The battle hasn’t started but the ammo is out and they’re loading the guns.

They’re primed up for a little target practice.

Contracts for many people on the provincial public payroll expire in the coming months. That means upcoming negotiations for new deals. That means opening up a political can of worms.

Should the wages of those paid out of provincial public dollars be frozen when the economy is in the dumps and the province’s books bleed red ink?

Late last week, mince-no-words Alberta Union of Provincial Employees leader Guy Smith said he had no beef with tough bargaining. It comes with the territory.

But he warned the Notley NDP not to go to war with the union because the workers had steel in their spines and were prepared to fight for their cause if it came down to that.

Smith said the NDP had to be “very careful” about its relationship with Alberta’s biggest union who had gone toe-to-toe with the PCs when they were in power and won.

Besides, it was folks like his union’s members who are among the solid core of support for this government.

And union members are frustrated because little has changed at the workplace since the Notley government gained power last year.

On Wednesday, the Wildrose fire a salvo from the other direction.

They issue a statement asking the Notley NDP whether they will stand up for Albertans or their “union pals.”

For the opposition, it’s Wildroser Grant Hunter who steps up to the plate and swings for the fences.

The question is those wage freezes for workers on the province’s payroll.

“Joe Public out there, he wants to see that happen. These guys are taking hits in the private sector. They don’t want to see a double standard,” says Hunter.

“Right now there’s a double standard. If you’re public sector, life has never been so good. Job security, excellent benefits and pensions and pay raises while everybody else is taking a shaving.”

Hunter points to some AUPE members getting a 5% pay increase over three years, for a contract where the third year is this year.

He says if Premier Notley wants to show she’s not for a double standard then she should say: “Hey, you know what, we’re all taking a hit here, even our union buddies.”

“If they really think they want to have a second term in office then they can’t pander to small groups or to special interest groups. Everybody has to share the pain.”

But what about this idea Notley shouldn’t go to war with the unions since they did help the NDP get into power?

“So what you’re saying now is it’s OK for you to buy a vote,” Hunter fires back.

“That’s what that argument really is: If you don’t pander to these guys you’re not going to get their vote so make sure you pony up and dish out the cash.”

Then there’s the other side of the political coin.

Even if the Notley NDP held the line with unions would this cause many of their detractors to cool their jets? Or would they just be disgusted for other reasons.

The teachers had three years of no increases starting in Sept. 2012 before this last contract year scoring a 2% raise and a one-time lump sum payment of 1%.

That agreement expires at the end of the month.

Hunter says the latest deal with the zeros doesn’t tell the whole story. Before that time, he says, teachers received good pay increases and are “doing pretty well financially.”

The critic doesn’t hesitate to offer up some free advice for the premier.

“You need to start thinking about the fact you’re sitting at 22% in the polls,” says Hunter.

“You just can’t keep holding on dogmatically to making sure your union brothers and sisters are taken care of and the heck with everybody else.”

“I don’t think that works. The polls don’t think it works either.”

rbell@postmedia.com