Members to vote electronically on ratification
On Tuesday, August 30, 2022, your negotiating team accepted the independent mediator's proposed settlement. We will be conducting an online ratification vote from 8:30 AM, Monday, September 26, 2022, through to 11:59 PM on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. You will receive the link to the voting website via your work email addresses next week.
Your negotiating team recommends you accept this proposed agreement, the highlights of which are below.
Term
The agreement will be in effect July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2024.
Wages
Effective July 1, 2020, Salary Schedules in Schedule A shall be increased by zero percent (0%).
Effective July 1, 2021, Salary Schedules in Schedule A shall be increase by zero percent (0%).
Effective July 1, 2022, Salary Schedules in Schedule A shall be increase by zero percent (0%).
Effective April 1, 2023 Salary Schedules in Schedule A shall be increased by one point two-five percent (1.25%)
Effective December 1, 2023 Salary Schedules in Schedule A shall be increased by one-point five percent (1.5%) plus an additional point five percent (.5%) subject to the following Gain Sharing Formula:
- Effective February 29, 2024, an increase of 0.5% will be applied, retroactive to each Employee’s prior December 1 salary, subject to Gain Sharing conditions to be determined by the Government of Alberta. - Provided that the “Average of all Private Forecasts for Alberta’s Real GDP” for the 2023 Calendar Year is at or above 2.7% as of February of 2024, then Gain Sharing applies.
- All adjustments due to Gain Sharing are retroactive to December 1, 2023, or to an Employee’s start date if hired after December 1, 2023.
- “Average of all Private Forecasts for Alberta’s Real GDP” for the 2023 calendar year is a simple average of Alberta’s Real GDP for 2023 across the following independent forecasting institutions: Conference Board of Canada, Stokes Economics, BMO Capital Markets, CIBC World Markets, Laurentian Bank, National Bank, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank, TD Bank.
- The most recent publicly available forecast for Alberta’s Real GDP for 2023 will be sourced from each forecasting institution at the time the payout determination is made in February 2024.
Market Based Adjustments
Market Based Adjustments will not affect existing Employees. We requested the Mediator confirm with the Employer that anyone hired prior to contract ratification will not be affected by the adjustments, regardless of whether they are incumbents in those positions or are transferred into the affected positions or apply and are hired into vacancies in those positions after ratification. Only new Employees to Athabasca University hired after ratification will be affected. There are currently 19 people in positions subject to Market Rate Adjustments, with nine of you at the top of your grid. Those nine will continue to receive any/all negotiated wage increases. The remaining ten will continue to move through the old grid and receive any/all negotiated wage increases.
Work From Home Payment
Permanent employees who are required to set up a home office will receive a lump-sum payment of $2,000.00. Employees who have already received a lump sum amount under the University’s COVID-19 Home Office Set-up Allowance shall have the amount of that previous lump sum deducted. In addition to the one-time lump-sum payment, employees who are required to work from home shall receive a payment of $35/biweekly to cover the cost of ongoing home office expenses, including internet and printing.
Contracting Out Language
The Mediator recommended, as was in the Union's original In-Going Bargaining Proposals, that the Letter Of Understanding on Contracting Out be deleted and that a new article be embedded in the Collective Agreement with expanded provisions and language.
Overtime
Language was added to ensure that if, due to unforeseen circumstances advance authorization was not obtained, and the employee can demonstrate that they attempted to obtain authorization, the employer shall not unreasonably deny pay for the overtime hours worked.
You can download a complete copy of the mediator’s proposed settlement here.
We appreciate your patience and solidarity during this difficult round of bargaining. If you have any questions about the recommended settlement, please reach out to a member of your negotiating team.
AUPE Negotiating Team – Athabasca University
Jessie Jones
jessie.jones_88@live.ca
Wendy Jewell
windyglen@mcsnet.ca
Mike MacLean
mtmaclean@gmail.com
Graham Stewart
gdcstewart@gmail.com
AUPE Staff Resources
Terry Luhoway Negotiations
t.luhoway@aupe.org
Scott Drake Organizing
s.drake@aupe.org
Mimi Williams Communications
m.williams@aupe.org