Medical laboratory staff at DynaLIFE DX have voted solidly in favour of strike action.
Almost 75 per cent of 700 Health Sciences Association of Alberta members who voted were in favour of a strike.
DynaLIFE DX operates 36 labs in Edmonton, Central and Northern Alberta with 912 union members, including 25 in Red Deer.
The union held the vote after it was unable to hammer out a contract with the company.
It would have been the first collective agreement since employees unionized last summer.
HSAA says the company has offered close to 17 per cent less in compensation compared to provincial industry standard.
The union and the company are far apart on issues like compensation in lieu of a pension plan, health care coverage for staff, retention bonuses, shift and weekend premiums, and providing advance work schedules.
The union says an employee strike, or lockout by the DynaLIFE, would seriously impact Albertans with 85 per cent of all medical diagnosis based in part on tests undertaken by laboratory staff.
HSAA must provide DynaLIFE with 72 hours notice before taking strike action any time over the next 120 days.