UNA and AHS agree to continue pause on bargaining until October 15

Bargaining 2020

Letter of Understanding #20, Re: Job Security, which also originally expired on March 31 and will now continue in effect until October 15, guarantees there will be no layoffs of Direct Nursing employees represented by UNA under the agreement until the letter’s expiry date.

United Nurses of Alberta and Alberta Health Services have agreed to continue the pause on bargaining for a new Direct Nursing Collective Agreement, including the extension of no-layoff provisions, until October 15 while the province’s response to COVID-19 continues.

UNA signed the Letter of Understanding yesterday, August 6, and a representative of the employers party to the Direct Nursing Collective Agreement signed today.

The latest Letter of Understanding extends earlier agreements in response to the circumstances related to COVID-19 to suspend bargaining and extend the no layoff provisions. The first was reached in mid-March and continued until the end of May, the second in May continued to September 1. The collective agreement was originally set to expire on March 31, 2020.

Letter of Understanding #20, Re: Job Security, which also originally expired on March 31 and will now continue in effect until October 15, guarantees there will be no layoffs of Direct Nursing employees represented by UNA under the agreement until the letter’s expiry date.

While the province continues its “re-launch” of the economy that began when the lockdown ended in mid-May, the coronavirus pandemic clearly continues to present a major threat to public health.

UNA tabled a comprehensive proposed Memorandum of Agreement addressing all key concerns identified in 2020 bargaining for a new collective agreement during negotiations on February 21, after little progress was made toward a new agreement in January and February. AHS has rejected that proposal.

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