Alberta nursing care workers threaten massive strike, what are they demanding; Alberta Finance minister responds as time runs out; all you need to know

Nurses and healthcare staff of an Alberta hospital in Canada can go on a massive strike as early as November 20, 2025, if their concerns are not addressed soon. This development came after about 16,000 unionized workers of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) voted 98 percent in favour of strike action if their demands are not met and concerns are not addressed.

The union said 11,031 members cast a ballot in the vote held between October 30, 2025, and November 3, 2025, according to CBC News. If the unofficial AUPE vote results turn into reality, members could start job action as soon as November 20, 2025, and the 16,000 members, who are mostly licensed practical nurses and health care aides, could serve strike notice as early as November 17, 2025.

While speaking during a press conference on Wednesday (November 5, 2025), AUPE president Sandra Azocar reacted to the massive vote in favour of a strike and told reporters at a press conference that wages and workplace safety are two of the top concerns for members. She stated the union is hopeful that a deal will be reached to avoid job action.

AUPE president expects offer from government

“Every time the government cuts corners or delays fair contracts, working families and communities pay the price, and this would be the case,” Azocar said, as quoted by the Edmonton Journal. “We’re hopeful that the government will go back to the table with an offer that our members would be able to accept on behalf of the membership.”

The likely job action by nursing staff comes after teachers represented by the Alberta Teachers' Association walked off the job for three weeks, according to reports. Later, the protesting teachers were ordered to return to work by provincial legislation that included the notwithstanding clause to shield it from being challenged in court.

The negotiation between the health care workers and the provincial government has been going on for 18 months, but so far no deal has been reached, which has led to the possibility of a job action. with no resolution.

Four days of mediation

Azocar has said that four days of mediation are set to start on Thursday (November 6, 2025), and while members would rather be doing their jobs, they will get off from their work and go on strike if they need to.

“They are fed up with stagnant wages and unsafe working conditions that hurt workers, patients, and Alberta’s public health-care system,” she said, as quoted by Global News.

Alberta’s Finance Minister Nate Horner on the worker strike

Amid speculations of the invocation of the notwithstanding clause, Alberta’s Finance Minister Nate Horner told reporters that it’s “highly unlikely” in the case of labour action from the group of health-care workers. “It’s a tool that the government has, but it’s certainly not something that we’re focused on,” he said, as quoted by Global News.

Further speaking on the matter, Horner said that the teachers' strike was unique due to the given size and complexity. He said that the labour situation involved two tiers of bargaining, one at the local and the second at the provincial level.

Horner stated that the AUPE’s bargaining is single-tier, and many workers provide essential services. This means that all workers will not legally be permitted to strike. In a statement, Horner said that the province has offered a 12 percent wage increase over four years. There is, however, an estimate that says that the union’s counter-proposal would cost Albertans more than $2 billion, according to reports.