Alberta LPNs, healthcare aides vote 98% in favour of strike

The union representing Alberta’s licensed practical nurses (LPNs), healthcare aides, and other healthcare professionals says its members have voted overwhelming in favour of strike action.

AUPE president Sandra Azocar said 11,031 of the 15,647 members of Locals 041, 043, 044, 045, and 046, and Alberta Health Services Nursing Care voted 98 per cent in favour of job action.

“Today our nursing care members have spoken and they have spoken loud and clear. They have had a tough and strong decision to say enough of the disregard of the value of the work that they do on behalf of Albertans day in and day out,” she said. “AUPE members today are united, organized, and ready to fight for better wages and safer working conditions.”

#BREAKING AUPE just voted 98% in favour of striking. This is 16,000 nursing care members. They could serve strike notice on Nov. 17, but more bargaining is scheduled. Say they are tired of stagnant wages and unsafe working conditions. #ableg #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/E1GAEmcOpH

— Sean Amato (@JSJamato) November 5, 2025

Members cast their votes from Thursday, Oct. 30 to Monday, Nov. 3.

The results still have to be certified by the Alberta Relations Board, Azocar adds.

READ MORE: LPNs and other Alberta healthcare professionals voting on potential strike

Job action can begin as early as Nov. 20.

In the meantime, AUPE says it is ready to return to the bargaining table and will do so on from Nov. 6-9.

“Our members would rather do their jobs, but they are prepared to stand up for what they deserve and to take job action if necessary,” Azocar said.

The union is asking for fair wage increases, work-life balance, improvements to benefits, professional development support and licensing, and mileage and parking.

“AUPE members are essential to Alberta’s public health care system,” the union president said. “When we stand up for fair treatment, we’re standing up for quality of services all Albertans rely on, and we aren’t fighting just for us, but for all Albertans and to protect our public health care system as well.”

Minister not happy with result

Minister of Finance Nate Horner says that while LPNs and other nursing workers deserve to be recognized for their work, he is disappointed with the results of the strike vote.

“Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) deserve recognition for their skills and education, and acknowledgement that they provide direct nursing care. They do important, valuable work, and Alberta Health Services (AHS) engaged in bargaining with that in mind,” he said in a statement. “I’m disappointed that LPNs and other health care workers employed by AHS voted in favour of the strike authorization.”

Horner claims LPNs are demanding to be paid almost the same as registered nurses (RNs) and is bargaining for salary increases of 40 to 55 per cent depending on where the worker is in the current grid. ‘

AUPE has said it wants workers to be paid 84 per cent of the RN wage given that the Health Professions Act allows licensed practitioners to carry out restricted activities and each position has different limits. It explains that an LPN can currently carry out 84 per cent of the activities that an RN can do.

Horner says that isn’t enough.

“While LPNs play a critical role, a key consideration that must be considered is the fact that they do not have the same education or extensive scope of practice as RNs,” the minister said in a statement. “The union is also requesting reduced annual hours of work, which would result in the same overall pay but for less work. We deeply value the dedication of Alberta’s nurses, but right now, reducing hours would make it harder to deliver the health care Albertans depend on.”

He adds that there are no healthcare workers in the country that have seen a salary increase of this scale and the request isn’t based on market data.

According to Horner, the proposal from the AUPE would come at a cost of more than $2 billion.