Bethany Care Society #4: Bargaining continues

Firstly, we’d like to extend a warm welcome to Aspen Ridge, who has joined the big table bargaining. Welcome to the newly certified unit and its members. We look forward to collaborating with you and will be reaching out to your members in the very near future. Negotiator James Mitchell will be meeting with the bargaining committee June 20th for bargaining training/ member survey prep and also to discuss issues at the facility.

Secondly, we’d like to report on the scheduling committee. We began discussions with the employer under challenging circumstances, as they initially reneged on their commitment to reestablish and collaborate with scheduling committees for Harvest Hill, Didsbury, and Airdrie. After a difficult discussion, the employer agreed to revisit their commitment with their executive team. We emphasized the urgent need for the employer to acknowledge the issues with rotations at these and other facilities, as our members have raised numerous concerns about inadequate staffing, insufficient full-time equivalents, short-shifting, lack of adequate time off, and excessively long work stretches.

The union’s stance is to work with the scheduling committees where possible, but the committees have concluded that a major overhaul of shift language in the collective agreement is essential. This would include limits on consecutive shifts, ensuring every other weekend off, and other improvements to working conditions. This remains one of our top priorities.

Additionally, we had extensive discussions regarding the employer’s arbitrary changes to stat day banking and usage. There has been a longstanding practice that allows members to bank stat days and use them over an extended period. The employer recently imposed a significant change, requiring that any banked stat day be used within 30 days. We challenged this change as inappropriate and potentially non-compliant with labor relations standards. The employer has agreed to revert to the original language, and we will address future stat day usage at the bargaining table. In the meantime, if you have been disadvantaged by this change, please contact your MSO to review filing a grievance.

We are deeply disappointed that Bethany Care Society has not honored their initial commitment and has shown a lack of seriousness toward our concerns. We have made it clear that if we are not given the respect we deserve, we will demand it. Bargaining will be challenging until Bethany Care Society recognizes the invaluable hard work of our members, who continue to face difficult conditions, stagnant wages, and poor working environments. We await their response but are prepared to proceed in a more assertive manner to secure the respect and conditions our members deserve.

Read bargaining update #1

Read bargaining update #2

Read bargaining update #3

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Wear red to show support for your negotiating team! If you take any selfies or group photos while wearing red, send them to [email protected] to share on AUPE’s social media and spread the solidarity. Let’s show Bethany Care Society that bargaining matters to us.

If you have any questions about this bargaining update, please reach out to a member of your negotiating team.