For immediate release: Dec. 06, 2002

DRUMHELLER – Nursing employees of the Drumheller District Health Services hospital facility in south-central Alberta have voted to join the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees in a runoff vote with another union.

Before the Alberta Labour Relations Board-supervised vote, December 6, which was requested by the employer, about 25 per cent of the nursing employees at the Drumheller hospital were represented by AUPE. Seventy-five per cent were represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

More than 63 per cent of the votes were cast in favour of AUPE.

"These employees had the opportunity to watch two unions in operation in their workplace, and they made their choice on the basis of who they knew to be the most effective union," said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

"We were honoured that again so many CUPE members in health care picked our union," MacLennan said. "This is an important vote because it shows who working people in Alberta perceive to be the best union to look after their interests in the health sector."

Historically, there had been two separate units on separate sites in Drumheller, one represented by AUPE and one by CUPE. When a new facility was built, the employer was left with two unions representing employees doing similar work in the same facility. More than 100 Licensed Practical Nurses, Nursing Assistants and others were entitled to vote.

When the employer requested the vote, the right of the Drumheller workers to democratically choose their union was opposed by CUPE at the Alberta Labour Relations Board. Nevertheless, the ALRB ordered the vote.

"Voting for AUPE means these employees will get the benefits of AUPE’s new Multi-Facility Auxiliary Nursing Agreement right now," MacLennan said. "We welcome them to AUPE."

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)
www.aupe.org