Bargaining Update: CapitalCare, Local 049, Nursing Care & GSS  

“It’s time to return to the table” – your negotiating team has been saying this to CapitalCare for months (ever since the facility’s COVID situation improved), but they haven’t responded to our requests for bargaining dates. As a result, AUPE has filed a Bad Faith Bargaining Complaint at the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB).

When the pandemic was at its worst, you and your coworkers risked your health and wellbeing, so you could provide the best care possible. You were also willing to delay bargaining, so CapitalCare could get their affairs in order after the pandemic turned the facility upside down.

Thanks to your flexibility, the employer is now back to "business as usual”; they’re fulfilling all their usual roles – except for one. The employer is not fulfilling their obligation to negotiate your collective agreement. This is wrong. And to make matters worse, they’re trying to use the pandemic as cover for their inaction, even though you’re the ones who are still facing the virus head-on. We’ve been reasonable throughout this period, and it’s time the employer also be reasonable. If they can complete all of their typical managerial duties, then they can come to the table and negotiate our working conditions. 

Now more than ever, vulnerable Albertans need healthcare workers to use a strong voice in this province. We’ve asked the Board to direct the employer to provide bargaining dates so we can create solutions. Please continue to check aupe.org for updates. As always, your negotiating team sincerely thanks you for the continued support. If we keep working together, we can make the employer listen.  

CAPITALCARE NEGOTIATING TEAMS:   

GSS 

NURSING CARE 

AUPE RESOURCE STAFF    

Chris Dickson, Negotiator c.dickson@aupe.org    

Tracy Noble, Organizer t.noble@aupe.org  

Celia Shea, Communications c.shea@aupe.org