Summary of Mediator's Recommendations for Terms of Settlement
After additional days of formal mediation this week, HSAA and the Employer(s) have received the mediator’s final recommendation.
Your HSAA/AHS Bargaining Committee brought forward proposals based on your feedback and negotiated hard for important additions to the previous tentative agreement. The Employer(s) and government engaged with our team in open and productive bargaining, which has resulted in the mediator’s final recommendation.
The mediator’s recommendation includes the previous tentative agreement, with additional amendments and improvements. You can review this through the links and information below.
Read the full Mediator's Recommendation for Terms of Settlement.
Review the draft wage grids for AHS Paramedical Technical and Emergency Medical Services.
Continue reading below to review the summary and highlights:
Items Recommended by the Mediator:
- 2% Long Service Pay - effective date of ratification.
- Additional Market Wage Adjustments:
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists - 1.6% effective the date of ratification.
- Diagnostic Sonographers - 4.9% effective the date of ratification.
- Trial of Automatic Progression EMS: All employees in a PCP or ACP role will now receive full recognition for placement on the applicable wage step.
- Letter of Understanding: Classification Review of OT/PT/SLP/AUD/KIN/ES — The purpose of this Letter of Understanding is to confirm the agreement between AHS and HSAA to jointly conduct a comprehensive review of the classification structure for the following professions:
- Occupational Therapist (OT) I/II/III
- Physiotherapists (PT) I/II/III
- Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) II/III
- Audiologists (AUD) I/II
- Kinesiologists (KIN)
- Exercise Specialist (ES)
No Employee(s)'s salary shall be negatively impacted as a result of this review.
- Article 33.04 (e) - New Employees hired after January 1st of each year shall receive Personal Leave Days effective April 1 of that same year. (This was previously received April 1st the following year).
Newly Agreed to Highlights*
*This is not a complete list of agreed to changes.
- Article 33.4 (c) Personal Leave — The employer agrees to a letter of commitment to interpret the current collective agreement language to recognize that a personal leave day will now be based on the employee's scheduled length of shift, i.e., 11.08 hour scheduled shift can be taken of as the full 11.08 hours for personal leave. This becomes effective April 1, 2026.
- Article 51 (NEW) Professional Fee Reimbursement — previous language providing $504 reimbursement modified to include Temporary Employees, as well as allowing for combining hours between all Employers signatory to the collective agreement.
Previous Tentative Agreement Highlights*
*This is not a complete list of agreed to changes.
- No concessions.
- 12% general wage increase for all members (3% April 1, 2024; 3% April 1, 2025; 3% April 1, 2026; and 3% April 1, 2027). The 2024 and 2025 wage increases (6% cumulative) are retroactive to the applicable effective date.
- Portability of seniority and other collective agreement rights when moving between new provincial health agencies and corporations.
- Enhanced benefits.
- A workload appeal process.
- Market Wage Adjustments.
| Job Classification | Market Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Emergency Communication Officer / Team Lead | 8.44% |
| Primary Care Paramedic / Team Lead / Supervisor | 8.44% |
| Neuropsychologist (Supplementary Salary Schedule Former Calgary Health Region) | 6.1% |
| Psychologist (Local Conditions Applicable to Calgary Community, including Airdrie and Cochrane) | 6.1% |
| Psychologist I & II | 6.1% |
| Advanced Care Paramedic / Team Lead / Supervisor | 4% |
| EMS Public Education Officer | 4% |
| EMS Clinical Educator | 4% |
| Cardiovascular Perfusionist I & II | Grid adjustment: Steps 1, 2, 3 will be eliminated and new steps 7, 8, 9 will be created. |
We also secured a new Letter of Understanding (LOU) that outlines a mechanism to identify compensation gaps and support the retention and recruitment of our specialized healthcare professionals. This may result in additional compensation during the term of this collective agreement.
Benefits
- Massage therapy: $75 per visit to max of $1,000/year (previously $50).
- Dental coverage: 3 units of dental scaling moved from 50% coverage to 80% coverage.
- Diabetic supplies: Glucose monitors now covered. No doctors’ notes will be required for diabetic equipment.
Leave
- Professional development days: 3 paid days for education/training for all members.
- Domestic violence leave: 5 paid days for those experiencing domestic or family violence.
- Leave for upgraded education: Members can now apply for unpaid, job-protected leave for up to 24 months to upgrade their education.
Other Monetary Benefits
- Members will now receive new or increased premiums, as below:
- +$7/hr for on-call premium
- +$2/hr for preceptor pay
- Increased travel reimbursement rates for mileage and meals.
Other
- New obligation for the employer to use overtime only within reasonable limits.
- New workload appeal process to raise ongoing, systemic, or long-term workload concerns.
- Members who transfer from Alberta Health Services to any of the new health agencies or corporations will retain all rights, benefits and provisions of your collective agreement.
- When applying for vacant positions within any of the agencies or corporations, members have priority over external applicants.
- $54 million investment in the Rural Capacity Investment Fund (RCIF).
Emergency Medical Services
- Members can now take their first break within five hours of working vs. after 5 hours.
- Rovers are now eligible for travel expense reimbursements.
- Rovers will now have scheduled start time and an assigned station.
- Rovers will now be scheduled at least 12 hours in advance of a shift. If their schedule is changed with less than 12 hours’ notice, they are entitled to 2X their base rate of pay for that shift.
- Employers will now supply a fitted dress uniform.
Next Steps for Ratification Vote and Town Hall Information:
The HSAA Board of Directors has unanimously endorsed the mediator’s recommendation and strongly supports ratification by our members. The Board and Bargaining Committee are confident that this is the best collective agreement that can be achieved.
Electronic Ratification Vote:
Thursday, November 20 at 9:00 a.m. - Tuesday, November 25 at 4:00 p.m.
Results will be announced shortly after the vote closes on Tuesday, November 25.
Town Halls:
To ensure you have all the details, President Mike Parker, Vice President Leanne Alfaro, and Director of Negotiations Todd Romanow, will review the mediator’s recommendation at upcoming town hall meetings. Click on any town hall session below to register.
LUE town hall:
AHS member town halls:
- Tuesday, November 18: 6:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, November 19: 12:00 p.m. (noon)
- Wednesday, November 19: 6:00 p.m.
All members from AHS and other bargaining units are welcome to attend these townhalls.