Bargaining heats up with the Town of Coaldale
Think big bargaining is just for big cities and big employers? Think again.
Jul 29, 2025
By Kavi Chahal, Communications Staff
The Town of Coaldale has served up months of bad offers, unfair labour practices, and disappointment. AUPE members have had enough.
“Every time members think their employer has gone too far, they go further,” says Curtis Jackson, AUPE Vice-President for the south region of the province.
“Bargaining with the small town is at the same point as bargaining with huge employers like AHS and the government. It’s time to stand up and demand the wages and working conditions we deserve.”
“The residents of Coaldale know they can count on us to keep the town safe, vibrant, and moving forward. We know we can count on each other, just like they know they can count on us.”
Members in Coaldale have made very reasonable proposals. They are committed to fighting for fair compensation in order to keep serving their community. But their employer is sticking to the same insulting offer that comes nowhere near meeting members' needs or addressing the skyrocketing cost of living.
Any wage increase that does not keep up with inflation is, in fact, a pay cut. Even worse, the Town of Coaldale is proposing rollbacks – absolutely unacceptable.
Members know the offer is terrible, but the employer continues to make inaccurate wage claims, inflating numbers to trick us into accepting a lowball offer. But we know it’s nonsense.
“The employer thinks members will fall for misleading communication, but members aren’t buying it,” says Jackson. “Bypassing our negotiating team and sending false claims directly to members is clearly an unfair labour practice. Members won't let that slide.”
“Every time members think their employer has gone too far, they go further.”
So what’s the town’s latest move to undermine members’ right to fair bargaining? Asking the Labour Board to force members to vote on the insulting, unacceptable offer.
And how will AUPE members respond? We’re organizing, mobilizing, and fighting back!
Members are launching a VOTE ‘NO’ TO ROLLBACKS campaign to stop the employer in their tracks. Members are building solidarity to take collective action, showing the employer that they won’t accept a bad deal, even if the Labour Board forces us to vote on it. Members are having one-on-one conversations, organizing info pickets, and supporting their negotiating team.
“Bargaining with the small town is at the same point as bargaining with huge employers like AHS and the government. It’s time to stand up and demand the wages and working conditions we deserve.”
“These members work hard and care about their community,” says Jackson. “The residents of Coaldale know they can count on us to keep the town safe, vibrant, and moving forward. We know we can count on each other, just like they know they can count on us.”
Members have also launched a letter writing campaign calling on Mayor Jack Van Rijn to do the right thing. Just 3 years ago, councillors gave themselves raises over 30% and the mayor a raise over 40% – they can afford to pay AUPE members fairly!
Members know that if they stand and fight in solidarity, they will win.
