AHS Bargaining: Where Things Stand and What Comes Next

Here is an important update on ESA negotiations between HSAA and Alberta Health Services.

To HSAA members covered by the AHS provincial collective agreement,

It’s more important than ever for us to stand together.

Right now, pressure is building at every bargaining table with AHS and the cracks in their approach are showing. Your employer is now choosing to pursue different tactics at different bargaining tables, treating health care workers differently depending on their union.

Your Union would like to update you on what is happening with other unions at their bargaining tables and explain how HSAA is adjusting its approach based on these developments.  

WHAT’S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?

There are many unions representing health care workers in collective bargaining with AHS right now, including HSAA and AUPE.  

Your bargaining committee was hopeful when the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) reached a tentative agreement with AHS earlier this month. UNA’s deal came after their bargaining team pushed through six weeks of formal mediation and emerged with a tentative agreement. It was overwhelmingly ratified.

Meanwhile, negotiations between AUPE and both AHS and the Government of Alberta have completely broken down:  

• Earlier this month, AHS walked out of negotiations with auxiliary nursing care locals. According to AUPE, the employer’s behavior was “insulting”. These allegations prompted a response from AHS Interim Vice President Susan McGillivray disputing AUPE’s characterization of the meeting.
• Shortly after, AUPE also ended formal mediation with the Government of Alberta and is now preparing government service workers for a strike vote. Their team walked away after rejecting an employer offer that provided wage increases well below what nurses and teachers recently secured.

Your Union is watching these developments very closely, as tactics taken at these tables could have an impact on our negotiations, given they are the same employer.

WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE HSAA?

The vast difference in these outcomes between UNA and AUPE show that we need to be prepared for multiple possibilities as we ready ourselves for formal mediation with AHS. The tactics we’re seeing now are helping us prepare multiple strategies for this next step.  

AHS has so far refused to negotiate with your bargaining committee outside formal mediation. They won’t accept new dates for discussions.

For our part, we are working hard to finalize our Essential Services Agreements with AHS, which are a legal requirement before we can enter formal mediation. We have requested meeting dates with AHS to continue ESA discussions. More information on the status of your ESAs is available here.

You deserve a fair deal, and your bargaining committee believes it is time for AHS to come back to the table with a real offer that reflects the value of the critical work you do for Albertans.

WHAT’S NEXT?

To keep all members informed and prepared, HSAA will be holding town hall meetings via Zoom with all members covered by the AHS collective agreement. We are planning to hold these Zoom meetings May 6th, 7th and 8th. More details will be made available next week.  

These sessions will be important to provide you with updates on our progress, answer your questions, and explain what you can expect as we move forward.  

Your bargaining committee is ready. But they need your support.

Wear your ‘STRIKE READY’ buttons and pins to work, every day. Talk to your coworkers about what a fair deal means to you. Show AHS that we are serious. Stay strong. Stay united.

In solidarity, 

Mike Parker 
President, HSAA

Leanne Alfaro 
Vice-President, HSAA