Important Negotiations Update

The following message from United Nurses of Alberta President Heather Smith was emailed to all members of UNA employed by Alberta Health Services, Covenant Health, Lamont Health Care Centre and Bethany Camrose and covered by the Provincial Collective Agreement.

Hello,

You are receiving this email because you are an employee covered by the Provincial Collective Agreement. My message is on behalf of the entire UNA Negotiating Committee.

It has been a long time since bargaining for a new Collective Agreement started (January 2020).

We have not held any talks since March 2020, when COVID-19 became the focus of UNA and the employers involved in Provincial Negotiations.

We have agreed to "pause" bargaining at times during the past 16 months, but we did attempt to resume bargaining last October, November and December. The employers cancelled all scheduled dates. Again we set dates in May and June of this year, the Employers cancelled all these dates as well.  We have scheduled new dates for July.

While we understand these are difficult times, we also know that the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and the Registered Nurses Union of Newfoundland and Labrador (RNU) have successfully negotiated new collective agreements with their respective employers and governments.  We do not accept our employers find it impossible to meet with your Negotiating Committee.

It is vital that all members understand the magnitude of the 251 rollbacks the employers are proposing. 

To remind you and your coworkers of the just some of the offensive proposals we face I am including the first Fanout from the UNA Negotiating Committee sent January 15, 2020.  As of June 9, 2021 all of the rollbacks remain part of the employers official position.

A summary of the UNA and employer proposals is available here: Summary Document

The full document of the employer proposals as of June 9, 2021 can be found here: AHS Proposals

The full document of UNA proposals as of June 9, 2021 can be found here: UNA Proposals

Please watch for information about Local meetings or activities related to bargaining. 

UNA will be scheduling town hall conversations for members.

We need your support.

We go forward...we don't go back!

Heather Smith
President
United Nurses of Alberta

Fanout #1

January 15, 2020

Employer proposals include:

• 4 year agreement. No increase in wages ( 0%, 0%, 0% and 0%)

• Eliminate semi-annual lump sum payments.

• Eliminate Education Allowances for Baccalaureate Degree, Master's Degree and Doctorate for all future employees.

• Reduce overtime to 1 1/2X for the first 4 hours. 2X applies after 4 hours at 1 1/2X or on scheduled days of rest for full-time Employees

• Cap overtime bank at 38.75 hours.

• Eliminate monthly car allowance for employees required to have a vehicle.

• Employee requests to work permanent evenings or permanent nights will be at "Employer discretion" versus" will not be unreasonably withheld".

• Eliminate Designated Days of Rest for part-time employees

• Ability to require part-time to work, even up to full-time, without attracting overtime.

• Casuals will be terminated if they do not work for 3 months, without a prior arrangement with management

• Delete any requirement to have an RN or RPN in charge.

• Delete Christmas and August Civic Holiday as superstats.

• Maximum of 2X for overtime on a Named Holiday

• Reduce evening premium from $2.75 to $2.11 per hour. Premium starts at 19:00 hours instead of 15:00 hours

Reduce night premium from $5.00 to $3.10 per hour.

Reduce weekend premium from $3.25 to $2.55 per hour. Reduce weekend time period from 64 to 48 hours.

• Diminish obligation to accommodate injured or ill Employees until "an available vacancy within a 50 km radius" becomes available.

• Reduce recall rights.  An employee is terminated after 12 months unless recalled to a regular position.

Plus, many other proposed rollbacks in language and rights.

The AHS spokesperson clarified financial rollbacks are not based on the current economic climate.

AHS mandate is to move to "Ontario-West standard" (exclusive of Alberta).

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