Get Strike Ready!
Strike Captain and Scheduler EOIs Are Now Open. Strike 101 Training Available for All Members
Please note that this info is only applicable to members under the Alberta Health Services Collective Agreement.
Strike readiness sends a clear message to the employer: we’re united, organized, and serious about reaching a fair agreement. It’s one of the strongest ways you can support your bargaining committee right now and help build real leverage at the table.
As part of this preparation:
- We are asking members to consider stepping into the key roles of Strike Captain or Scheduler in the event of job action. Let us know by August 8. We’ll follow up with more details so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.
- We’re asking all members to complete our Strike 101 training.
Strike 101: What all members need to know
Empower yourself with the knowledge you need, in just 2 hours and at your own pace. HSAA’s Strike 101 training provides you with a clear, practical understanding of:
- What a strike or lockout really means
- What to expect during a strike or lockout
- Your rights and responsibilities as a member
- How to navigate the process collectively and effectively
Whether you’re new to the Union or you’ve been a member for years, this course ensures you’re ready for what comes next.
Strike 101 training is available on HSAA's Training Hub.
Sign in to the Training Hub using your email and member number. If you have not registered your profile, you will need to create a new account.
How to Create an Account
- Click on the Strike 101 link above.
- Click on Create New Account
- Fill out the information for creating a new account. Please note you will need to know your HSAA member ID to sign up.
Interested in being a Strike Captain?
Are you someone who leads by supporting others? As a Strike Captain, you’ll play a critical role in our collective action by supporting your coworkers, keeping communication flowing, and helping maintain unity on the front lines.
This role doesn’t require prior experience, just a willingness to step up. We’ll provide the training and tools you need. What matters most is your ability to keep people informed, lift morale, ensure safety, and help maintain a respectful picket line. If you’re someone who others look to for guidance, encouragement, and support, we need you.
What do Strike Captains Do?
- Lead and organize activity on the picket line
- Maintain structure, safety, and clear communication
- Serve as the Union’s on-site representative
- Act as the first point of contact for members, media, security, or peace officers (with HSAA staff support)
- Share updates from HSAA and report back to Strike Coordinators
- Help oversee attendance and assign roles to picketers
- Ensure the picket line is respectful and clean
Submit your expression of interest by 11:59 p.m. on August 8, 2025.
Note: If you have already signed up to be a Strike Captain and have received the training, you do not have to express interest again.
Calling on Members with Scheduling Experience
We’re looking for members from all professions and worksites across our Union who understand how their worksites operate to help build schedules that meet our Essential Services Agreements.
Schedulers play a critical, specialized role in coordinating shifts for Designated Essential Service Workers (DESW) who keep vital services running and ensure public safety throughout job action.
Whether you’ve created full staff rotations or just know how your team runs day-to-day, your help is absolutely vital in maintaining safe, continuous service while protecting our collective bargaining power.
More Information
- Schedulers will not be expected to picket, instead, they will be active behind the scenes ensuring strike compliance.
- Schedulers will receive strike pay when assigned to scheduling duties.
- HSAA continues to assess the ideal number of trained DESW Schedulers. Our initial recruitment is for up to fifty (50) members from all areas of the province.
- An Essential Service Agreement is a contract between the employer and HSAA that sets staffing levels during a strike or lockout to ensure public health and safety. Designated Essential Service Workers are members who continue to work in accordance with these plans. Learn more.