AUPE files grievance today to block transfer of correctional employees to Alberta Health Services
EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees will file a policy grievance today on behalf of approximately 160 government employees who work in provincial correctional facilities whom the province has arbitrarily and illogically decided to transfer to Alberta Health Services.
“This arbitrary announcement violates AUPE’s collective agreement with the government of Alberta, violates provincial legislation covering government employees, defies a common sense analysis of what these workers do and where they do it, and creates a significant new risk to public safety,” said AUPE President Doug Knight.
“The change in employer is also extremely unfair to the affected employees, creating problems relating to their pensions and severance rights in their contract,” he said. “The government also violated a commitment to consult the union when they proceeded to try to implement this policy.
“The goal of this policy grievance is to protect our members and prevent the change in employers from taking place,” Knight said.
On April 22, Alberta Solicitor General and Public Security Assistant Deputy Minister Bruce Anderson sent a memorandum to nurses, psychologists and administration employees of adult and young offender correctional facilities stating that delivery of health services in their workplaces “will be provided by Alberta Health Services effective April 1, 2010.”
Affected staff will remain employees of the Solicitor General Department until that date, the memorandum said, and then will become employees of AHS.
AUPE was not properly consulted on this decision, a clear violation of the employees’ collective agreement with the government of Alberta, said AUPE Union Representative Jim Petrie, who is handling the file for the union.
In addition, he said, the proposal violates the Public Service Act of Alberta and attendant regulations that clearly state Alberta government services cannot be contracted out to other agencies, organizations or corporations.
These two points will form the substance of the current policy grievance, Petrie said.
However, he noted, the government also broke a commitment made to the union late last year that it would fully consult AUPE regarding any changes to the employment of staff in provincial correctional facilities. “The memorandum was sent to AUPE less than 30 minutes before it was sent to the members.”
“We have many other objections to this change,” Petrie added. “Employees working in provincial government correctional facilities should be provincial employees for practical in addition to legal reasons.
“These employees are now experienced members of the correctional services team,” he said. “Making them employees of Alberta Health Services, subject to AUPE’s and other unions’ contractual seniority provisions, opens the possibility of people who do not have a clear understanding of correctional and security issues floating in and out of these facilities.
“That would create obvious security and safety risks to correctional staff, inmates and the Alberta public,” he said.
Petrie noted that AUPE is also opposed to government employees being forced to switch from the Public Service Pension Plan to the Local Authorities Pension Plan, which could result in pension shortfalls to employees.
“This change breaks the rules, breaks the law, breaks an agreement with us and makes no sense on any level,” Petrie concluded. “AUPE will vigorously pursue this grievance on behalf of our members.”
For more information, contact:
Doug Knight, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-265-6655 (cellular phone)
Jim Petrie, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3335 or 780-399-8755 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)