August – September
In August we exchanged initial proposals and tried to have an open dialogue at the table.
In September however, it became clear PPSL was only prepared to make small moves at the table when they presented this counter monetary offer:
• Increased Night Shift differential to $4.50/hour.
• SuperStat pay of 2X plus alternate day with pay for Christmas and August Heritage named holidays.
• Wage increases of 1.5 per cent, effective date of ratification (DOR) and 1.5 per cent, effective April 1, 2019.
Even with these increases, you would still collectively be making less than your fellow health care workers at AHS, even though PPSL receives the same public funding as them to provide you with a comparable hourly pay. There’s no reason for you to be making less. We made this clear to the employer.
November – December
We resumed bargaining on Nov. 13, but we didn’t get very far as the employer wanted to email their counter proposal to us rather than present it in person. They promised to send it by Nov. 16, but failed to do this. Instead we agreed to meet on Dec. 15. What PPSL tabled that day was almost exactly the same as the one they tabled back in November.
The only new items were an additional 0.50-per-cent wage increase in year two of the agreement and new sick leave reporting article. You waited almost a whole month to receive these minimal changes.
Your bargaining team rejected this offer. We won’t jump to accept the smallest movements just because the employer has delayed the process. You deserve substantial improvements to your working conditions, not small perks. Here are some of the reasons why:
PPSL’s Offer Versus the Industry
• PPSL offered a nine-step HCA wage grid AHS has a seven-step wage grid
• Almost half of PPSL HCAs are paid at a grid step below the AHS mid-point wage rate.
• PPSL night shift premium offer = twelve per cent behind market standard
• PPSl weekend premium offer = nine per cent behind market standard
• PPSL sick leave offer= 75 per cent behind market standard
By offering you subpar offers, PPSL is not only undermining your work, but all senior’s care professionals’. What the employer doesn’t offer you, they pocket in profit, which doesn’t support you, your coworkers on the frontlines or the residents you support.
While bargaining remains at a standstill, we have requested to begin discussing the Essential Services Agreement (ESA), which will determine the minimum staffing levels needed if strike or lockout action are taken.
If you have any questions, please contact us – we’re here to support you:
NEWPORT HARBOUR BARGAINING TEAM:
Rupindar (Ruby) Multani rupinderm2007@hmail.com or 403-793-4570
Charanjeet (Nicky) Kandola Kandolanicky90@gmail.com or 403-689 8654
Kanchana Pelakotuwage myriamtchicaya@yahoo.com or 403-401-2890
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF:
John Wevers Negotiator 780-238-4767 or j.wevers@aupe.org
Jaime Urbina Organizer 587-599-7557or j.urbina@aupe.org
Celia Shea Communications 780-720-8122 or c.shea@aupe.org