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Health-Care Professionals Vote 66% “YES” to Ratify New Agreement with AHS, Securing Improved Wages and Benefits

Media Releases

EDMONTON – Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) members have ratified a new collective agreement with Alberta Health Services and other provincial health agencies and corporations following a province-wide vote on a mediator’s recommendation. 

A total of 15,724 members cast ballots between November 20 and November 25, with 66.8 per cent voting in favour of the agreement and 33.2 per cent opposed. Turnout was high, with 76 per cent of eligible members casting a ballot. 

The new agreement comes after 20 months of bargaining and a mediator’s recommended settlement. It covers more than 22,000 health-care professionals, including diagnostic imaging technologists, mental health and addictions counsellors, radiation therapists and dosimetrists, social workers, paramedics, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, speech language pathologists, psychologists, dietitians, physiotherapists, and more than 200 others across Alberta. 

“This agreement is a step forward for Alberta’s health-care professionals who work long hours under incredible pressure to care for others,” said HSAA President Mike Parker.  

“We thank our bargaining team and all members for their patience and perseverance through an incredibly difficult round of bargaining. While we didn’t get everything we wanted, this new collective agreement is a step forward for retaining the vital health-care professionals we have today, attracting the next generation for tomorrow, and making sure they all have the support they need to continue delivering high-quality care to all Albertans.” 

The new collective agreement includes improvements to wages, benefits, working conditions, recruitment, and other key areas. Some highlights include: 

  • 12 per cent general wage increase over four years for all members, plus additional increases for Alberta professions paid under market or with high vacancy rates.
  • This includes market adjustments or grid improvements for paramedics, EMS communications officers and other EMS workers, psychologists, diagnostic sonographers, nuclear medicine technologists and cardiovascular perfusionists.
  • $54 million in a jointly administered Rural Capacity Investment Fund for the retention and recruitment of health-care professionals in rural areas.
  • Full portability of seniority, benefits and other rights across all new provincial health agencies and corporations.
  • A new workload appeal process to address ongoing or systemic workload issues, allowing members to raise concerns directly up to senior leadership.
  • Two per cent long service pay for eligible members with 20 plus years of service.
  • Preceptor pay and increases to on-call premiums.
  • Increased mileage and meal reimbursement rates.
  • Enhanced medical benefits, including new coverage for diabetic glucose monitors.
  • Improved personal leave and improved leaves of absence.
  • $504 professional fee reimbursement and three paid professional development days.
  • EMS automatic progression trial for paramedics which will ensure full step recognition when members move from Primary Care Paramedics to Advanced Care Paramedics, as well as improvements to breaks and treatment of EMS rovers. 

In addition, the Government of Alberta has signed two new Letters of Understanding (LOUs) with HSAA that may result in additional improvements for members.  

The first LOU allows HSAA to work with AHS to identify further market adjustments needed for retention and recruitment in other professions. This may result in additional market adjustments during the term of the agreement.  

The second LOU allows HSAA to work with AHS to review classifications for occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, kinesiologists and exercise specialists. This will not negatively impact salaries and may lead to long-overdue improvements for these professions. 

“Alberta is in a global competition for health professionals, which means our members need a fair, competitive compensation structure that keeps them here,” Parker said.  

“These LOUs are an important opportunity for us to take a close look at how to accomplish this in Alberta. In the coming months, one of our top priorities will be consulting with our members to bring classification and market adjustments forward to the employer.” 

HSAA will share more details with members in the coming days. More information on the new collective agreement is available at HSAA.ca/AHSnegotiations. 

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HSAA President Mike Parker is available for interviews via video call until 6:00 p.m. and then available on November 26 upon request. 

Media Inquiries:   
Matt Dykstra, Communications Officer   
780-224-9202 | mdykstra@hsaa.ca