Town of Coaldale labour dispute ends with workers’ union agreement

A strike by two-dozen public sector workers with the Town of Coaldale is now over after a new agreement was signed on Nov. 12, 2025. (File)

A 67-day lockout by Coaldale’s public sector workers has ended with the town and union reaching a new agreement.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said the majority of Coaldale’s unionized workers approved the collective agreement, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2025 and includes a 12 per cent wage increase over four years, paid breaks and overtime standardized at time-and-a-half.

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It comes after a 14 months of unsuccessful negotiations - including in-person bargaining, formal mediation, and union strike mandate - which led to the lockout.

“When our council made the difficult but necessary decision to lock out unionized staff, we did so to stand up for the private sector—the silent stakeholder that ultimately foots the bill for municipal salaries, wages, and benefits,” said Town of Coaldale Mayor Jack Van Rijn in a news release.

“This deal reflects our commitment to achieving that objective and to closing what our Council saw as a widening disconnect between public-sector compensation expectations and private sector wage trends.”

The 24 town employees who are still locked out will return to work on Monday, Nov. 17 to join 18 other town workers who are already back at work.

Part of the agreement includes a requirement for the AUPE to withdraw labour practice complaints against the Town.