The big lessons from bargaining with the Government

You better believe that bargaining is still on with the GOA.

The Government of Alberta (GOA) came back to the table after members delivered a historic strike vote, with over 90% of voting members saying “YES” to strike action. Since then, we have had several bargaining meetings with a mediator, with more scheduled for July 3, 10, 15, and 16.

Although this round of bargaining with the GOA is not over, there is already a lot that AUPE members in other sectors can learn from it.

“Our experiences with the government could offer a clue as to how bargaining may go with our other large employers, such as Alberta Health Services, the University of Calgary, and Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis,” says AUPE-Vice President and Local 006 member Sandra Azocar.

“There are no sure things in bargaining, so there is no guarantee that negotiations at other tables will go the same way,” she says. “However, there are many important lessons about solidarity and strength that all AUPE members can glean from our talks with the government.”

According to Azocar, there are three big takeaways: first, the data is on our side, but we need more than that; second, solidarity is built over time, with action; and finally, we can do great things when members stand united.

The Government Services Bargaining Committee began negotiations with a strong, comprehensive package of proposals. AUPE members deserve and need significant raises, and we made a point of pushing for Cost of Living Allowances (COLA) based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) data from Statistics Canada and the Bank of Canada. 

The team was well-researched and prepared to make the best arguments possible. And yet, the government refused to budge.

"We always want the data to support our proposals at the bargaining table,” says Azocar. “But we must also recognize the data’s limitations. Our employers, especially the government, have shown they will not give us wages that keep up with the rising costs of living just because we show them all the reasons why they should.”

We entered bargaining with the best proposals, supporting evidence, and stories from our lived experiences, just as all our negotiating teams do. This is the foundation our proposals are built on.

We learned quickly that it would take much more than a good argument to win what GOA members deserve in bargaining.

GOA members have heard all about town halls, rallies, MyAUPE accounts, lunch ‘n’ learns and more since this round of bargaining began.

Representatives on the bargaining committee, as well as engaged members across the province, have spent countless hours connecting with their coworkers about the issues that matter. This is the kind of work that creates the support and solidarity we need to pressure our employers at the bargaining table.

“A union is not some kind of business or insurance company,” says Azocar. “Unions are groups of people who must work together to improve their lives and workplaces. Yes, we have resources and staff at our disposal, but the real strength of a union comes from getting back to our roots and creating a movement. Our employers listen to us when we exercise our power.”
 

AUPE members began building that movement long before bargaining got to this point. There is no magic button the union presses to instantly get an agreement or go on strike. The action we take to support bargaining requires relationships, buy-in, trust, and power. 

It requires a steady escalation in tactics to really put the pressure on — from wearing red, to showing up at a rally, to threatening the employer with a strike. It requires courage. It requires you and your coworkers to make the conscious decision to stand together and take up the fight.

All that work builds up to something big. Once it was clear we could not get a good deal at the bargaining table without a mediator, the Government Services Bargaining Committee asked their membership to participate in a strike vote.

Not all AUPE members will have the opportunity to take a strike vote. Nevertheless, all members can learn from the GOA strike vote, the steps that got us there, and the power of using it as one of many tools in our bargaining toolbox.

“Our employers take us seriously when they see our solidarity in action, when they see us standing united,” says Azocar. “After a full year of bargaining, where we educated, organized, and inspired each other, AUPE members working for the government were ready to deliver a historic strike vote.”

And so they did. The power of our strike vote got the government back to the table, where we can make progress with the help of a mediator.

But the strike vote is more than symbolic. It is not merely leverage. It is a real mandate from the membership, a message that tells the employer we are not afraid to take to the streets if we must.

Strikes require serious work and preparation. Going on strike is not a decision taken lightly, but with all that is at stake — our wages, our working conditions, our families, and the Albertans who rely on us — we can hardly afford to ignore these big decisions.

Azocar’s parting word of advice? No matter who you work for, members should create a MyAUPE account on AUPE’s website today.

“You must be prepared in case negotiations with your employer go the same way as the Government of Alberta,” she says. “Creating a MyAUPE account is the best way to stay informed, participate in strike votes and contract ratification votes, and collect strike pay quickly. It is one of the first steps you can take to ensure you are connected to your AUPE brothers and sisters.”

It is never too early to strengthen your solidarity. With nearly 100,000 AUPE members in bargaining right now, each one of us can contribute by following the path GOA members have cleared so far, no matter where that trail leads.