University of Lethbridge collective agreement ratified
LETHBRIDGE – Members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees voted overwhelmingly in favour of a three-year collective agreement with the University of Lethbridge this week.
“It was tough bargaining,” said AUPE staff negotiator Ken Cutrell, “but our members stayed strong and in the end they got a contract that was fair.”
Employees will get a two-per-cent pay increase in each of the first two years of the collective agreement. In the third they will receive either two per cent or the equivalent of the increase in the Consumer Price Index — whichever is greater.
The new collective agreement also gives employees significant improvements to their health and education benefits.
“Our hard-working members in the education sector are the backbone of post secondary institutions and school districts across the province,” said AUPE President Guy Smith. “AUPE is committed to ensuring they get the collective agreements that they deserve.”
AUPE represents more than 450 support staff at the University of Lethbridge.
AUPE is Alberta’s largest union, with nearly 80,000 members in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. It represents nearly 9,000 support staff at post-secondary institutions and school districts around the province.