Municipal workers vote ‘no’ on latest offer from City of Edmonton

The union representing employees of the City of Edmonton has voted against the latest offer proposed by the municipal government.

CSU 52 members went to a vote Friday, after receiving an offer from the City earlier this week that would have seen them get a 7.25 per cent wage increase, between 2021 and 2025.

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READ MORE: City workers to vote on ‘final’ offer from City of Edmonton

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The union said 87.5 per cent of its members turned up for the vote. Out of them, 87.6 per cent voted against the deal.

The union says the vote sends a clear message to the City of Edmonton, that neither side is seeing eye to eye.

“For five years, our members have not received a wage increase. While the city has grown and significant financial decisions have been made to support changing council priorities, our members have been expected to do more with less — that stops now,” Lanny Chudyk, the president of CSU 52, said in a statement.

“We have presented the City of Edmonton with a fair and reasonable proposal, far below cost-of-living and inflationary increases over the last five years. It reflects a solution that respects the contributions and needs of our members, acknowledging the years of their commitment and patience, while respecting the fiscal constraints the City of Edmonton faces.”

Chudyk says the decision now rests in the hands of the City, and the employees are hoping negotiations can end quickly to avoid a strike.

“While the city’s response to our proposal will dictate our next steps, we remain open and available for dialogue, ready to engage over the weekend if necessary. Our future actions will be guided by the city’s willingness to revisit their stance and work towards a deal that genuinely considers the well-being and fair treatment of its employees,” said Chudyk.