Several dozen members of CUPE 882 were at Monday's special council meeting. (Susan McNeil/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

Union negotiations

Eleven per cent raise for P.A.’s non-union staff approved as inside workers escalate job action

Aug 22, 2023 | 6:00 AM

An 11 per cent wage increase for out-of-scope City of Prince Albert staff was approved at a special council meeting Monday afternoon but was closely watched by unionized staff who are negotiating their own wage increase.

Mayor Greg Dionne said that this part of the city’s ongoing talks with multiple bargaining units was successful.

“I thought it went very well,” he said. “We put on the table everything we have and that’s all we have, whether you’re in scope or out of scope.”

The motion to give out-of-scope workers an 11 per cent increase was passed with only councillors Tony Head and Tara Lennox-Zepp dissenting. No back pay was included in the deal and the raise is staggered over the next four years.

The discussion may have officially been about non-unionized staff but unofficially it was part of the back and forth with the City’s inside workers, represented by CUPE Union 882.

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Alan McKeand is part of the bargaining committee for the Union and is the concession manager for the City.

“My concession workers start at $13.28 an hour. I think they deserve a lot more than $13.28 an hour,” he said.

McKeand added that the lowest-paid workers are the ones who will see the largest benefit of any raise.

Part of the council discussion before the motion was on how workers are paid compared to councillors.

Councillor Dennis Ogrodnick reminded the room that he and other councillors receive about $1,500 per month in remuneration, a number that has increased by $13.04 per month since 2017.

The one significant change in council pay came from a change in federal employment regulations in 2019, when all councillors across Canada were required to pay income tax on their entire income. Before that, 30 per cent was tax-free.

“We are one of the lowest-paid employees,” Ogrodnick said.

Of 700 employees, 500 earn more than a city councillor does. Council’s pay is tied to provincial MLA pay rates.

The mayor receives about two-thirds of what the province allocates, while councillors get about one-third of what the mayor gets. The pay fluctuates automatically when the province adjusts its rates.

Several dozen union members attended the meeting, bursting into applause when Head discussed his take on the negotiations so far. Head works for CUPE as a national representative but was also a city employee in the past.

“This is not about wage increases. This is about a message to CUPE 882 that we stand against them,” he said. “Why are we actively drawing battle lines?”

Lennox-Zepp also asked what exactly the amount is that the city is basing its decision to not increase its offer from 11 per cent to meet the Union’s request of 12 per cent.

Previously, Dionne has said that if all groups receive a 12 per cent increase rather than 11, it will cost the city $1.15 million and create a 3 mil increase for property owners.

Meanwhile, the union will start its next step of work-to-rule on Wednesday by refusing to abide by workplace dress codes.

McKeand said that as long as the employees are safe and comfortable, they can wear whatever they want.

Last week, the group started its first step of not helping with any training measures. McKeand added they’re not ready to go on full strike yet. Instead, they want the city to come back to the bargaining table.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com