Earlier this month, members of the local union voted against an agreement that would have included a three per cent per year wage increase over four years. Pix569/Dreamstime

By Jesse Gill

EDUCATION

Medicine Hat education support workers get new bargaining team, mediation date confirmed

Mar 24, 2025 | 5:54 PM

A new bargaining committee has been set up after a vote by the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 829.

They will represent unionized education support workers employed by the Medicine Hat Public School Division in negotiations.

Lou Arab, communications representative at CUPE, said the local members are in the process of doing a survey to see what members want in their next collective agreement.

Earlier this month, members of the local union voted against an agreement that would have included a three per cent per year wage increase over four years.

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EDUCATION

Medicine Hat education support workers get new bargaining team, mediation date confirmed

Mar 24, 2025

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READ: Medicine Hat public education support workers vote against labour deal

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A meeting will take place with the Medicine Hat Public School Division this Friday, where Arab said they will float the idea of when to get back to the negotiating table.

A mediation date has been set for May 13 if a resolution isn’t in place prior.

Arab said he can’t predict exactly how negotiations will go, but previous settlements have created a baseline for negotiation at other locals in the province.

“Now that there’s been you know a settlement at nine different school districts across the province. There’s a pattern there and while there’s differences in every school district and every collective agreement,” Arab said.

“We will probably be looking for something similar to that pattern.”

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READ: Alberta school support workers return to work as massive strike winds down

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Arab adds they are looking to get the local out of administration sooner rather than later and bring it back to a democratically elected executive.

CUPE Local 829 has been under administration by CUPE since Feb. 5.

Custodial workers in the Medicine Hat Catholic School Division and custodial workers from Redcliff with the Prairie Rose School Division are also part of CUPE Local 829.

Strike action at this point appears to be unlikely according to Arab.

“I don’t think so strikes are always a last resort and you know while it’s it’s a tool that we keep in our back pocket if we need it,” Arab said.

“It’s something that we only do in in very extreme circumstances to be honest.”