Following hours of debate, and vocal protests from unionized provincial employees, a pair of controversial pieces of legislation passed third reading in the Alberta legislature early Thursday morning – but many are vowing to continue to fight against the bills.

The final votes for Bill 45 the Public Sector Services Continuation Act and Bill 46 the Public Service Salary Restraint Act took place during a marathon session Wednesday.

The vote came a little over a week after the bills were tabled in the legislature – sparking swift protests from unionized public employees.

“They’re very angry,” AUPE President Guy Smith said. “They feel disrespected by their employer, which is the Government of Alberta.”

After both bills passed third reading, officials said they would be taking the province to court.

“The first thing that’s clear, is we will be going to court and we will win,” Gil McGowan with the Alberta Federation of Labour said. “The second thing that’s clear is the coalition that elected Alison Redford two years ago is dead.”

At about 1 a.m. Thursday, the final vote was called on Bill 46 – which forces a four-year contract on AUPE workers if a deal is not reached by the end of January 2014.

The contract includes a wage freeze for the first two years, a lump sum payment of $875 for eligible employees in the second year, and a one percent increase in each of the following two years.

Prior to the legislation being tabled, both sides had agreed to binding arbitration and meetings had been set for February.

The union has been without a contract since March.

Earlier Wednesday evening, Bill 45 was passed with a majority vote – that legislation imposes hefty penalties on unions and individuals who take part in wildcat strikes.

Penalties include a $1 million per day penalty for the union however long an illegal strike lasts, plus increasing fines from $1000 per day, to $250,000.

Bill 45 also suspends the collection of dues by the union.

Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk said the legislation is meant to protect Albertans, arguing some illegal job action could put Albertans at risk.

“Imagine if nurses walked off the job,” Lukaszuk said. “If police officers walked off the job, if firefighters and paramedics walked off the job.”

“Without the right to strike and the right to arbitration, we’re in the situation where basically all our rights to collective bargaining have been taken away,” Smith said.

The AUPE has already filed an unfair bargaining complaint about Bill 46 with the Labour Relations Board, and a number of unions are meeting with their lawyers to determine their legal options.

In addition the union has filed a complaint with the United Nations.

With files from Laura Tupper and Bill Fortier