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Educational Services Sector
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Bargaining Updates from 2003
Bargaining Update: Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2003
Information pickets set to press for fair pay increase for government employees
EDMONTON - Members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees who work directly for the provincial government (Locals 001-012) will hold information pickets throughout Alberta on Wednesday and Thursday next week to press for a fair wage increase in the current round of bargaining.
Noon hour information pickets by direct government employees will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 3, in:
Calgary - Near Court of Queen's Bench Building, 4th Street SW - Noon.
Grande Prairie - Provincial Building - Noon.
Peace River - MLA Gary Friedel's office, 9811 - 100th Street - Noon.
High Prairie - Main Street near courthouse - Noon.
Slave Lake - Lakeland Building - Noon.
Noon hour information pickets will be held on Thursday, Dec. 4, in:
Edmonton - Near main courthouse, Sir Winston Churchill Square - Noon.
Edmonton - Neil Crawford Centre, 7003 - 113 Street (South Side) - Noon.
Red Deer - Michener Centre - 11 a.m.
Red Deer - Provincial Building - Noon.
Medicine Hat - Provincial Building - Noon.
Lethbridge - Provincial Building - Noon.
The aim of the information pickets is to show the employer clearly that government employees are fed up and frustrated by the government's claim that a one-per-cent pay increase is adequate and fiscally responsible, said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.
AUPE's position of a six-per-cent increase is modest and reasonable in light of the soaring cost of living in Alberta, MacLennan said.
"The employer's position is particularly offensive in light of the fact we now know the government's budget surplus is likely to be $3.35 billion, $1 billion higher than its original forecast," MacLennan said.
"There is no reason for this impasse to continue," MacLennan said. "AUPE has taken a reasonable position. It's time for the province to do the same thing so that we can conclude these negotiations with a fair offer."
AUPE and Alberta government negotiators have not reached agreement in wage re-opener negotiations for approximately 20,000 government employees, members of AUPE locals 001 to 012, in talks have gone on this fall.
Government negotiators have stuck to their opening position that direct employees of the Alberta government should get only a one-per-cent pay increase for 2003, said AUPE Staff Negotiator Jim Petrie, who leads the union bargaining team.
AUPE completely rejects that proposal, Petrie said, noting that AUPE's bargaining team tabled an easily defensible opening position of six per cent. "We took the high road and took a reasonable position in hopes of achieving a fair settlement in these negotiations," Petrie said. "The government must now make a realistic response."
AUPE continues to be prepared to meet government negotiators again at any time if there is realistic hope of meaningful progress, Petrie said.
In addition to rapidly increasing living costs, government employees also face increased costs from specific policies implemented by this employer, including large increases in payroll deductions for benefit and pension programs, Petrie said.
Direct employees of the Alberta government include administrative staff, fish and wildlife officers, social workers, technologists, court officials and others.
The AUPE bargaining committee includes members from all nine AUPE locals that represent direct employees of the government.
In 2001, AUPE and the province agreed during negotiations for the collective agreement now in effect to sit down to wage-reopener talks in the third year of the agreement.
In a wage-reopener, the union and employer agree to negotiate wages for the last year of the collective agreement, leaving all other provisions in place in the contract.
CLICK HERE FOR LINKS TO NEWS COVERAGE
CLICK HERE FOR INFO PICKET POSTERS PDF
CLICK HERE FOR BARGAINING UPDATE PDF
For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-232-8392 (NEW cellular phone)
Jim Petrie, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3335 or 780-919-4415 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)
For immediate release: Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2003
Still no progress in negotiations between AUPE and government of Alberta
EDMONTON - Alberta Union of Provincial Employees locals representing direct government employees will meet members throughout Alberta to discuss the continuing impasse in wage negotiations with the Alberta government, says union President Dan MacLennan.
"We expect members to be upset and frustrated with the unreasonable position taken by the employer so far," MacLennan said today.
AUPE and Alberta government negotiators were again unable to reach agreement Monday and today in wage re-opener negotiations for approximately 20,000 government employees, members of AUPE locals 001 to 012. The parties last met in mid-September with a similar lack of success.
However, MacLennan said, AUPE is prepared to meet government negotiators again at any time if there is realistic hope of meaningful progress.
So far, government negotiators have stuck to their opening position that direct employees of the Alberta government should get only a one-per-cent pay increase for 2003, said AUPE Staff Negotiator Jim Petrie, who leads the union bargaining team.
AUPE completely rejects that proposal, Petrie said, noting that AUPE's bargaining team tabled an easily defensible opening position of six per cent.
"When we met today, we reminded them that we took the high road and took a reasonable position in hopes of achieving a fair settlement in these negotiations," Petrie said. "The time is long past for the government to make a realistic response."
"The need to improve the current agreement was accepted by the government in 2001. They recognized that there was a serious need for catch-up to recruit and retain quality employees to provide important services to Albertans," he said. "Given where our members started out, AUPE's proposal is in line with the trends in compensation."
Petrie noted that AUPE negotiated a wage-reopener in the third year of the current contract because the union recognized there was a strong possibility circumstances would dramatically change.
"This is precisely what has happened," he said. "Huge increases in heating, fuel and insurance prices, plus strong inflation in consumer goods and services, have driven up the cost of living."
Government employees also face increased costs from specific policies implemented by this employer, including large increases in payroll deductions for benefit and pension programs, Petrie added.
Petrie said AUPE members are insulted by the government's claim it is trying to be fiscally responsible in light of huge increases in revenues, massive royalty rebates to oil and gas corporations and bonuses and salaries paid to senior public-sector managers.
AUPE represents approximately 20,000 direct employees of the Alberta government, including administrative staff, fish and wildlife officers, social workers, technologists, court officials and others.
The AUPE bargaining committee includes members from all nine AUPE locals that represent direct employees of the government
In 2001, AUPE and the province agreed during negotiations for the collective agreement now in effect to sit down to wage-reopener talks in the third year of the agreement.
In a wage-reopener, the union and employer agree in a contract to negotiate wages during the last year of the collective agreement, but to leave all other contract provisions in place for an additional year.
For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-232-8392 (NEW cellular phone)
Jim Petrie, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3335 or 780-919-4415 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)
For immediate release: Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2003
'Meaningless' government offer must be improved: MacLennan
EDMONTON - The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees and the Alberta government were unable to reach agreement Monday and today in "wage-reopener" negotiations for approximately 20,000 government employees.
The Alberta government negotiators' opening position of a 1-per-cent pay increase for 2003 is completely unacceptable, AUPE President Dan MacLennan stated today. "Our members are not willing to consider a meaningless offer of this sort."
AUPE's bargaining committee tabled an opening position of a 6-per-cent across the board pay increase for all direct employees of the Alberta government, MacLennan said.
"We took the high road and placed a realistic and easily defendable position on the table at the start of these negotiations," MacLennan said.
"It's very important that the employer now reconsider its position in light of the soaring cost of living in Alberta and return to the table," MacLennan said. "This 1-per-cent offer is a waste of everyone's time and does nothing for the working relationship our members have with their employer."
"We're encouraging our members to let their departments and their MLAs know how they feel about the government's offer and the need to improve it," he said.
In the sessions Monday and today, neither party was prepared to move from its opening position. The parties agreed to meet again on Oct. 20 and 21, and AUPE is prepared to return to the table earlier if there are grounds to believe meaningful progress can be made, MacLennan said.
Like all Albertans, AUPE members employed by the government face skyrocketing fuel, power, heating and insurance costs, plus strong inflation in all consumer goods and services, said AUPE Staff Negotiator Jim Petrie.
"In addition, our members face increased costs that result from policies implemented by this employer, including large increases in payroll deductions for benefit and pension programs," Petrie said.
"The employer says it wishes to behave in a fiscally responsible manner," he added. "We believe the position AUPE has put forward is extremely reasonable and fiscally prudent in light of both the dramatic increase in costs faced by our members and the huge increases in revenues available to the employer."
AUPE represents approximately 20,000 direct employees of the Alberta government, including administrative staff, fish and wildlife officers, social workers, technologists and court officials.
The AUPE bargaining committee includes members from all nine AUPE locals that represent direct employees of the government
In 2001, AUPE and the province agreed during negotiations for the collective agreement now in effect to sit down to wage-reopener talks in the third year of the agreement.
In a wage-reopener, the union and employer agree in a contract to negotiate wages during the last year of the collective agreement, but to leave all other contract provisions in place for an additional year.
For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Jim Petrie, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3335 or 780-919-4415 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
GSBC meets with province to begin wage-reopener negotiations
AUPE's General Service Bargaining Committee met with Alberta government representatives today to begin wage-reopener negotiations on behalf of direct provincial government employees.
Both sides are expected to table their opening positions when the sides meet again on Sept. 15 and 16.
In 2001, AUPE and the provincial government agreed during negotiations for the collective agreement now in effect to hold wage-reopener talks in the third year of the contract.
"AUPE is acutely aware of the needs of our members in the government services sector," said AUPE Union Representative Jim Petrie, who is leading negotiations.
"Given the current economic pressures our members are facing, namely huge increases in natural gas, electricity and insurance costs," Petrie said, "AUPE's bargaining position will reflect this inflation."
In addition, Petrie noted that the province has given raises to senior bureaucrats, stating that the salary increases "are necessary for the government to retain talented people".
"The same applies for those in this bargaining unit."
For immediate release: Friday, June 6, 2003
GSBC members begin process of negotiating wage-reopener for government employees
EDMONTON - Members of AUPE's General Service Bargaining Committee sat down together today to begin hammering out an appropriate bargaining position in the upcoming wage-reopener negotiations with the Alberta provincial government.
Formal notice that the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees will begin bargaining will be served to the provincial government some time after the GSBC meeting in Edmonton.
In 2001, AUPE and the province agreed during negotiations for the collective agreement now in effect to sit down to wage-reopener talks on behalf of direct provincial government employees in the third year of the agreement.
"That time is now," said AUPE President Dan MacLennan after the first meeting of the GSBC. "The challenge that faces us will be setting out a position that recognizes the important contribution of Alberta government employees and the rising cost of living."
"We are in the last year of an agreement that saw major improvements in the agreement negotiated for government of Alberta employees," said AUPE Union Representative Jim Petrie, who will lead the wage-reopener negotiations.
"The key factor from our point of view is that inflation has been rising faster in Alberta than in other provinces," said Petrie, a veteran union negotiator.
"Inflation continues to increase at a rate not anticipated when the agreement was originally negotiated," Petrie said.
Petrie said informal talks already held with government negotiators have tentatively targeted mid-August as the starting time for bargaining.
AUPE's research department is preparing an economic analysis for use by the GSBC. Click here to view the latest copy of Economic Outlook by AUPE Research Officer Aaron Mireau.
For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Jim Petrie, Staff Negotiator, AUPE, 780-930-3335 or 780-919-4415 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)
Union Representative Mike Boyle drops more General Service ratification-vote ballots for counting at AUPE headquarters Thursday afternoon. Direct employees of the provincial government voted to ratify a new three-year agreement.
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