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Calgary - The members of CUPE Local 182, employees of the Calgary Health Region (CHR) have voted 85 percent in favour of accepting the recommendations of a mediators report after long drawn out contract talks.

The new contract means most CUPE members will see a 10 per cent wage increase over the next three years. The health care support workers will receive increases in overtime rates to double time, increased shift premiums and weekend pay. And, as a result of market adjustments for clerical staff, some employees will realize wage increases of up to 16.5 per cent.

Food service and nutrition employees have achieved no contracting out guarantees for the life of the new collective agreement. The contract is effective immediately and lasts to March 31, 2005.

This new contract achieves some important milestones for health care workers, said CUPE 182 president James Arthurs. It recognizes the important work that we do for the health care system and the fact that wages in the Calgary Health Region are behind those available in the private sector, particularly for clerical staff, he added.

Given the direction of this health region to contract out important health service jobs to the private sector, the iron clad job security clause we have achieved for food service and nutrition employees is very important. However, we are disappointed in the fact that these employees will not see a wage increase. We certainly will be looking for wage recognition next time around that recognizes the pivotal role they play in health care. After all, these are the people who prepare and deliver the food for patients and staff, he said.



CUPE 182 represent over 2000 health care support workers at the Peter Lougheed Centre, Rockyview General Hospital and Colonel Belcher Hospital. Voting took place today at each of the facilities after members were given the details of the mediators report.

The CUPE members work in maintenance and trades, food service and nutrition, medical support services such as therapy aides, therapy assistants, pharmacy assistants, surgical processors, clerical support and medical transcription.

Details of the Agreement
  • Four per cent pay increase effective April 1, 2002, three per cent increase effective April 1, 2003 and three per cent effective April 1, 2004 for all classifications except food service and nutrition.
  • Market adjustments for the clerical group and transcriptionists effective immediately.
  • One-per-cent lump-sum payment for food service and nutrition employees in each year of the three-year agreement.
  • A guarantee of job security for food service and nutrition employees to March 31, 2005 (no contracting out).
  • Increase in overtime rates to double time for all overtime hours.
  • Increase in shift differential to $1.75 per hour effective immediately.
  • Increase in weekend premium to $1.40 per hour effective date of ratification, and a further increase to $1.75 effective June 1, 2003.


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CUPE is Canada’s largest union with over half a million women and men who provide public services. In Alberta, CUPEs 31,000 members work in health care, municipalities, schools, colleges, universities, libraries, emergency medical services, social services and casinos. Visit our CUPE websites for more information cupealberta.ab.ca

For further information:
Pam Beattie, CUPE Communications,
(780) 288-1230 (cellular)
James Arthurs, President CUPE 182,
(403) 204-0304, (403) 852-6224 (cellular)