200 staff rally at Red Deer's Covenant Care Villa Marie over stalled contract
Workers have been without a new contract since it expired in 2024, with AUPE saying Covenant Care has not matched wage rates secured by Alberta Health Services.
Why it matters
The dispute could affect staffing levels and care quality for seniors at a major Red Deer continuing care facility.
About 200 staff at Covenant Care Villa Marie in Red Deer, represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, rallied Thursday outside the facility at 10 Carrington Drive to demand fair wages and improved conditions for seniors' care.
AUPE Vice-President Darren Graham said bargaining has stalled since the workers' contract expired in 2024. He said Covenant Care previously cited a lack of government funding as a barrier, but funding has since arrived without translating into improved offers at the table. Workers also lack the benefits and pension available to their counterparts at Covenant Health.
Graham said similar rallies were held this week at Covenant Care sites in Olds and Calgary. He said staff are frustrated by chronic understaffing, which raises safety concerns for residents requiring advanced care, such as those with dementia. He added that better wages could help attract and retain workers in the sector.
Villa Marie offers 76 supportive living suites, 30 memory care suites and 60 long-term care suites. Graham said any decision on strike action rests with the bargaining committee, but noted essential service agreements are in place to ensure resident care would continue. Covenant Care did not respond to a request for comment.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.