April 04, 2003

EDMONTON – A Feb. 14 letter from AUPE President Dan MacLennan to the acting Public Service Commissioner of Alberta resulted this week in improvements to the mileage, insurance and subsistence rates paid to direct government employees in Locals 001 to 012.

In his letter, MacLennan asked acting Commissioner Shirley Howe to review the rates in light of dramatic increases in the cost of gasoline, insurance and food since the last review by the Alberta government.

On March 31, the Alberta Personnel Administration Office (PAO) released a new schedule of increased subsistence, travel, insurance and related rates paid to government employees on employer business.

"These are very important increases not only because they benefit government employees who are members of AUPE, but because they will set the trend for other AUPE members not directly employed by the government," said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

"We’re very pleased that the government has responded to increases in the cost of operating a vehicle and other work-related expenses that have had a negative impact on our members’ paycheques," he said.

Among the increases in the new schedule are:

• Business travel mileage rates to 38 cents per kilometer from 33.5 cents for the first 15,000 kilometres and 27.5 cents per kilometer for travel over that level.
  
• Daily car allowance to $7.75 per day from $6.75 per day.
  
• Business travel insurance premium to $300 per year from $260.
  Breakfast allowance rate to $7.50 from $6.60.
  Lunch allowance rate to $9.50 from $8.40.
  Dinner allowance rate to $17 from $15.25.
  Overtime meal allowance to $8.50 from $7.60.

The PAO also continued the Fort McMurray Allowance of $400 per month paid to government employees in that community from April 1, 2003.

The schedule can be found on the PAO’s Web site, at http://www.pao.gov.ab.ca/whatsnew.htm

A PDF format version of this Member Update for distribution on AUPE worksites and bulletin boards can be downloaded by clicking here.