Town of Coaldale employees locked out amid stalled contract talks

Town of Coaldale employees picket outside civic square on Sept. 8, 2025. (Quinn Keenan / CTV News)

COALDALE — About 40 Town of Coaldale employees spent Monday picketing outside Coaldale’s town hall.

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After a year of negotiating, the two sides haven’t been able to reach a deal.

Employees have been locked out since Saturday after a 72-hour notice was issued by the town.

The union voted to strike but never went ahead with strike action following the lockout.

“We did not use that strike vote. Instead, the town took a lockout vote and used it as soon as they could. So, they rushed to take their vote and then they implemented it immediately,” said AUPE vice president, Curtis Jackson.

The town says services for residents won’t be impacted during the lockout.

Mayor Jack Van Rijn said in a statement to CTV News, “Council is confident that residents will continue to receive the services they rely on. We have plans in place to maintain operations through a mix of exempt staff, contractors, and replacement workers.”

The town says it’s offered a 17-per cent raise over four years as part of its latest deal.

But the union says that number is misleading.

“The 17 isn’t actually 17, because what they’ve done is in our in our jobs we have a grid where every year you, you work, you move us step up on the grid. So, their number of 17 actually includes those step ups that would have happened naturally anyway. So, it’s not the increase that they are saying it is,” said Jackson.

The union believes they’re close to reaching a deal.

They claim their demands would add less than $80,000 to the town’s budget annually.

“We’re not demanding that we get everything we ask for. The one big thing that’s on the table is rollbacks. And those rollbacks amount to around $16,000 a year of savings for the town,” said Jackson.

Town council says its focused on Coaldale’s financial security.

Van Rijn said “this impasse reflects a widening gap between public-sector wage expectations and the economic realities of the broader community that ultimately pays the bill.

“Council’s focus remains on protecting residents and ensuring Coaldale’s long-term financial health.”