AUPE Local 054 seeks employer movement in bargaining
EDMONTON – AUPE Local 054 Bargaining Team members continue to seek a full, comprehensive, and reasonable monetary proposal from the Capital Health Region one week after settling all but two non-monetary issues in mediation.
“We made a proposal on shift, evening and weekend shift differentials during mediation July 14, 15 and 18, which included substantial moves toward a settlement,” said AUPE Staff Negotiator Malcolm McNaughton.
“We gave the employer a week from our last set of meetings to consider our proposed monetary package. Unfortunately the employer failed to respond within that window,” he said.
Local 054 has scheduled a council meeting for the evening of July 28 to discuss the status of bargaining and the monetary proposals that have been put on the table.
The Bargaining Committee proposed a four-year agreement including 6 per cent increases in the first and second years, followed by an increase that is the greater of 4.5 per cent or the Alberta Average Weekly earnings in the third and fourth year.
Under the union proposal on-call duty would receive a $3.30-per-hour premium on regularly scheduled days, and $4.50 per hour on days off.
The proposal also includes a shift differential of $2.25 per hour for evenings in the first year of the agreement that rises to $2.75 in 2010. Night differentials would start at $3 per hour and increase to $5 hour in 2012. Weekend differentials start at $2.25 per hour and rise to $3.25 per hour in 2010.
The union proposal also includes a flexible health spending account worth $500 per year, and five supplementary vacation days after 25 years of service, one time only.
The employer has countered with 5 per cent increases in the first and second year, followed by an increase that is the greater of 4.5 per cent or the Alberta Average Weekly earnings in the third and fourth year.
The employer has proposed shift, weekend, and night differentials of $2.25, $2.25, and $3 per hour, respectively. On call duty would receive $1.75 per hour for regularly scheduled days and $2.25 per hour on days off.
The employer proposal also includes a $500 per year health spending account and five supplementary vacation days awarded after 25 years of service, one time only.
“Given the movement the committee has made on a number of non-monetary issues in mediation, the bargaining committee is disappointed with the employer’s position on all monetary issues to date,” said McNaughton.
“We hope the employer will recognize our efforts and demonstrate more flexibility as the process moves ahead,” he said.
Further dates for voluntary mediation are scheduled for Aug. 12, 13, and 14.
A document with the union and employer position on all articles discussed to date can be downloaded from the link at the bottom of this update.
For more information contact:
Local 054 Bargaining Committee
Tonya Malo
tonemalo@shaw.ca
William Fleming
wrsfleming@gmail.com
Chris Sharp
nanio@telus.net
Jeanne Payne
malibu97@shaw.ca
Willis Pollett
jamwill@shaw.ca
Malcolm McNaughton
AUPE Staff Negotiator
780-930-3352
m.mcnaughton@aupe.org