Your bargaining committee met with Alberta Health Services (AHS) in Edmonton on Dec. 13 and 14. Although we were able to sign off two articles, we were frustrated with the lack of movement from the employer during this round of bargaining, continuing a pattern of AHS’s discouraging approach to negotiations.
Your committee communicated the importance of AHS recognizing the vital role GSS members play in the delivery of quality health care throughout this province. We deserve a fair collective agreement that recognizes the value of our role.
AHS committed to providing a full and complete response at the next round of bargaining scheduled for Feb. 5, 6 and 7 on both monetary and non-monetary issues, including our key priorities such as reviewing positions excluded from the bargaining unit, workload, job security and contracting out, and bullying and harassment.
We sincerely hope that this commitment will lead to progress in negotiations in the New Year, especially since other AUPE members are seeing their employers move forward in bargaining on similar issues including bullying and harassment provisions. In fact, recent changes to occupational health and safety legislation have brought some of the concerns we have been raising in negotiations into provincial law, making AHS’s resistance even more puzzling.
We are urging all members to attend their chapter annual general meetings (AGMs) in the New Year to understand the issues at stake in bargaining and discuss our next steps together. Also, please ensure that you have provided your current contact information to AUPE by calling 1-800-232-7284 or online at aupe.org/update-me/ so we are able to reach you and keep you informed.
Your participation and solidarity throughout the bargaining process will be crucial in the coming months. As always, we thank all members for their patience and support during negotiations.
Please do not hesitate to contact a member of your committee with any questions, comments or concerns you may have.
AHS GSS
BARGAINING TEAM MEMBERS:
Local 054
Nancy Woods nancy.janer@gmail.com
Charity Hill charity.johanson@gmail.com
Local 056
Lynne Jones lynnejones92@hotmail.com
Lauren White viagratte@hotmail.com
Local 057
Darren Graham local57bargaining@gmail.com
Ray Tweedle tweedleraymond@gmail.com
Local 058
Karl Clauss clauss42@gmail.com
David Ibach daveibach@telus.net
Local 095
Stacey Ross sross13@shaw.ca
Dusan Milutinovic dusan.aupe@yahoo.com
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF:
Chris Dickson Lead Negotiator
1-800-232-7284 or c.dickson@aupe.org
Mac McNaughton Negotiator
1-800-232-7284 or m.mcnaughton@aupe.org
Julie Jacques Organizer
1-800-232-7284 or j.jacques@aupe.org
Farris Sobhani Organizer
1-800-232-7284 or f.sobhani@aupe.org
Tyler Bedford Communications
1-800-232-7284 or t.bedford@aupe.org