Ratification date to be announced soon.
In the past month, your negotiating team has met with the employer for bargaining sessions in late June and then again in mid-July. During the session on June 27 and 28, the parties exchanged in-going bargaining proposals. These initial discussions did not start off well and your negotiating team felt that their team was not taking our proposals seriously.
Your negotiating team was reassured when the following day’s discussions were more productive, as the employer came to the table with additional proposals in their formal “first pass” responses to our proposals. By the end of the second day, reasonable movement was made by the parties.
Even more significant progress was made at the meetings on July 17 and 18. By the end of these discussions, the parties had penned a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) and your negotiating team is very pleased with the achievements contained within it.
A ratification vote will take place on site on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
Below are some of the notable amendments signed off in these bargaining sessions.
Salary Schedules Increase
- May 1, 2022 - 2.0%
- May 1, 2023 - 1.75%
- May 1, 2024 - 2.0%
Retroactive payments will be made to employees within 60 days of ratification and will only apply to employees employed by the employer at the date of contract ratification.
Evening shift premiums will increase from $1.25 to $1.40 and night shift premiums from $3.00 to $3.15.
Other significant achievements of the MOA are:
Effective September 2024, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will be added to Article 22 (Named Holidays).
A new Letter of Understanding (LOU) has been written for a pilot project to improve sick leave and float days payout. Under this pilot project, instead of earning sick leave and float day credits based upon hours worked, all full-time and part-time employees will be front-loaded in January with the same amount of sick leave and float days credits (currently six sick days and 24 hours of float days for full-time employees). Any unused sick leave and float days will be paid out annually to employees at the end of December. This improves upon current language which does not permit carryover of sick leave or float days. It also acknowledges that as most members work part-time, they usually only earn about three days of sick leave and ten hours of float days annually under the existing policy.
Amended language in Article 24 (Leave of Absence).
Amendments to add Licensed Practical Nurses to classifications that are eligible for consideration of previous experience for initial placement on the wage grid.
Improvements to clauses related to Discipline and Dismissal.
Significant expansion of the scope and provisions in Article 9 (Respect in the Workplace) with the addition of seven NEW Clauses addressing informal resolution processes, documentation, prohibition of retaliation, bad faith complaints, and confidentiality.
New clause added to Appointments, Transfers and Vacancies.
Amendment to Clause 2.08 (Definitions) to provide detailed descriptions of regular, full-time, part-time, and casual employees.
Amendments to clauses related to the Employee Management Advisory Committee and Union Recognition and Representation, and addition of a new clause related to the Occupational Health and Safety Committee.
Your negotiating team is, as always, available to answer your questions or concerns directly via the contact information provided.
AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAM – SEASONS RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES DRAYTON VALLEY
Erin Bohning
erinbohning@gmail.com
Marina Ward
marina.ward1971@gmail.com
Tynieka Martin
tynieka.m@gmail.com
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
Terry Luhoway Negotiator
t.luhoway@aupe.org
Michelle Szalynski Organizing
m.szalynski@aupe.org
Communications
co@aupe.org