AHS GSS bargaining begins with a wide gap in wage offers

Bargaining begins with a wide gap in wage offers

Your General Support Services (GSS) negotiating team met with Alberta Health Services (AHS) on Feb. 22 and 23 to begin bargaining. Thank you to all the members who wore red on these dates to show your solidarity.

Your team led with strong proposals and a strong mandate from you, the membership. We exchanged proposals with AHS on Feb. 22. Then, on Feb. 23, we reviewed the employer’s proposals and spent considerable time preparing a counteroffer.

Wages

Your team proposed a two year collective agreement with the following wage increases:

April 1, 2024: 25%
April 1, 2025: 10%

This 35% total wage increase reflects how valuable we are to Alberta’s health care system and is similar to proposals made by other health care unions in the province. It is an increase we deserve and that we will fight for.

However, our employer’s proposed wage changes fall far short of what we deserve. Their proposal does not reflect the value of the work we do, nor does it come close to addressing the skyrocketed costs of living.

The employer offered a four-year agreement with the following proposed wage adjustments:

2024: 2%
2025: 2%
2026: 1.75%
2027: 1.75%

This wage offer does not reflect the reality we live in. In fact, given the rising costs of living, the employer’s proposal is insultingly low. It does not even cover the rising cost of parking at hospitals across the province, which the employer itself increased!

The employer proposed no further monetary adjustments.

Other proposals

Job security is a critical issue for all GSS members. Your team has drafted several proposals that would ensure members have job security, including more protection from contracting-out (privatization).

The employer wants to make a handful of rollbacks, such as removing your ability to take two paid hours for medical appointments, as well as introducing red circling. Aside from these issues, there are no other major takeaways from our first few days of bargaining.

Our next bargaining meetings are scheduled for Mar. 21 and 22 in Calgary. Members are encouraged to wear red on those dates to show your solidarity once again!

You can download a copy of your team’s and the employer’s ingoing proposals at the bottom of this update page.

Create a MyAUPE account on AUPE’s website to ensure you never miss a bargaining update or other important union news.

Please contact your negotiating team if you have any questions. Be sure to contact the negotiating team member who represents your Local.

AHS General Support Services Negotiating Team

Local 054

Charity Hill charity.johanson@gmail.com

Christine Madigan (A) christinecmadigan@gmail.com

Local 056

Juanita Cozicar jcozicar@telus.net

Kristina Javorsky (A) kjavorsky123@gmail.com

Local 057

Wendy Kicia wendykicia@hotmail.com