Associated Ambulance & Services (Whitecourt) Ltd., Collective Agreement 2020-2025

Article 2: Definitions

1. “ACoP” shall mean the Alberta College of Paramedics.
2. “Anniversary Date” means date upon which an Employee was awarded to a full-time position or was promoted to a full-time position whichever date is the most recent.  Those Employees who do not have a full-time status will be assigned a modified date based on the annual hours of a full-time Employee.
3. “Union” shall mean the Health Sciences Association of Alberta.
4. “Basic rate of pay” is the wage applicable to an Employee exclusive of all allowances and premium payments.
5. A “Casual” is an individual who is regularly scheduled for a period of three (3) months or less for a specific job and/or is hired to work on a nonscheduled basis throughout the year or and who reports to work when called according to the needs of the Employer, and the availability of the Employee.  Casual Employees shall fall under the scope of this Collective Agreement, but only as expressly provided under Article 36 of this agreement.
6. “Code” means the Labour Relations Code as amended from time to time.
7. “Emergency Medical Responder” (EMR) means a registered member who is registered in the Emergency Medical Responder area of practice, pursuant to the Health Professions Act and the Paramedic Regulations.
8. “Primary Care Paramedic” (PCP) means a registered member who is registered in the Emergency Medical Technician - Ambulance area of practice, pursuant to Health Professions Act and the Regulations.
9. “Advanced Care Paramedic” (ACP) means a registered member who is registered in the Emergency Medical Technologist - Paramedic area of practice, pursuant to Health Professions Act and the Paramedic Regulations.
10. “Employee” shall mean a person who performs, on a regular basis, the job functions pertaining to any classification within this bargaining unit.
11. “Employer” shall mean Associated Ambulance & Services (Whitecourt), Ltd.
12. Singular shall include the plural and vice versa as applicable.  Where a specific singular or plural is required, the Article(s) will so indicate.
13. “Full-Time Employee” shall mean one who is regularly scheduled to work the full prescribed hours as specified in Article 9 of this Collective Agreement.
14. “Gross Earnings” shall mean all monies earned by an Employee under the terms of the Collective Agreement.
15. A “month” for purpose of this Collective Agreement has been defined as the period of time between the date in one (1) month and the proceeding date in the following month.
16. “Seniority” is the length of employment from the date the current period of continuous employment commenced.
17. “Shift” is the 24hr period comprised of Core Hours, Flex Hours and On-Call Duty.
18. “Temporary Position” shall mean the appointment of an individual to a position:
    i. for a specific job of more than three (3) months and less than twelve (12) months; or
    ii. to replace a full-time or part-time Employee who is on an approved leave of absence for a period in excess of three (3) months; or
    iii. to replace a full-time or part-time Employee who is on an approved leave due to illness or injury, or other leaves as set out in Article 20, where the Employee on leave has indicated to the Employer that the duration of such leave will be in excess of three (3) months. The Union will be notified of any leaves beyond twelve (12) months.
19. “Tour” shall mean a regular shift rotation.
20. “Cost-Sharing” refers to how health plan costs are shared between the Employer and Employees.
21.  
    1. “Active Duty” shall mean the hours that an Employee is required by the Employer to be at the station or site, or is dispatched or in the act of responding to, caring for, transporting a patient, or performing duties as required by the Employer.
    2. Active Duty does not include:
       1. When an Employee chooses to stay at the station or site to utilize the Employer provided accommodation; and
       2. When an Employee is “on-call”;
       3. Clean and maintain the communal living accommodations.
22.  
    1. “Shift Trade” shall mean a mutually agreed and approved exchange of shifts between two regularly scheduled Employees.
    2. “Shift give-away” shall mean a mutually approved shift that is forfeited by the Employee and given to another Employee to Work.
23. “Steward” means an Employee of the Employer designated by the Union to act as an Employee representative in the administration of the Collective Agreement.
24. “Core duty” hour shall mean the hours of duty in which the Employee is required to be on-duty at the workplace in a twenty-four (24) hour period.  
25. “Flex hours” shall mean the hours on duty in excess of the core duty hour.
26. “Dark Hours” shall mean active duty hours between 2300hrs to 0530hrs.