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About the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) Collective Agreements A collective agreement is simply a legally binding contract between a group of workers and an employer, which sets out such things as guaranteed wages, overtime pay, job security, sick leave, long-term disability insurance, layoff and recall rights, standby pay, health benefits, dental plans, general insurance, clothing allowances, maternity, paternity and adoption leave, guaranteed vacations and hours of work. While similar wording can be found in most collective agreements, specific rights and wording are negotiated to address the unique needs of your bargaining unit. And with more than 250 bargaining units in four major sectors, AUPE collective agreements must vary widely to reflect the needs of individual locals. Differences in Collective Agreements For AUPE members working in the General Service Sector - which is made up of direct government employees - there are two agreements; the Master Agreement and the Subsidiary Agreements. The Master Agreement covers all benefits common to the General Service, such as paid holidays and illness leave. Subsidiary agreements contain specific terms reflecting the needs of each bargaining unit, such as wages and classifications. In the Health Sector - which comprises roughly a third of AUPE's members - there are multi-facility agreements that include health-care workers at a variety of sites, and agreements specific to single locations. AUPE represents health workers employed by regional health authorities and by smaller for-profit and non-profit health-care providers. You can find Collective Agreements for each of AUPE's four individual sectors, but clicking on the links below: Government Services Sector Collective Agreements. Health Care Sector Collective Agreements. Education Sector Collective Agreements. Boards, Agencies & Local Government Sector Collective Agreements.  How long are Collective Agreement Negotiations? Collective agreements are negotiated to cover a specific period of time - often one or two years. As an AUPE member, you have the opportunity to take part in the process of setting priorities for the union agenda in each round of negotiations. Under Alberta labour law, notice to commence bargaining can be served on your employer up to 120 days before the expiration of your current collective agreement. You may also continue working under the terms of an old agreement while a new one is negotiated, even if its expiration date has passed. Negotiations usually continue for months before a tentative agreement is signed by AUPE's elected bargaining committee and the employer. At that point, the agreement must be ratified by a secret ballot by a majority of the bargaining unit's voting members before it is signed by the union president and put into effect. |
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