Keep in touch to make sure you don’t miss important info!
It’s been a long road since we formed our union in October 2020 and started negotiations with Revera for our first collective agreement in May 2021. Your negotiating team wanted to thank you for your patience through this difficult process and provide an update on our overall progress.
Background:
- We made progress toward creating our first collective agreement, which will set out all the key terms and conditions of our employment. However, we hit a wall last February, when we submitted the union’s amended monetary proposal.
- We only asked for what we know we deserve—including wages comparable to other Revera sites as well as improved sick leave and shift premiums for example—Revera rejected our proposals.
- Since that time, Revera management has changed several times, both at the worksite level as well as in their corporate management.
- On December 5, AUPE applied to the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) for first contract assistance to have the help of a mediator and/or arbitrator.
- A mediator will work with both the employer and the union to try to find a resolution. For first collective agreements like ours, a mediator can also write recommendations which both sides can decide to accept or to reject. For union members, that decision would come in the form of a ratification vote. If either side rejects the mediator’s recommendations, we will proceed to arbitration.
- An arbitrator would listen to the arguments from both sides and then impose a binding decision as to what our collective agreement will look like.
Given the amount of time that has passed, AUPE asked to go straight to arbitration, but Revera did not agree. We are currently in the process of finalizing dates for mediation, and we will keep you posted throughout the process.
It is very troubling that this is the moment Revera chose to reduce HCA wages by $2, just as we’re about to head to mediation. AUPE has filed a complaint about this move with the Labour Board, since the wages have been in place before we unionized and should not be reduced just as we are finally getting closer to having a collective agreement.
We are continuing to push for fair wages and working conditions that recognize the value of the work that we do every day.
We are planning a series of events to reach out to members over the next few months as a thank you for the important work you do, and to make sure that everyone is informed about developments that will affect us all.
Please stay tuned for more details and make sure that you have provided us with your most recent contact information. You can reach out to your negotiating team, chapter executive or AUPE resource staff at any time with any questions, concerns or feedback you may have. You can update your contact info online at https://aupe.org/update-info or call the Member Resource Centre at 1-800-232-7284.
You can also help by letting your coworkers know about the information in this update and telling them how to make sure they get important updates directly.
We will also be reaching out over social media to members as another way to get information distributed.
AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAM – REVERA McCONACHIE GARDENS
Corrina Ominayak
cominayak@hotmail.com or 780-340-9054
Mary Symborski
mary.m.symborski@gmail.com or 403-483-1216 |
Ruthessa (Tessa) Chua (Chapter Chair)
rei.ayumi23@gmail.com or 587-340-0260
Mimi Rampa (Alternate)
manirampa2218@gmail.com 587-5454010
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF
Merryn Edwards, Negotiations
m.edwards@aupe.org or 780-952-1951
Guy Quenneville, Membership Services Officer
g.quenneville@aupe.org or 780-237-8253
Michelle Szalynski, Organizing
m.szalynski@aupe.org or 403-634-8262
Maureen Mariampillai, Communications
m.mariampillai@aupe.org or 780-566-2100