EDMONTON — Alberta is asking about 24,000 government staff, including sheriffs and social workers, to take a pay cut in their next contract — something their union says is being done out of spite. The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says the province’s opening proposal is for a one per cent wage cut in the first year followed by a three-year wage freeze. The workers were awarded a one per cent pay increase in arbitration a week ago under current agreements. “An independent arbitrator ruled only last week that (these government) workers deserved a one per cent raise and that there was no economic justification to cut pay. The union is seeking wage increases of 2.5 per cent per year to keep pace with inflation.

Source: National Post February 07, 2020 20:43 UTC