, represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), are poised to commence strike action on Saturday morning.
Who is Striking and the Scale of the Action
The job action involves approximately 22 per cent of Alberta's 16,000 LPNs and health-care aides. This translates to roughly 3,500 frontline health workers walking off the job. The strike follows an overwhelming 98 per cent strike vote by AUPE members earlier this month, who rejected the provincial government's contract offer.
Complicating the situation, the union resumed bargaining talks with the province's bargaining unit on Friday morning, just one day before the planned walkout.
Essential Services and Legal Limitations
A critical factor in this strike is the designation of essential services. The majority of the 16,000 workers, 78 per cent, are legally prohibited from striking because their roles are deemed essential to patient safety and health. These designated essential workers are mandated by the province to remain on the job.
However, these essential staff can still engage in protest activities during their lunch breaks or outside of their scheduled working hours. This dynamic is governed by an Essential Service Agreement, a requirement for public sector unions in critical fields, which ensures a minimum level of staffing during labour disputes.
Roles, Demands, and Potential Impacts
Licensed practical nurses and health-care aides are vital frontline providers. Their responsibilities include direct patient care such as taking vital signs, collecting samples, administering medications, and ensuring patient comfort. They typically work under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs), who require a bachelor's degree and are responsible for care strategizing.
The core of the dispute lies in the province's contract offer. The government has proposed an 11 per cent wage increase over four years. Additionally, it offered a 9.5 per cent raise specifically for LPNs and a two per cent bump for health-care assistants.
Despite this, the two parties remain "very far apart," according to Kate Robinson, the AUPE’s lead negotiator. The primary consequence for Albertans will be potential delays and rescheduling of elective surgeries across the province, as the system adjusts to the reduced workforce.
