Edmonton Immigrant Services Association: Progress made as talks begin

Your negotiating team opened talks with the employer on June 24 and 25. We made good progress at the bargaining table.

On the first day, Edmonton Immigrant Services Association accepted all our non-monetary proposals. Monetary discussions started on the second day.

Improvements agreed to so far include:

• Article 3 Union Recognition: Removal of the size limit on union insignia worn by employees.
• Article 9 Employee Health and Safety: Adding timelines for discrimination and harassment complaints; also that outcomes of investigations to be provided to complainants and respondents.
• Article 11 Discipline: Addition of 24 hours’ notice for disciplinary meetings. Removal of disciplinary record after one year.
• Article 16 Hours of Work: Addition of language to clarify that banking at overtime rates will apply for hours worked beyond seven hours per day.
• Article 21 Leaves of Absence: Increased bereavement leave to five days for all relations, with an additional two days for travel (previously drawn from personal leave). Increased the threshold for requesting proof of illness from three to five days. The employer will now pay for the full cost of the medical note if it is requested.
• New Article Remote Work: New process allowing employees to request to work from home for a period of time that is mutually agreed upon by the employee and employer.

We will keep up the discussions about our wages and other monetary items at our next meetings, which are not yet scheduled.

Please contact a member of your negotiating team if you have questions.

AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAM – EDMONTON IMMIGRANT SERVICES ASSOCIATION

Yang (Amanda) Zhang  
[email protected]

Sweety Singh  
[email protected]

Shimelis Gebremichael  
[email protected]

Mihiri Witharana (Alternate)  
[email protected]

AUPE RESOURCE STAFF

Prisca Ryan Negotiations
[email protected]