Capital Care Auxiliary Nursing employees ratify four-year agreement
EDMONTON – Santa will bring a significant pay increase and a retroactive-pay cheque on Christmas Eve to approximately 1,000 Alberta Union of Provincial Employees Auxiliary Nursing Care members who work for Capital Care Group.
Members of AUPE Local 049’s ANC unit and the Capital Care employer bargaining team ratified the four-year collective agreement yesterday afternoon, said AUPE Staff Negotiator Steve Nimchuk, who led the union bargaining team.
Nimchuk said the agreement includes across-the-board pay increases of 5 per cent in the first year, 5 per cent in the second year, and 4.5 per cent or the Alberta Average Weekly Earning formula in both the third and fourth years, for a minimum increase of 19 per cent across the life of the agreement.
In addition, he said, the majority of members of the bargaining unit will also receive a 10-per-cent market adjustment to their pay in the first year, Nimchuk noted.
“Pay day is Christmas Eve, so this means most members will be receiving a substantial retroactive-pay cheque, with retro back to July 1, 2008, that night,” he said.
Other improvements in the agreement include:
- An increase in weekend differential pay by 2010 to $3.25 per hour.
- Increases in evening and night shift differential pay by 2010 to $2.75 and $5 per hour respectively.
- Two “super statutory holidays” – on Christmas Day and the August Civic Holiday – automatically paid at double time.
- Improved dental benefits.
- Better contract language on vacations.
- Three professional development days for Licensed Practical Nurses.
- A $500 health spending account.
“Both the employer and AUPE bargaining committees worked hard to get this agreement resolved in a timely fashion,” Nimchuk said.
“This agreement recognizes the amount and quality of work that our members do for this employer,” he added. “So it’s really our members, and not Santa, who should get the credit for this increase.”
AUPE remains in negotiations with Capital Care on behalf of approximately 600 General Support Service employees who are also members of Local 049.
“We are now working hard to complete this General Support agreement, and I am hopeful we can reach a deal for these GSS members early in the New Year,” he said.AUPE represents employees of Capital Care at six long-term care facilities in the Edmonton area.
Capital Care is a wholly owned long-term care subsidiary of the Capital Health Region.
For more information, contact:
Steve Nimchuk, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3341 or 780-919-4831 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 78—717-2943 (cellular phone)