Your team was insulted by low-ball offer and the employer’s games
Your negotiating team met with Olds College on April 29 to begin bargaining for wages and benefits.
We proposed 24% over four years with a $1,500 increase to flex spending accounts. We also demanded a cost-of-living adjustment to combat inflation, and a minimum pay level of $22.98 so that all members make a living wage. Our proposal is consistent with wage proposals that have been tabled by other AUPE post-secondary negotiating teams.
Despite this, the employer responded with a lowball offer.
Olds College presented an offer of 7.5% over four years––which is simply not good enough. When we pointed out that other post-secondary employers have already increased their offers to 10% over four years, they told us “You don’t start with your highest offer.”
The employer seems intent on playing games at the bargaining table.
The employer’s proposal included significant rollbacks, which have not been proposed by other post-secondary institutions, including:
- Cutting acting incumbent pay from 10% to 3% and extending the qualifying period from 3 to 10 days.
- Introducing benefit cost-sharing, which would offload 25% of the cost of benefits onto us. The employer currently pays 100% for benefits.
- Language that limits personal leave.
- Reduced educational leave entitlements.
- Language to limit salary protection to one year if a position is reclassified to a lower level.
- Remove the current parking language. This would allow Olds College to raise parking fees to whatever they like.
We told the employer they must remove all rollbacks before we can move forward in bargaining. We also asked them to acknowledge what we all know––that the Provincial Bargaining Coordination Office (PBCO) is directing their mandate.
Your team will return to the bargaining table only after Olds College has significantly adjusted their position. If the employer refuses, our next step will likely be to apply for informal mediation.
We do not have any future bargaining dates scheduled at this time.
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Please contact a member of your negotiating team if you have any questions about this update.
AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAM – OLDS COLLEGE
Kim Goddard
[email protected]
Robert Beuck
[email protected]
Shawna Cevraini
[email protected]
Wilma Vanden Dool
[email protected]
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
Christian Tetreault Negotiations
[email protected]
