AUPE reaches tentative agreement with ATB Financial
EDMONTON – More than 2,000 members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees Local 020 will vote this month on a tentative collective agreement reached with ATB Financial.
“It all came together quickly,” said AUPE negotiator John Wevers. “We had been at the negotiating table for months but weren’t getting anywhere. Mediation didn’t work and we were heading into arbitration. However, there was a sincere desire to explore all avenues to resolve this dispute and the employer and AUPE were able to accomplish this.”
The three-year tentative agreement, expiring in 2014 if ratified, includes 3 per cent increases in base pay each year, plus a salary range progression of 1.5 per cent each year.
There are also increases to the shift differential, Sunday work premium, the defined location supplementary allowance, along with improvements to various categories of personal leave, improvements to overtime language and new language dealing with teleworking/working from home, job sharing and payment of legal fees.
Another significant area of improvement was the renewal of the improved Workforce Reduction letter of agreement and other improvements to the Severance Allowance and reimbursement for retraining, career counseling and job search assistance.
The bargaining committee is recommending acceptance of the tentative agreement.
AUPE President Guy Smith credited the members’ solidarity and determination to get a fair settlement with breaking the deadlock.
“The members of Local 020 work hard for their employer and their customers and this tentative agreement reflects that,” he said.
Your bargaining committee wishes to thank all Local 020 members for their patience, perseverance and dedication in achieving a fair and reasonable tentative settlement.
Members will vote on the tentative agreement by mail-in ballot. Ballots, which were mailed out to members at the beginning of January, must be returned to AUPE headquarters by Feb. 2. The ballots will be counted Feb. 3.
Local 020 members who have not received their ballots by Jan. 16 can print off an affirmation and submit it as per the included instructions to receive their ballot, or they can contact Michelle at (780) 930-3310 or m.mireau@aupe.org.
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For more information, contact:
John Wevers, Negotiator, AUPE: 780-930-3349, or 780-238-4767 (cel.)
Trevor Zimmerman, organizing, AUPE: 780-930-5201, or 780-919-9975