Your negotiating team went into our Aug. 17 bargaining meeting hopeful that we could reach a fair agreement with the employer after trimming our list of outstanding items in July. The Employer quickly dashed those hopes when they tabled a counter proposal that did not address the primary outstanding items.
While we agree in principle on Article 1 (Term of the Agreement), 12 (Hours of Work), 13 (Overtime), 16 (Shift Differential) and 26 (Workers’ Compensation), we remain far apart on the Salary Grid and other articles, including:
- Article 22 Named Holidays
- Article 24 Employee Benefit Plans
- Article 25 Sick Leave
- Article 31 Layoff and Recall
- Article 34 Health and Safety
- Article 39 Retirement Savings
- (New) Article 40 Practicum Student Trainer
In addition, Article 28 (Part-time Employees), Article 29 (Temporary Employees) and Article 30 (Casual Employee) still require changes to make them consistent with other parts of the collective agreement.
We couldn’t agree on a salary grid because the employer wouldn’t even consider a wage increase that keeps up with inflation. Their settlement offer contained a 0% salary increase for 2020, 0.75% lump sum payment in October 2021 (based on the previous 26 pay periods) and a 1.0% salary increase on the grid January 1, 2023. In contrast, your negotiations team tabled a monetary package that reflects the rising cost of living. It includes a lump sum payment for the period dating back to April 1, 2020 and a modest salary increase of 1% in 2021 and 1.5% in 2022. AgeCare rejected this reasonable proposal, and we were advised they would be seeking informal mediation to help us reach a settlement.
Your negotiations team knows what you deserve, and we will continue to fight for working conditions that support your wellbeing. But to do this we need your support. Don’t settle for the breadcrumbs AgeCare is offering; our collective force is stronger than their stinginess, and we can overcome it if we work together. Please reach out to one of your negotiating team members if you have any questions.
AGECARE VALLEYVIEW NEGOTIATIONS TEAM
Mary Anne Janzen tiger7@shaw.ca
Ruth MacDonald ruthmacd@shaw.ca
Dee Anna Wright deewright.1984@gmail.com
Dale Perry d.perry@aupe.org
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
Dale Perry, Negotiator d.perry@aupe.org
Celia shea, Communications c.shea@aupe.org or 780-720-8122
Michelle Szalynski, Organizer m.szalynski@aupe.org or 403-634-8262
Margaret Kapuwa, Organizer m.kapuwa@aupe.org 403-903-0974