Covenant Health Bargaining Update #11 - Moving forward with informal mediation

Bargaining updates

Your bargaining committee met with your employer on June 4, 2025, ready to negotiate in good faith on your behalf. We showed up prepared, focused, and committed to advancing a fair agreement for our members.

Unfortunately, the employer did not come with the same intent.

Despite two full days set aside for negotiations (June 4 and 5) and nearly two months of preparation time since our last session, the employer opened negotiations by declaring that they were not willing to negotiate, and the second bargaining day was cancelled.

During our last bargaining dates on April 8 and 9, your committee submitted a comprehensive, top-down proposal, the result of countless hours of work and a clear demonstration of our willingness to engage in meaningful negotiations. We returned to this round of bargaining with cautious optimism, expecting the employer to respond with a serious counter-proposal.

Instead, they told us the two sides are “too far apart” and insisted on moving straight into informal mediation, a conclusion they could’ve easily delivered via email or a 10-minute phone call. Meanwhile, your committee travelled from across the province, ready to do the hard work. That should tell you everything you need to know about who is (and isn’t) taking this process seriously.

Here's where things stand:

The employer has not moved an inch from their original proposal.

Their initial wage proposal: a 7.5% increase over 4 years.

Their wage proposal today: a 7.5% increase over 4 years.

That’s it. No change. No adjustment. No consideration of the cost of living, the staffing crisis, or an acknowledgement of the work you do or the realities you face. This same inflexibility extends to nearly every other monetary and non-monetary item on the table.

What happens now?

Your committee has decided to move forward with informal mediation, and we’ve advised the employer that we need to negotiate an Essential Services Agreement (ESA).

It is critical to point out that this process has played out very differently from any we’ve participated in in the past, when Covenant Health would come to the table with mutual respect.

Now, it’s time for us to rise to the occasion that their change in approach is demanding. We must stand together, get informed, and stay engaged.

What you need to know

We understand that this talk of informal mediation and ESAs might be unfamiliar territory. HSAA has built current, clear and accessible resources to help you understand what this means and what may come next:

Next steps and what you can do

We are holding our already-scheduled bargaining dates (September 11 & 12, and October 22, 23, & 24) for the start of informal mediation. It’s now up to the employer to show up and treat this process with the seriousness it deserves.

In the meantime, we’ll keep you updated every step of the way. But, we need your help too.

Talk. Share. Mobilize.

Share this update with your co-workers. Talk to your friends and family. Let them know what this means, not just for you, but for the future of Alberta’s health-care system.

Thank you for your strength and your trust. While the employer stonewalls us, clearly a tactic meant to exhaust us, its your support that reminds us what we’re fighting for and fuels our unwavering commitment.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this bargaining update, please reach out to HSAA through our bargaining email at covenantbargaining@hsaa.ca.

In solidarity,

Your Covenant Health Bargaining Committee

Ella Lunn, Respiratory Therapist, Grey Nuns Hospital
Terra McLaren, Medical Radiation Technologist, Banff Mineral Springs Hospital, Banff
Hesham Mostafa, Therapy Assistant, St. Joseph’s General Hospital, Vegreville
Joanna Czyzewska, HSAA Labour Relations Officer (Lead Spokesperson)
Shannon McLeod, HSAA Labour Relations Officer (Spokesperson)