ATHABASCA – Thirty-two employees of an Athabasca nursing home who went on strike on Feb. 11 and walked the picket line for 56 days have thanked members of their community, residents of the home and their families for their support and patience during the strike.

"We couldn’t have won a fair contract without your support," the 32 women, members of Alberta Union of Provincial Employees Local 2424/009, say in an advertisement that will run in Tuesday’s edition of the Athabasca Advocate weekly newspaper.

"Community support, and the support of residents of the nursing home and their families, were key elements in getting this collective agreement," said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

"We know that this strike was a very difficult experience, not just for our members but for residents and families, who were quite reasonably concerned about the effect this situation could have," said AUPE Union Representative Steve Nimchuk, who negotiated the collective agreement.

"They all made their feelings known to the employer and that certainly had a positive impact on AUPE’s ability to find a reasonable compromise to end the strike," he said.

"Now that the strike has ended on a positive note for these employees, they are getting back to work with enthusiasm and dedication," Nimchuk concluded. "We know the residents are glad to see them back, and they’re sure glad to be back working for the residents they love."

The strike by personal care attendants, care aides and licensed practical nurses at the Extendicare (Canada) Inc. continuing care facility in Athabasca ended with significant gains for the strikers, including a pay increase of nearly 30 per cent over the life of the contract.

The AUPE members on April 8 overwhelmingly ratified their new agreement, which expires in June 2004.

The employees had gone since 1998 without a raise. Another key issue in the strike was parity with other Extendicare employees at similar facilities in nearby communities and other health care workers doing similar work in the town of Athabasca.

The new contract meets that goal, and at times during the life of the agreement exceeds it, Nimchuk said.

The nursing home’s care aides and personal care aides will receive a five-per-cent pay increase retroactive to July 1, 2000, another five per cent retroactive to July 1, 2001, Nimchuk said. They will then receive another six per cent on Jan. 1, 2002, another eight per cent on July 1, 2002 and another four per cent on July 1, 2003.

LPNs at the nursing home will receive a four-per-cent retroactive pay increases on April 1, 2001, and Aug. 1, 2001, and the employer has agreed to then pay them the same rate received by LPNs in AUPE’s Multi-Facility Agreement negotiations with the Provincial Health Authorities of Alberta, which are now under way.

"As of this July, that gives us the parity in wages that we were seeking," Nimchuk said.

In addition, the agreement retained an additional, higher pay category for employees with certification that the employer had tried to eliminate.

Other improvements in the collective agreement include:

" A retention bonus of 47 cents per hour to make up for being behind for six months between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2001. " A weekend premium rising to 50 cents per hour in 2003. There had been none in the old contract. " Improvements in overtime pay, including double overtime after four hours of overtime and for full-time staff required to work on a second day of rest. " Complete employer-paid single premium coverage for full-time employees for Alberta Health Care and Alberta Blue Cross, effective May 2002.

For more information, contact:

Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Steve Nimchuk, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3341 or 780-919-4831 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)

Back to Releases