Our next bargaining dates have been scheduled
On May 2, your negotiating team met with the employer for the first time since November 2022. The employer tabled the same monetary offer in May that they had in November, which included a two-tier structure and two unsatisfactory options as their approach to monetary. We immediately rejected this approach and advised the employer that we would be applying for informal mediation. On May 24, provincial mediator Donna Neuman was assigned to the file for Clifton House.
On July 28, the Brenda Stafford Foundation formally approached your negotiating team for a proposed consolidation into one collective agreement of the Clifton House and Wentworth Manor agreements. After a detailed review of the benefits and potential drawbacks of consolidation, the teams from each worksite unanimously agreed that consolidation would be a favourable approach.
We are currently in the process of working with the employer on this merger and our ingoing principles and objectives to this request are as follows:
· That there be no change to the composition of the current negotiating teams.
· That all collective agreement articles must round up to the highest level of either contract.
· That there will be no concession of any kind.
Due to the consolidation, Mediator Neuman was appointed to both Clifton House and Wentworth Manor on August 9, and the first consolidated bargaining meetings took place on August 9, 16 and 22.
The initial focus of these meetings was the merger of the language in the agreements. Some good improvements to language have been achieved, but there is still more work to do in that area.
Your negotiating team was quick to move onto monetary considerations, as we expressed our frustration with the employer about not rounding up to the highest common denominator in their proposal. Additionally, we were forthright that after years of no significant movement in their monetary proposal, we need a proposal in line with the AHS pattern to move forward with bargaining. Fortunately, on the final day of meetings, the employer tabled an offer in line with AHS percentage wage increases and Covid appreciation lump sums.
We will meet with the employer again on October 17, 18 and 30.
If you have any questions about this update, please reach out to a member of your negotiating team.
AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAMS – BRENDA STAFFORD FOUNDATION (BSF)
CLIFTON HOUSE (084/021)
Carol Eastman
Jeanine Keith
Shelley Wilton
Wentworth Manor (084/022)
Cecile Griggs
Kebede Amenu
Valerie Mitchell-Barrett
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
James Mitchell Negotiations
Darren Gangur Negotiations
Communications