AHS Bargaining Update #29
Over the last month, we have heard from you through social media and hundreds of emails. We have read every one of your messages.
Many of you are tired of waiting and deeply frustrated by the employer’s continued delays and you want to see real progress towards a deal that values the care you provide. We want you to know that we understand that frustration because we share it.
On October 16, we urged Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner, in writing, to direct the employer to set new bargaining dates immediately. We heard back that they were not willing to intervene to secure earlier dates.
We also pushed hard to get Letters of Understanding to protect your portability and rights of promotions, transfers and vacancies beyond the December 22 payroll transition date. After many conversations, we received a positive response from AHS this past Wednesday.
We also confirmed that AHS will continue bargaining under one unified bargaining unit for the purposes of this round of negotiations.
This is good news. The pressure we are applying together now is working and our voices are being heard. These commitments show a willingness to get back to the bargaining table and they will help protect our collective power and ensure we can continue to bargain from a position of strength.
Wednesday evening our Board of Directors met to discuss our next steps. Based on these developments, the board unanimously decided to proceed with the mid-November bargaining dates, which are twelve working days from now. We believe this is the shortest path and best opportunity to determine if the government is serious about giving you a better offer.
If they are serious, we will know in those first days of formal mediation. If they are NOT serious, then we will prepare for a strike vote.
This was not an easy decision. The Board weighed every option and considered the best interests of our full membership.
Going into November 12, we have a clear and focused mandate and a clear and focused team. This negotiation is being handled by senior members at the highest levels of all parties involved.
Negotiations will build on the previous tentative agreement, maintaining all 96 gains and no concessions. There were many provisions in that agreement -- both monetary and non-monetary -- that we secured for members and we don’t want to lose any of those.
Our top priority is straightforward: It’s more money, for everyone. We have a focused set of asks and we are going to negotiate them directly. The mediator remains at the table with us, and we remain under embargo during this time.
If they are not serious, we are ready for a strike vote and job action and we need all members to be ready. We know that typically a strike vote is how we increase pressure on the employer to come back to the table to secure a better offer. However, we are already at the bargaining table, and this is not a typical moment in the labour movement in Alberta. This government has been clear with us: a strike vote means we go on strike.
The teachers have been on the picket line for almost three weeks, and the government is now threatening to legislate them back to work as soon as Monday. None of us agree with this. All of us support the teachers in their fight. This is the environment we’re dealing with.
Our job is to protect you first and foremost and get you the best deal possible at the bargaining table.
In the meantime, our public and member engagement work will not slow down. We are doubling our efforts to engage all members, as well as the media and the public, including the following:
- Code Blue Wednesdays to increase our visibility and solidarity.
- New advertising campaigns to raise awareness and increase support from Albertans.
- We will use every opportunity to be in the news, making our case and telling our story.
- A news conference the day before bargaining begins to make sure Albertans understand what is at stake.
We are asking for your help with these engagement efforts. When we walk into that room on November 12, we need to be walking in with the full strength of 22 thousand members behind us. That is how we take full advantage of this next step, and ultimately… it’s how we win.
Please attend an AHS Bargaining Unit member town hall Monday, October 27 at 6:00 p.m. See your email for the link to register.
PAYROLL TRANSITION CLARIFICATION
As noted above, we pushed hard to get Letters of Understanding to protect your portability and rights of promotions, transfers and vacancies beyond the December 22 payroll transition date.
Those protections are now in place until a new Collective Agreement is ratified, or strike vote or job action is taken.
Without these protections, members would be subject to the following:
If you have already transitioned from AHS to another pillar/employer, you retain all rights, seniority, benefits etc. even after the payroll transition date of December 22, 2025.
If you have not transitioned from AHS to another pillar/employer, or remain permanently with AHS, you retain all rights, seniority, benefits etc. even after the payroll transition date of December 22, 2025.
If you are transitioned to any of the new pillars or employers at a later date, we expect the transition to follow the same process as previous transitions, and that you will you retain all rights, seniority, benefits etc. even after the payroll transition date of December 22, 2025.
If you apply and are successful on a regular position at another pillar/employer, before December 22, 2025, you retain all rights, seniority, benefits etc. even after the payroll transition date of December 22, 2025.
If you apply and are successful on a regular position at another pillar/employer, on or after December 22, 2025, you are treated as an external candidate and do not have the right to any portability (other than you can move vacation and sick entitlements as per the collective agreement and can apply for recognition of previous experience as per Articles 14 and 15), unless the movement is between AHS, Assisted Living Alberta (ALA) and Provincial Health Corporations (Cancer Care Alberta, Emergency Health Services and Give Life Alberta) as they do not have transition dates as of yet.
In Solidarity,
Your AHS Bargaining Committee:
- Megan Connolly, Board of Direcors
- Todd Romanow, Director of Labour Relations
- Jody Machtans, Lead Negotiator
- Leanne Alfaro, Vice-President