Thousands of public-sector employees represented by Alberta’s largest union could soon walk off the job after they voted overwhelmingly to strike.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees began holding a strike vote on Thursday for 23,500 of its members from eight different locals, who work for the provincial government in correctional facilities, health care and other agencies.

A large majority of 90.1 per cent voted in favour of a strike, with 80 per cent of eligible members casting a vote.

The results await confirmation from the labour board, after which they will be valid for 120 days. But the union may hold off should the province return to the bargaining table.

AUPE said the vote sends a clear message to the provincial government, and its members will strike if necessary, but would prefer to reach an agreement.

In regards to going on strike, AUPE president Guy Smith said at an Edmonton news conference Tuesday that “we have no intention of doing that at this point.”

“We are determined to get a deal at the table,” he added.

The last offer the union rejected from the province contained an 11.5-per-cent pay increase over a period of four years. AUPE argues that that amount is not enough to regain the purchasing power its members have lost to inflation over the past six years, and it was asking for a 24-per-cent increase over four years.

This also marks the first time that AUPE, which represents more than 95,000 workers, will have the legal power to strike. Previous legislation that prohibited it from holding a walkout was repealed in 2017.

Finance Minister Nate Horner said he has no intention of letting things sit in limbo for four months.

“If they’re serious about coming back to the table, we’ll be there,” Mr. Horner said during Question Period.

Alberta NDP labour critic Peggy Wright said the AUPE members sent a clear message and the government should listen to them.

“I don’t understand why the government wouldn’t be willing to sit down and bargain fairly with them,” she said.

While AUPE members now hold the power to strike, the province can lock out AUPE employees, after the government applied to the labour board for permission to use that option.

In either case, thousands of provincial employees off the job would have a significant effect on a wide range of services. When asked how Albertans could be affected, Mr. Horner said the province has contingencies in place to keep the government running.

Around 6,000 of the workers involved in the current dispute, such as those working in emergency services and firefighting, are prevented from walking off the job as per an essential-services agreement.