For immediate release: Saturday, June 28, 2003

SLAVE LAKE – Members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees who work at Northern Lakes College have ratified a new three-year collective agreement that includes pay increases of four per cent in each year of the contract.

Voting took place Friday at the college’s main campus in Slave Lake, about 250 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.

“This is one of a series of good settlements AUPE has reached at educational institutions throughout Alberta in the past few days,” said AUPE President Dan MacLennan. “We are glad to see contracts ratified that contain fair pay increases for our members.”

MacLennan said AUPE will continue to work hard to press the government to provide appropriate levels of funding to colleges, universities and technical institutions throughout Alberta.

As a result of the agreement with Northern Lakes College, the approximately 100 members of AUPE Local 071/009 will also receive a signing bonus of at least one per cent of salary.

The agreement also includes improvements in the isolation modifier and northern allowance payments available for some employees. The isolation modifier payment will rise to $160 from $120, and the northern allowance will rise to $200 from $160.

AUPE represents non-academic employees of Northern Lakes College, a community-based educational institution that operates from 26 communities in north central Alberta.

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)