Majority of approximately one hundred workers vote to join union
EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) is proud to welcome approximately 100 new members at Chartwell Emerald Hills after the Labour Relations Board certified the results of a mail-in ballot on Mar. 9, 2021.
“Like many other front-line workers working for private employers in long term and continuing care, these members are looking for fairness from their employer and recognize that membership in AUPE is going to help them get it,” said AUPE Vice President Susan Slade.
Chartwell Retirement Residences, a real estate trust traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, is the largest private seniors housing and care operator in Canada.
Emerald Hills is located at 6101 Eton Boulevard in Sherwood Park. The certification includes all workers at the facility, including Health Care Aides, Licensed Practical Nurses, cooks and servers, activity aides, housekeepers, receptionists, dishwashers, and maintenance aides.
“Chartwell has shown itself to be more interested in paying shareholder dividends than offering fair pay and benefits to the people providing care to seniors and that’s probably why their employees keep joining AUPE,” Slade continued.
These members join workers at other Chartwell sites at Eau Claire, Griesbach Retirement Residence, and Heritage Valley Retirement Residence who previously joined the union.
“These workers know that their working conditions affect the living conditions of the people they care for and care about and they know that the best way to improve both is by standing together. We welcome them and look forward to negotiating a fair first collective agreement.”
AUPE represents more than 93,000 members province wide. More than half work in health care, including public, private and non-profit seniors' care.
For further information, please contact:
Mimi Williams
Communications Officer
m.williams@aupe.org