“No concessions” means “No concessions"
Your negotiating team met with the employer twice this week, on Jan. 17 and 19, 2022.
When bargaining resumed on Jan. 17th, we made it clear to the employer that we could not move on until the employer withdrew the monetary concessions they had proposed. When the employer stated that there was no change to their mandate, we suggested it may be time for them to revisit their mandate considering the recent AHS/United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) mediator’s report which removed all monetary concessions.
The employer agreed to caucus and return on the Jan. 19 to inform us of their position. At that time, the employer provided us with a counter-proposal package that included the removal of several monetary concessions they had previously tabled.
Orthopedic Technician Wage Rollback
On Jan. 19, your negotiating team spent most of the day reviewing the employer’s package and preparing our response. We presented a very reasonable counteroffer that included a few minor changes and one that is extremely important: removal of the monetary concession that would reclassify Orthopedic technicians to Operating Room Technicians, resulting in a minimum 20 per cent wage rollback.
After the employer told us they could not agree to the package because of our refusal to accept their demand for an Orthopedic Technician wage rollback, we made it clear to them that their position is absurd. We noted that whoever is driving their agenda is sabotaging our ability to reach an agreement and stated – yet, again, and in no uncertain terms - that there will be no deal with any concessions.
The employer’s claim that Orthopedic Technicians are paid higher in Alberta than other Western Canada jurisdictions suggests they have looked no further than job title and wage. Had they, they would know that Orthopedic Technicians in Alberta are all Licensed Practical Nurses with a specialization in Orthopedics where other jurisdictions require a grade 12 and do not require LPN certification.
We pointed out that Registered Nurses represented by UNA are also over-market in compensation in comparison to other jurisdictions (as is almost every single occupation in this province). It appears that the employer thinks it can go after Orthopedic Technicians because they are a relatively small group; your negotiating team made it clear that we are not going to let them.
We are scheduled to return to the table on Jan. 24 and Feb 1, 2022. We hope the employer comes to their senses before they come back to the table and agrees to withdraw all concessions so that we can move forward and negotiate a fair and reasonable collective agreement. After all you’ve had to endure over the past two years, that is the very least of what you deserve.
If you have any questions regarding this bargaining update, please contact a member of your negotiating team.
YOUR AHS NURSING CARE NEGOTIATING TEAM
Local 041
Christine Vavrik - rvavrik@shaw.ca
Myrna Wright (A) - merite77@shaw.ca
Local 043
Judy Fader - local4308@gmail.com
Bernard Pinard – pinardbernard@gmail.com
Local 044
Brenda Bailer - brendabailer@gmail.com
Laurie Johnson (A) - rycehome5@gmail.com
Local 045
Nancy Burton - ndburton@hotmail.com
Angela Smyth (A) - angelscare@shaw.ca
Local 046
Sandy Kyle sandyg.kyle@gmail.com
Pauline (PJ) Clarke (A) - ebonysmurf@mail.com
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
Jason Rattray, Lead Negotiator - j.rattray@aupe.org
Chris Dickson, Negotiator - c.dickson@aupe.org
Tracy Noble, Organizer – t.noble@aupe.org
Margaret Kapuwa, Organizer – m.kapuwa@aupe.org
Mimi Williams, Communications - m.williams@aupe.org