AUPE continues fight for benefits, prepares for negotiations at Newport Harbour
EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees is challenging an Alberta Labour Relations Board ruling in regard to the loss of benefits by approximately 140 members employed at the Newport Harbour Care Centre.
The health benefit issue was taken to the ALRB on December 11, 2009 and the Board rendered a decision on the matter on February 17, 2010. The decision of the ALRB was not favorable for our members. The board concluded that neither the Employer nor the employee’s previous bargaining representative, the Christian Labour Association of Canada, were responsible for the elimination of employee health benefits. Instead, the ALRB blamed the workers at Newport Harbour for the loss of their benefits.
“We believe the ALRB was incorrect in their assessment of the situation and as such have filed an application for reconsideration of the February 17 decision with the ALRB,” said AUPE Staff Negotiator Dale Perry. “We have also filed an application for a judicial review of the ALRB decision, which we argue is unreasonable. The board lacked justification, transparency and intelligibility in making their decision.”
“What all this means to the workers at Newport Harbour is that the Union continues to work hard to achieve fair compensation for the dumping of their health benefit plan,” Perry explained.
Newport Harbour is also changing hands, with a new employer–Park Place Seniors Living Inc.–expected to take over operations very soon.
“We have provided Park Place’s vice president of operations, Ian West, with some dates we would be able to sit down and begin bargaining. We’re now waiting for a reply,” Perry said. “Our goal is to get to the bargaining table as soon as possible so we can resolve the current issues being faced by our members at Newport Harbor.”
Perry assured AUPE’s members at Newport Harbour that “we will keep you advised of the progress made in bargaining and any results of our appeals regarding the ALRB decision on health benefits.”
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