“Workers” in the city of Calgary voted to strike

Pay and telecommuting are key issues as the City of Calgary and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) attempt to reach an agreement with Local 38.

Thousands of CUPE Local 38 members participated in the May 15 and 16 strike vote.

The union represents domestic workers, including administrative, technical and professional employees of the City of Calgary.

Within two days, 4,200 out of 5,600 members voted, of which 3,700 voted yes and 450 voted against.

The union's website explains that the parties began the process of reaching a new collective agreement in the fall of 2023 and called in a third-party mediator in March 2024 when they reached an impasse.

The union sought a three-year settlement to improve the work-from-home agreement and raise wages:

• 2024 – 4.0 percent
• 2025 – 3.5 percent
• 2026 – 3.0 percent

“This proposal is consistent with current and future inflation estimates, and improvements to differential and standby wage replacements will bring Local 38 in line with what other city unions currently receive,” the union's website said.

“We believe our proposal strikes a balance between responding to current inflationary pressures and being fair to taxpayers who are all members of Local 38.”

However, the union says the city stands by its proposal:

• 2024 – 3.0 percent
• 2025 – 3.0 percent
• 2026 – 2.0 percent

“We are disappointed with the outcome of the strike vote, but discussions are ongoing,” the City of Calgary said in a statement to CTV News.

“We hope to be able to reach a fair and reasonable collective agreement in future negotiations.”