Local 056 blogspot

Local 048 Strike Need Your Support

2009-03-22T18:38:00.000-06:00

Dear Sisters and Brothers,
I am sure that you are aware that Local 048, Chapter 19 is on stike. They have been on the picket line since March 13. Valleyview Age-Care is a for profit, privately owned facility and our members number 60.
I will cut right to the chase here and let you know that I am asking for your support for these ladies. Thgey are receiving lots of support from family& residents, and a numbrer of Locals have sent financial support. What these members need the most right now is for their Brothers and Sisters to get out and walk the picket line with them. There have been very few A.U.P.E. members who have done so and there are 2,000 of us in the Medicine Hat area!
These members are becoming a little discouraged and feel they are walking this line alone. Where is the Solidarity we are always talking about and what better place to show it????
I know that it is no easy task that I am asking of you, but who ever said being a Unionist was easy?
On behalf of my members of from Local 048, Chapter 19, I would like to thank you for any and every support you send them!

Shelley Brooker, Chair, Local 048

Bargaining Committees Recommend Members Ratify Three GSS Agreements

2008-09-15T16:41:00.002-06:00

AUPE’s three health care General Support Service bargaining committees are recommending that members ratify new collective agreements recommended Sept. 12 by Mediator David Jones. The union bargaining teams went through the mediator’s recommended terms of settlement in detail over the weekend and concluded that the 18,000 GSS members covered by the three agreements should support the proposals. “The recommendations by the mediator address most of our members’ concerns that were raised at all three tables,” said AUPE President Doug Knight. “The reports form the basis of a solid three-year agreement that AUPE’s members will be able to support,” agreed Staff Negotiator John Wevers, who led negotiations with the Calgary Health Region. “In addition to significant pay increases that reflect the economic factors impacting all our GSS members, the mediator’s report includes significant market adjustments for many classes of workers whose pay and benefits have fallen behind counterparts in the private sector,” said Staff Negotiator Malcolm McNaughton. McNaughton led both the Capital Health Bargaining Committee and the Multi-Employer GSS Agreement negotiating team, which bargains for employees of the Aspen, David Thompson, East Central and Peace Country health regions. All three proposed agreements – full copies of which are available at the bottom of this update – have several important provisions in common: - Three-year term - Pay increases of 5 per cent in each year of the agreement - Increases in on-call duty pay premiums to $3 per hour on regular work days and $4.25 per hour on named holidays. - Improvements in evening, night and weekend shift differential pay to $2.25, $3 and $2.25 per hour respectively - Improvements in vacation entitlements - New Health Spending Account effective Jan. 1, 2009 In addition, all agreements include significant market increases for a wide range of job classifications and address issues raised by members related to local conditions. All affected members will have complete information packages mailed to their homes as soon as possible. McNaughton said he expects mail-in ballots to be returned and counted by mid-October. Members should watch this Website for the deadline for returning mail-in ballots and the precise day ballots will be counted. Information on how to get a voting package will also be provided for members who do not receive their ballots and background materials by mail in a timely fashion. In spite of the province’s recent announcement that it plans to amalgamate all Alberta health regions into a single “super board,” bargaining must be carried out between AUPE and various health regions until each region ceases to exist as a legal entity on April 1, 2009.

Information

2008-08-05T18:22:00.000-06:00

I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT HOW THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE GOIN G FOR OUR AREA, #56 GENERAL SUPPORT STAFF AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW. THANKS

Alberta Clerical Staff

2008-08-05T18:20:00.000-06:00

Alberta Clerical Staff
My name is Kathy Olsen and I work at the Centennial Centre in the Halvar Jonson Centre for Brain Injury in Ponoka. Below is a message that I sent to Mac McNaughton - our contract negotiator. It is very important that all clerical stick together and vote NO unless we get the 10% market rate adjustment we so richly deserve. If we can get all clerical staff to vote we will outnumber Maintenance, Housekeeping and Dietary and will be successful in voting down a contract that is not favorable to us. If we don't all take the time to vote they will outnumber us and can most likely vote in a contract we are unhappy with. Please take the time to forward this to other clerical staff to help me get the word out. Thank you.

Dear Mr. McNaughton
WOW, disgusting, hurtful, pathetic unforgivable etc etc etc. These are just a few words that I would use to describe the treatment that Clerical is receiving during our contract negotiations. We are not just "Secretaries" and should not be treated as such - as they were in days gone by. We are a pivotal part of the DTHR and deserve to be recognized as such.
The Clerical group of the AUPE GSS have been meeting and have come to the conclusion that we will vote NO every time until we get what we deserve in regards to our wages. We have been informed that we will NOT be getting what Calgary and Edmonton received for two very ridiculous reasons. 1. The cost of living is greater in the cities and 2. the cities have retention issues. NOT.
Cost of living - It is just as expensive to live in a rural setting as it is a city. We do not have access to a bus system to help save in the fuel costs. We do not have all the stores at our fingertips and if we do the prices are higher than in the city because their clientele is less and therefore must charge more to make ends meet. Most small towns do not have all the facilities required for day to day living and in these circumstance we must travel to the cities thus increasing our costs in fuel. Not to mention that our gas prices are darn near the same as in the cities. A number of staff live in the country and must commute miles to and from work each day. Cost of living is not a good enough excuse for not giving us a decent market rate adjustment. Our cost of living has increased just as much as they have increased in the cities.
Job Retention - I will have you know that in my department alone in The Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury that there have been 3 people hired into my position as Secretary II in the last 2-3 years. Before I was hired my position remained unoccupied for three months as they could not get anyone to accept the position at the wage being offered. This was the same situation for the Secretary I position in my department. Every time they hired someone it was a matter of months before they would quite as they found a better paying position. I have to admit I nearly declined my offer due to the wage and 6 months later have been actively looking for another job. I love my job, I love the people I work with and I really love my department, however, I struggle each and every day to make ends meet. I would really like to remain where I am. Seniors Mental Health has also been experiencing the same issues with job retention. They were weeks trying to fill the Secretary I position as offers were constantly turned down when they found out what the wage was. Two departments in one facility suffering from retention issues. I also want you to stop and think about all the clerical staff currently over 50 years in age. They have stayed in their current position not because of the wage but because of the years of service they have in. It would be financial suicide for them to try and start over at another job. When these people retire I can guarantee that you will witness a crisis as it will be near to impossible to fill these positions at such a pathetic wage.
I have personally decided to do my best to rally ALL the Clerical staff to vote NO unless we are offered the 10% market rate adjustment that we so richly deserve. To be offered less is a slap in the face and we have decided not to accept that kind of treatment anymore. I find it interesting that the pot for Nursing gets sweeter and sweeter each year, when ours gets more and more sour as the days go by. It takes a team to make DTHR run the way it does and when you remove even one small part of that team it will crumble - even a small group like us. Nursing always threatens to walk out and everyone jumps through hoops to get them what they want. We are not nearly asking for what nursing does on a yearly basis. We just want what we deserve.
How well would you survive Mr. McNaughton without your clerical staff, how much do you respect and count on them? What would you do to keep your Secretary from leaving? Think about it please.

Member Update: Tuesday, Apr. 29, 2008

2008-05-01T15:39:00.000-06:00

GSS Multi-Employer Locals 056 & 057 Bargaining Committee disappointed and frustrated by lack of monetary package

AUPE Bargaining Committee members for GSS Locals 056 and 057 expressed their frustration and disappointment today at the employer’s failure to deliver a monetary package at previously agreed to dates.
“We expected to receive a comprehensive monetary package this week, but the employer has indicated they are unable to table a complete proposal at this time,” said AUPE Staff Negotiator Malcolm McNaughton. “The Bargaining Committee expects to see a full, comprehensive monetary package at our next set of meeting dates, May 22 and 23,” he added.

Additional bargaining meetings have been scheduled for May 27 and 28. The committee has formally proposed general wage increases in each year of the agreement, plus market adjustments. “There needs to be recognition on a province-wide basis of the important role general support workers play in the health care field,” said McNaughton.

Local 056 and 057 Bargaining Committee members are encouraging others in the bargaining unit to stay involved in negotiations by reading the bulletin boards, attending Local meetings, and contacting the committee by e-mail with any comments or concerns. Local 056 and 057 represents approximately 5,000 General Support Services members employed by four different health regions: Aspen, Peace Country, David Thompson and East Central.

The AUPE Bargaining Committee has formally proposed general wage increases in each year of the agreement, plus market adjustments. The Committee has signed off on Articles 21 and 31 with no changes.

Member Update: Friday, Apr. 18, 2008

2008-04-27T21:12:00.001-06:00

GSS Locals 056 and 057 table health benefits plan, look forward to monetarypackage.

The bargaining team for AUPE GSS Locals 056 and 057 tabled acomprehensive health benefits package in negotiations yesterday, whichoutlines increased coverage across the board.

This development capped a productive first three weeks of negotiations withthe employer, said AUPE Staff Negotiator Malcolm McNaughton."All non-monetary articles have been agreed to in principle, includingArticle 14 (hours of work) and Article 33 (layoff and recall)," he said."We look forward to receiving the employer's full monetary package, andhaving positive negotiations on monetary issues over the next set ofbargaining dates," McNaughton added.

He said AUPE and the employer's negotiating team have now added four morebargaining dates, scheduling additional meetings for May 22, 23, 27, and 28.The committee's next scheduled set of meetings will take place April 28 toMay 2 at AUPE headquarters in Edmonton.Local 056 and Local 057 represent close to 5,000 General Support Staffmembers who are employed in the health-sector in the David Thompson, EastCentral, Aspen and Peace Country health regions.

Member Update: Saturday, March 29, 2008

2008-04-03T16:56:00.002-06:00

GSS Locals 056 and 057 look forward to bargaining monetary package in April.
Locals 056 and 057 concluded their second week of bargaining, signing off with the employer on seven non-monetary articles and gaining agreements in principle on two more significant, non-monetary articles."We have made excellent progress over the last two weeks. We're close tocompleting all non-monetary language," said AUPE Staff Negotiator.
Articles agreed to in principle include hours of work (Article 14) and layoff and recall (Article 33). All Letters of Understanding have been discussed for Renewal, Deletion, and/or amendment.
"The union expects the employer to bring their full monetary package to the table at our next meetings, from April 15 to April 18," McNaughton said.
Articles and Letters signed off:
5 Dues Deduction10 Seniority
12 Job Postings, Transfers and Promotions
28 Sick Leave31 Time Off for Union Business
34 Discipline and Dismissal
40 Resignation LOU Mutual Agreement and Adjustment FTEs

Bargaining Committee for Local 056 & 057, exchange proposals with health regions

2008-03-15T11:18:00.002-06:00

Members of the Bargaining Committee for Local 056 and Local 057 exchanged proposals with the employer March 11. The bargaining team delivered a strong message of solidarity to the health regions Tuesday, during its initial face-to-face meeting with the employer. “The mandate from members is very clear,” said Malcolm McNaughton, AUPE’s Union Representative leading this round of bargaining. “The members have given us a strong mandate: monetary issues will be predominate in this round of bargaining. Alberta’s booming economy has created great wealth for this province, and it’s time our members share in that wealth.”
The following Articles are now on the bargaining table for negotiation by the union and employer:
Locals 056, 057 Proposals – AUPE Articles
#1 Term of Collective Agreement – 3 years
#5 Dues Deduction – Member check-off
#12 Job Postings, Transfers and Promotions – Open for discussion
#13 Job Classification – Delete classification appeal process and allow access to grievance procedure
#14 Hours of Work – Extend posting provision; shift schedules
#15 Overtime – Named holiday at three times the regular rate of pay
#19 Shift Differential – $2.75 (3 p.m. to 11 p.m.); $5.00 (11 p.m. to 7 a.m.)
#20 Weekend Premium – $3.75
#21 Acting Incumbency – Open for discussion
#22 On-Call Duty/Call Back – Change of rates: $3.30 on-call work day; $4.50 on-call day off and named holidays
#24 Transportation – Change of rate: 48 cents per kilometer; travel and subsistence: government rates
#25 Named Holidays – Addition of Easter Monday; 2 x rate of pay
#26 Vacations – Change to entitlement years; Change to sick while on vacation
#27 Employee Benefits Plan – Open to review all plans; Health Benefits Spending Account of $500
#28 Sick Leave – Employer paid medical notes
#30 Leave of Absence – Bereavement: immediate family additional 2 days; additional 1 day for travel; Family Leave: 4 days paid
#31 Time off for Union Business – Open for discussion on Union Secondment
#32 Pension Plan – 2% pension plan; post-retirement benefits retirement allowance
#33 Layoff and Recall – Open for discussion
#39 Uniforms and Protective Clothing – Employer provided protective clothing and safety equipment; safety footwear allowance
New Articles
Premium Reductions – Applied to benefit of employees or paid to employees
Preceptor Pay – 65 cents per hour when assigned
Northern Living Allowance
Letters of Understanding
Long-service Pay Adjustments
AUPE is also proposing a comprehensive review of all existing Letters of Understanding
General Wage Increase
AUPE is proposing 10% in each year of the agreement
Special Market Wage Adjustments for all classifications
Multi-Employer Proposals Articles
#10 Seniority – Open for discussion
#12 Job Postings, Transfers and Promotions – Open for discussion on trial period
#14 Hours of Work – Open for discussion on additional shifts and weekends
#15 Overtime – Open for discussion
#17 Recognition of Previous Experience
#23 Casual and Temporary Employees
#26 Vacations – New language on application
#31 Time off for Union Business – Open for discussion
#33 Layoff and Recall
#34 Discipline and Dismissal
#40 Resignation – Change to time period to resign
Letter of Understanding
Adjusting FTEs – Language to address mutual agreement to adjust FTEs
Pay Classifications
Employer has not tabled any general increase proposals

Additional bargaining dates have been agreed to and include March 25-28, April 15-18 and April 28-May 2. The Bargaining Committee is working diligently on behalf of the collective membership. It is important that all Local 056, Local 057 members continue to remain involved in this process.