AUPE aims to protect collective agreements in mental health, children’s services changes
EDMONTON – AUPE aims to ensure collective agreements and the interests of union members are protected during the transition of mental health services to health regions and the reorganization of child and family services announced today by the Alberta government.

In separate news releases published mid-day Jan. 23, Alberta Health and Wellness and Alberta Children’s Services announced details of major changes scheduled to come into effect April 1, 2003.

"We want to make sure that the collective agreements our members have negotiated are lived up to, and that our members are protected, during these changes," said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

"We’re also concerned that there be no disruption to the services that these AUPE members provide, as both organizations have promised in their news releases," MacLennan added.

"The jobs of our members in both mental health services and child and family services need to be protected during these changeovers because the services that they provide are in short supply and are more badly needed than ever before," he said.

Senior AUPE officials, including MacLennan, have scheduled a meeting with Alberta Health and Wellness and the Alberta Mental Health Board Friday to discuss the details set out in the Health and Wellness news release on the transfer of AHMB functions to the nine new health regions.

AUPE leaders held meetings last week and more are planned about the reduction of Child and Family Services Authorities described in the Alberta Children’s Services release.

The details of both announcements are summarized below:

Mental Health Services

In the Alberta Health and Wellness news release, Minister Gary Mar is quoted saying that the government’s first priority in the previously announced integration of mental health services into nine health regions "is no disruption in services to patients, and a stable work environment for health care staff."

In its release, the ministry stated:

• Existing funding will be carried over to maintain service levels.
  
• The government intends for mental health agreements and assets be transferred intact to ensure no disruption to staff.
  
• The province’s four major mental health facilities – Alberta Hospital Edmonton, Alberta Hospital Ponoka, Claresholm Care Centre and Raymond Care Centre – "will retain their status as provincial resources, but be managed by their respective health authorities."
  
• That the AMHB will continue to provide province-wide services and programs in forensic psychiatry, suicide prevention, aboriginal mental health and "tele-mental health."
  
• That the AMHB will "work with the expanded health regions to establish provincial program councils to advocate for Albertans…."

AUPE represents approximately 2,300 employees of the AMHB at the four major facilities and at community mental health clinics throughout Alberta. They are members of AUPE Local 042.

Negotiations for a new collective agreement with the AMHB are still under way.

Click here to read the Alberta Health and Wellness news release.

Child and Family Services

In its news release, Alberta Children’s services said it is reducing the number of Child and Family Services Authorities to 10 from 18 effective April 1.

In its release, the ministry stated:

• The amalgamation is intended to align the CFSAs with the boundaries of the nine new regional health authorities "to ensure consistent planning and provision of services to local communities, as well as to improve governance and administrative management."
  
• There will be two exceptions to the RHA boundaries: retention of the Metis Settlements Child and Family Services Authority and an extension of the boundary of the northwest region to the north.
  
• Services to children and families will not be disrupted. Children’s Services Minister Iris Evans stated further in the release that the amalgamation "is not a cost-saving measure."
  
• That interim chief executive officers will be appointed to manage current operations and manage the transition into the new CFSAs.

AUPE Local 006 represents most social services employees of Alberta’s CSFAs. Administrative and clerical staff is represented by AUPE Local 001.

Click here to read the Alberta Children’s Services news release.