For immediate release: Thursday, May 15, 2003

CALGARY – Approximately 310 members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees employed at another three Carewest facilities in Calgary have overwhelmingly ratified new two-year collective agreements.

Subject to ratification by the employer, the agreements between Carewest and AUPE Locals 048/006, 048/008 and 048/009 at the George Boyack, Glenmore Park and Crossbow centres will give employees pay increases of four per cent in the first year, retroactive to July 1, 2002, and three per cent in the second year, said AUPE Staff Negotiator Ken Cutrell.

The ratification votes follow a similar ratification vote by about 320 members of AUPE Local 048/007 at the Dr. Vernon Fanning Centre on Tuesday.

Cutrell, who led the AUPE bargaining teams in all the negotiations with Carewest, said the latest agreement also includes increases in shift and weekend pay to $1.75 per hour, double-time overtime and a new educational allowance for Nursing Attendants.

The agreement, which affects auxiliary nursing staff such as licensed practical nurses and nursing attendants at the Calgary continuing-care facilities, expires on July 1, 2004.

Cutrell said this deal, like the agreement affecting Fanning Centre employees, is similar in all details to the agreement signed between AUPE and the Continuing Care Employers Bargaining Association, which was ratified by CCEBA employers on Tuesday.

To become the collective agreement for the employees, all agreements must be ratified by Carewest, which is wholly owned by the Calgary Health Region.

The AUPE members who work at the three sites voted in 1999 to leave the Canadian Union of Public Employees and come to AUPE.

AUPE is Alberta’s largest union, with 53,000 members. AUPE has approximately 21,000 members in front-line health care jobs.

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Ken Cutrell, Union Representative, AUPE, 403-531-8610 or 403-861-2051 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)