New meeting dates to be announced soon – stay tuned
Your negotiating team is going back to informal (voluntary) mediation, rather than formal, while working to finalize our Essential Service Agreement (ESA). As mentioned in our last bargaining update, the ESA determines if we have the right to strike or if the parties must go to compulsory arbitration, where a neutral third-party arbitrator decides on the items still in dispute, including wage increases.
We approached the employer with the idea of trying a new mediator because it is our intent to do everything we can to reach an agreement. It’s important, now more than ever, that we continue to stick together, keep our coworkers informed and be ready to support the negotiating team at the bargaining table.
We are also in touch with our new mediator, Paulette DeKelver, and the employer to schedule mediation dates. We will send you another bargaining update once the dates and times are confirmed.
From the start of the year, we said we are going to get you a fair contract and that we would use every tool in the toolbox to reach a deal. We know you are impatient – rightfully so – and so are we.
AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAM – GOOD SAMARITAN SOCIETY (CONTINUING CARE)
Betty Wiebe
timbetty@telus.net
Debbie Caplette
debcaplette@shaw.ca
Diana Bigelow
dianabigelow@gmail.com
Tahera Khalfan
taherakhalfan@gmail.com
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
Kate Robinson, Negotiations
k.robinson@aupe.org
Michelle Szalynski, Organizing
m.szalynski@aupe.org
Maureen Mariampillai, Communications
m.mariampillai@aupe.org