Support staff at Lethbridge College gathered for an information picket last week. The staff members were protesting the demanded wage freeze for the next three years.
The last contract expired on June 30, prompting collective bargaining between support staff and Lethbridge College.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees filed for third-party mediation, which failed. However, they also applied for binding arbitration. As of Tuesday, the application for arbitration has been accepted.
AUPE Membership Services Officer, Darren Gangur, says there is no reason these employees should suffer from a three year wage freeze.
“In lieu of the settlement trends with all other post secondary institutions across the province who are on the exact same funding formula, they’re all managing to give employees raises. They have no substance to support the decision,” Gangur says.
So far, Lethbridge College has refused to budge from their stance on the wage freeze, however, the staff is feeling positive that they will abolish the freeze.
