EDMONTON - More than 11,000 Alberta provincial government employees who work in the health-care system have ratified new contracts that include a 15 per cent pay raise over three years.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees members work in the Capital, Aspen, David Thompson, East Central and Peace Country health regions.
"The turnout was larger than usual and the support for these agreements by members was overwhelming," union negotiator Malcolm McNaughton said in a news release Monday.
The workers include clerical, cleaning and maintenance staff in hospitals, as well as cooks and other employees.
As part of changes announced by the province earlier this year the health regions will cease to exist as legal entities on April 1, 2009, when their operations are merged under a new superboard.
Union spokesman David Climenhaga said the new contracts will remain in effect under the superboard.
"It did add an element that was unusual," Climenhaga said of the 2009 merger and its effect on negotiations.
The agreements were based on a mediator's report issued last month.
The mediator also recommended a similar agreement for approximately 6,500 employees of the Calgary Health Region. The results of mail-in voting for that deal is to be counted Wednesday.
Union president Doug Knight said the agreements address concerns of employees whose pay had fallen behind that of counterparts in the private sector and other provinces.
"Based on today's vote count, the members clearly agreed," Knight said in a news release.
