Coaldale, AUPE reach agreement

By Lethbridge Herald on November 12, 2025.

Kristine Jean
Southern Alberta Newspapers

After more than two-months, locked-out workers with the Town of Coaldale will back on the job Nov. 17. 

More than 40 town workers, represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, (AUPE) have been locked-out since Sept. 6 and will now return to their jobs following a vote on a tentative deal on Nov. 10.    

“We are very glad to see them back at work,” said AUPE president Sandra Azocar in an interview with Southern Alberta Newspapers following the vote Monday afternoon. “(A tentative agreement) was ratified – that means that members of AUPE will be back at work on Nov. 17, where basically, they’ve always wanted to be.” 

Town of Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn, shared a statement Monday, announcing the “successful conclusion of labour negotiations” with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), that resulted in a new, four-year collective bargaining agreement, effective Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2028. 

“This agreement reflects our commitment to fairness for employees while ensuring long-term fiscal responsibility for our community,” said Van Rijn. “It strikes the right balance between supporting our workforce and respecting the taxpayers who ultimately fund municipal operations.  

“After more than a year of negotiations, we look forward to moving ahead constructively under this new agreement,” he added. 

Van Rijn noted the new deal provides for a 12 per cent general wage increase over the next four years, with the town continuing to cover 75 per cent of employee benefit premiums. Overtime and call-out rates were standardized at 1.5 times one’s regular rate of pay, while sick time and vacation accruals remained unchanged.

The full agreement will be posted on the town’s website.

 The Town of Coaldale and AUPE were set to return to the negotiating table by Oct. 29, following an order from the Alberta Labour Relations Board on Oct. 21, to resume collective bargaining negotiations. Town council had a union discussion in a closed session on Nov. 3, following council’s organizational meeting and the town presented a counter-offer to AUPE’s negotiating team on Nov. 6. 

That tentative agreement was emailed to AUPE members on Nov. 7, and   presented to them in an information session on Nov. 8, followed by the first vote, which was ultimately invalidated by both the AUPE and the Town of Coaldale. A second vote was held on Monday (Nov. 10).  

“I think members felt that they required a little bit more information and that’s why we needed to hold a second vote,” explained Azocar.

While AUPE did not confirm numbers by press time, the town did say the agreement was ratified by a majority of the town’s unionized employees.  

Azocar said AUPE members with the Town of Coaldale have had a very difficult time during the lockout, and noted the “difficult decision” to withhold labour. That was followed by very little movement by the employer over a long period of time, she said, noting the impact of the ordeal and the emotional toll it took. 

“So when you’re tasked to come to some agreement and make long-term decisions rather than short-term decisions, it’s hard. It’s hard for people who have been on the line and have to return to work,” said Azocar. “Emotions can run a gamut when workers have had to go through that experience.” 

With the agreement now ratified by AUPE members, it will be signed off by both parties and is expected to be finalized in the next day or two. 

“Our members showed such determination and passion for themselves in terms of standing up for what they believed was fair,” said Azocar. “You put a lot of your family and friends on the line with you when you make that decision and it’s never easy – there’s a lot of respect for all those members that took that difficult stance.”