Majority of non-monetary talks now complete
It has been a long and drawn-out round of bargaining with a majority of the chapters not having had a new agreement since 2017. Despite this, your negotiating team is hopeful that we can reach a tentative agreement soon as we continue to work with Mediator Mia Norrie. During our most recent meetings with the employer on July 12 and 13, we nearly completed all non-monetary talks.
As of July 28, we will be in formal mediation and if we cannot reach a tentative agreement soon, the mediator may be requested to write recommendations for ratification.
Below is a summary of negotiations from last year up to present.
Following discussions with the employer as well as the assigned independent mediator in late 2022 and early 2023, it was agreed to consolidate the various Nursing Care (NC) agreements (Calgary, CollegeSide, Airdrie, Cochrane, Sylvan Lake, Didsbury, Harvest Hills, Bethany Riverview, Sundre Seniors’ Supportive Living and Mount View Lodge) into one master agreement, and the two General Support Services (GSS) agreements (Calgary and Airdrie) into another master agreement.
In-going union principles and objectives were established to ensure the following:
- There will be no change in the size or composition of our current negotiating teams.
- There will be no change in the negotiating process (main table bargaining).
- Each committee will retain their autonomy with respect to making recommendations about a tentative agreement at their respective worksites.
- Use of chapter/site appendices where needed in master agreement to accommodate necessary site-specific language.
- All collective agreement (CA) articles must round up to the highest level of the Bethany CA.
- There will be no concessions of any kind.
On March 24, the employer responded to our demand for a financial offer and tabled their first monetary package.
As the original demands had been set in 2017, the May 1 caucus meeting at the Calgary office was used to review and reestablish our demands.
During mediation on May 4, 8 and 9, the negotiating team was encouraged by the good faith approach demonstrated by Bethany tabling a financial offer. We resumed language improvement discussions, signing off on the least challenging language. We then opened discussions on key seniority issues, seniority for promotions, transfers, pick-up shifts, and overtime.
We were able to sign off on various articles and we identified other articles that remain current. The negotiating team also introduced language to establish scheduling committees at each location to deal with improved rotation and better Full Time Equivalents (FTEs). We are hoping for significant change in regard to the employer's interview process and line selection, and we have introduced the burden of proof concept for all seniority issues.
On May 26, updated positions and new language proposals were reviewed. On June 2, your negotiating team agreed to sign-offs on several articles and Letters of Understanding (LOU).
On June 22 and 29 discussions focused on pick-up shifts, overtime and the new scheduling committee. A new LOU for the joint scheduling committee was completed in theory, but still requires sign-off. Any changes to lines and rotation will be discussed with the scheduling committee and selected only by seniority. Unfortunately, in the past, the employer at some sites has used the lay-off/recall provisions to reset the line selection. This has been discussed in detail with the employer at the bargaining table and WILL NOT happen again.
It was agreed that changes to pick-up shifts and non-imminent response time will be as follows:
- 1) Effective immediately, the callout priority window for non-imminent shifts (shifts starting more than 72 hours from callout) has been increased from 3 hours to 12 hours to allow employees additional time to express interest and bid on shifts.
- 2) Shift Posting will be changed from a monthly process to a bi-weekly process commencing in August. Site-specific posting schedules will be sent out prior to August 1, 2023. Shift Posting allows workers to view and bid on shifts for the upcoming 90 days in the Vocantas (ASC) mobile app or employee portal. Shifts will be open for a 24-hour window.
The employer has sent an email to all members with the new guidelines.
Our next scheduled dates are July 28, July 31 and August 28.
AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAMS – BETHANY CARE SOCIETY
Airdrie NC (084/009)
Sabrina Edwards
[email protected] or 403-837-2708
Jill Thompson
[email protected] or 403-874-0076
Airdrie GSS (084/009)
Eileen Booth
[email protected] or 403-771-6229
Calgary NC (084/010)
Valerie Monkman
[email protected] or 403-460-8161
Aida Varela
[email protected] or 587-216-3936
Michelle Fluter
[email protected] or 403-836-4071
Calgary GSS (084/010)
Davinder Bhatti
[email protected] or 403-991-9129
Margaret Billings
[email protected] or 403-978-8935
Harvest Hills NC (084/011)
Sharon Hoben
[email protected] or 403-813-9416
Mai Fang Tian
[email protected] or 403-397-3796
Davinder Manhas
[email protected] or 403-590-4884
Cochrane NC (084/017)
Beverly Dyck
[email protected]
Red Deer (084/015)
Lourdes Alberto
[email protected] or 403-872-3718
Cheryl Hoffman
[email protected] or 825-706-2770
Topaz Phang
[email protected] or 403-307-3280
Sylvan Lake (084/012)
Nadine Frederick
[email protected] or 403-391-6607
Josephine Covin
[email protected] or 403-505-8924
Didsbury (084/014)
Carrie Sears
[email protected] or 403-808-2713
Brenda Thomson
[email protected] or 587-436-3927
Teusdae Johnston
[email protected] or 403-439-0191
Mount View Lodge - Olds (084/013)
June Brogden
[email protected] or 403-438-0001
Tess (Maria Teresa) McAllister
[email protected] or 403-438-0051
Tammi Gudjonson
[email protected] or 587-444-0113
Sundre Seniors’ Supportive Living (084/013)
Georgina Alm
[email protected] or 403-559-8493
Jessica McAllister
[email protected] or 403-895-0784
Janie Wozyn j
[email protected] or 403-586-0323
Riverview NC (084/016)
Regilda Ramos
[email protected] or 403-796-5118
Lamia Khorfan
[email protected] or 403-483-9487
Cathy Senger
[email protected] or 403-926-3379
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
James Mitchell, Negotiations
[email protected]
Michelle Szalynski, Organizing
[email protected]
Christine Yargeau-Becker, Organizing
[email protected]
Communications
[email protected]
