GOA proposes -1%, 0%, 0%, 0% and rollbacks to collective agreement
Bargaining with the Government of Alberta (GOA) opened today (Thursday, Feb. 6) with the employer seeking to cut pay by one per cent in the first year, followed by a three-year wage freeze.
It is also seeking rollbacks and concessions in many areas of the collective agreement, including:
- Reductions in some overtime pay;
- Elimination of Christmas closure;
- Reduction by about two-thirds to shift differentials;
- Reduction by about two-thirds to weekend premium;
- Reduction in flexible spending account;
- Eliminating job-security provisions;
- Making it easier to contract out the work of AUPE members; and
- Reclassifying some classifications to lower pay rates
- Program Services 3 and 4 (Local 2);
- Correctional Service Worker 2 (Local 3);
- Natural Resources 6 to 9 (Local 5); and
- Human Services Worker 5 and 6 (Local 6).
“It is clear that these proposals are not based on evidence or need, but on the government’s ideological commitment to attack us and the work we do,” says AUPE president Guy Smith.
“An independent arbitrator ruled only last week that GOA workers deserved a one-per-cent raise and that there was no economic justification to cut pay. Yet, here we see the government punishing us for getting that minimal raise by seeking to take it away immediately. This is an act of revenge, not a rational argument,” he says.
The union proposal was for a two-year term, including:
- Wage raises of 2.5 per cent per year in line with expected cost-of-living increases;
- Continuation of job-security provisions;
- Limitations on the misuse or improper use of wage and temporary employees;
- Prohibition on the contracting out of bargaining-unit work; and
- Continuation of the current defined-benefit pension if the government were to change legislation regarding pensions.
More details will be available shortly. Please stay tuned to the website and to your email inboxes.
Your Government Services Bargaining Committee (GSBC)
Rebecca Leblanc, Local 001, leblare@gmail.com
Andrea Waywanko, Local 002, waywaa@hotmail.com
Dax Lydiard, Local 003, 003bargaining@gmail.com
Steve Eagles, Local 004, s-eagles@shaw.ca
Randy Ramsden, Local 005, r.a.ramsden@hotmail.com
Donna Smith, Local 006, xsmith@telus.net
Angela Pala, Local 009, rossieyork@shaw.ca
Ken Podulsky (GSBC Vice-chair) , Local 012, pudley68@telus.net
AUPE staff resources
Dale Perry, negotiations spokesperson, d.perry@aupe.org
Merryn Edwards, negotiations spokesperson, m.edwards@aupe.org
Farris Sobhani, organizer, f.sobhani@aupe.org
Madelaine Sommers, organizer, m.sommers@aupe.org
Terry Inigo-Jones, communications, t.inigo-jones@aupe.org