AUPE President expresses concern over health sector GSS bargaining
EDMONTON – AUPE President Guy Smith expressed concern today that Alberta Health Services approach to bargaining with its employees is creating labour turmoil.
“I’m quite worried after eight months of bargaining, that our 22,000 members working in health sector general support services may vote down a settlement recommended by a mediator,” Smith said.
“AHS stuck to a completely untenable position at the bargaining table and that’s created a mediation report that the bargaining committee is recommending members reject,” he added.
Salaries are a key area of contention, as the mediator’s report recommends wage increases well below other recent, major public sector settlements, and well below Alberta Average Weekly Earnings for 2011. Other major concerns include contract language concerning scheduling, hours of work, layoff and recall, and classifications appeal processes.
Bargaining committee members are holding meetings at worksites across Alberta until the end of December. The result of a vote is expected early in the New Year. If the report is rejected, as the committee has recommended, the union will then take guidance from its membership on further action.
“There is a disconnect between AHS’s need to improve employee engagement and the hard-line approach taken by AHS negotiators in bargaining. Our members deserved to be treated with the same respect as their colleagues in the health sector and it didn’t happen,” Smith said.
AUPE represents approximately 25 per cent of all front-line health care employees employed in General Support Services, making up a key segment of the health care team.
“This is not good news for the health sector, especially with more than 13,000 of our auxiliary nursing care members waiting in the wings to start bargaining in early 2012,” said Smith.
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For more information:
Guy Smith, President, AUPE – 780-930-3301, or 780-265-2294 (cel.)
Kevin Davediuk, Negotiator, AUPE – 780-930-5216, or 780-729-7916 (cel.)
Tyler Bedford, Communications, AUPE – 780-930-3406