Lethbridge City Council has ratified a new 2-year collective agreement with the Amalgamated Transit Union Local #987.
The 50 city employees who are represented in this agreement operate the Lethbridge Access-A-Ride fleet. The agreement includes that AAR operators’ wages reach parity with fixed-route Operators on December 31, 2026. As well, the AAR booking agents and scheduling analysts who are represented in the agreement will also receive market-rate adjustments to their positions. Additionally, the agreement includes a cost-of-living increase of 2.5 per cent for 2025 and 2.75 per cent for 2026.
ATU AAR members voted in favour of the new agreement on October 19th, and it was put before the newly elected City Council for ratification on Monday.
In a statement, Mayor Blaine Hyggen says he would like to thank these city employees who support some of the most vulnerable residents in the community.
“I also want to thank our bargaining team for working so hard to reach a fair agreement that addressed the issues brought forward by both parties. These efforts ensure we can continue to provide this critical service to our community,” Hyggen says.
The city and ATU have been in active labour negotiations since March 14th, with the previous agreement expiring on December 31st of last year. The two parties negotiated with a mediator in mid-October, where a tentative agreement was reached.
