Focus on OHS and investigations as bargaining continues
Your negotiating team met with the employer on Oct. 7 to continue bargaining.
We know fatigue is something AHS GSS members are dealing with, just like all front-line staff who have been worked to the bone throughout the pandemic. We know that violence against staff has risen with the pandemic as well, so your team came to this meeting prepared and focused on improving our Occupational Health and Safety Article.
We brought one of AUPE’s in-house OH&S experts, Trevor Hansen, to deliver a presentation to the employer on just how serious our workplace health and safety is to us, including the disturbing rise in fatigue, burnout, and violence against staff.
One important part of our proposal includes changes to the My Safety Network process. Our proposal includes a reporting system that would keep members informed on the outcomes of safety complaints and any changes made because of those complaints.
We also made progress on improving Article 9, Discipline, Dismissal and Termination. In our last bargaining update, we mentioned that we needed more time to review Article 9 and improve how investigations work.
Your team believes it is critical that, if members are called into an investigation meeting, they deserve to know what the investigation is about beforehand. We are asking AHS for the same respect and courtesy we all expect in society; we deserve to know what is being investigated.
The employer responded to our concerns with a proposal that looks promising. Your team will need to review it before signing off on it, however.
Our next bargaining meetings are scheduled for Oct. 21, 22, and 27. We expect Alberta’s new Health Minister, Jason Copping, to be up to speed by then. All AHS members are hoping for a change in direction after the nightmare that was Tyler Shandro, so let’s see if Minister Copping delivers.
As always, please contact a member of your Negotiating Team or AUPE Resource Staff if you have any questions.
AHS GSS Negotiating Team
Local 054
Julie Woodford - juliew.chp006@gmail.com
Charity Hill (A) - charity.johanson@gmail.com
Local 056
Tammy Lanktree – local56.bargaining@gmail.com
Juanita Cozicar (A) – jcozicar@telus.net
Local 057
Darren Graham - chairlocal057@aupe.ca
Wendy Kicia (A) - wendykicia@hotmail.com
Local 058
Anton Schindler - waterdude69@gmail.com
Dave Ibach (A) - d1322j@gmail.com
Local 095
Dusan Milutinovic - dusan.aupe@yahoo.com
James Sullivan (A) - sullivanlocal95@gmail.com
Lamont Health Care Centre GSS
Jessica Kroeker - jessicarayne@hotmail.com
Carol Palichuk - carolpalichuk@hotmail.com
AUPE Resource Staff for AHS GSS
Chris Dickson, Lead Negotiator - c.dickson@aupe.org
Jason Rattray, Negotiator - j.rattray@aupe.org
Tracy Noble, Edmonton-North Organizer – t.noble@aupe.org
Kate Jacobson, Calgary-South Organizer - k.jacobson@aupe.org
Margaret Kapuwa, Central Organizer – m.kapuwa@aupe.org
Alexander Delorme, Communications - a.delorme@aupe.org
