Since January 2021, your negotiating team has met with the employer several times to settle a new and improved collective agreement. But after our March 10 meeting, we decided it’s time to pursue Essential Services Agreement (ESA) negotiations, so we can apply for formal mediation at the Alberta Labour Relations Board.
The ESA establishes the terms and conditions for a strike or a lockout, if bargaining breaks down. We need an ESA before we can apply for formal mediation, where an independent mediator will listen to our proposals for our collective agreement, as well as the employer’s proposals, and provide recommendations for the final agreement to help push bargaining along.
We need this help because the employer is being completely unreasonable. Instead of responding to Alberta’s economic realities and tabling monetary proposals in-line with industry standards here, they’re using collective agreements negotiated by other unions as comparators.
Worst of all, they’re cherry-picking unfair movesother corporate care providers recently made at AUPE tables and mimicking them.
Your negotiating team will not settle for an agreement that terminates important working conditions we’ve already won. We’re in bargaining to improve our working conditions, with the long-term goal of building an optimal continuing-care system using our bargaining power – and our proposals reflect that.
We reminded them of our top priorities on March 10, but they failed to offer a counter proposal to the items, which included:
pyramidedshift differentials and premiums
seniority based on hire date rather than hours worked
increased sick leave accrual maximums (up from 8 days annually)
improvements to benefits reimbursement or a flex spending accounts
improvement to shift exchange language (such as no limits) and special leaves with pay (or floaters)
Because the employer is choosing to devalue your work and has refused several of these items, we know it’s time to move to formal mediation. You deserve a collective agreement that’s in line with the industry standard your fellow members have helped create in Alberta.
Stay tuned for more information on ESA progress and mediation dates. If you have any concerns please contact us:
SEASONS ENCORE NEGOTIATING TEAM:
Elizabeth Vilaelyvoltangovila@gmail.com403-896-1928
Roberta Jordanjorroberta@gmail.com403-597-6529
Glenda Kroetschglenda.kroetsch@gmail.com403-507-0197
ALTERNATIVES
Candice Ford candiceford92@hotmail.com250-231-6276
Shannon Huntshannon.hunt@shaw.ca403-829-2793
Christine Ericksonckson@shaw.ca(403) 657-3516
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF:
John Wevers, Negotiator j.wevers@aupe.org
Michelle Szalynski, Organizer m.szalynski@aupe.org
Celia Shea, Communications c.shea@aupe.org
