APL Bargaining Update #4

Bargaining updates

Your bargaining committee met with APL on January 15 and 16 for another round of negotiations. This was our first opportunity to meet since November because the employer had cancelled the previously scheduled dates in December. Unfortunately, despite our extensive preparation and best efforts at the negotiating table our bargaining continues to not advance at the pace that we would expect, and we have expressed this to the employer.

That said, we are pleased to share some progress from this session. We signed off on several articles and Letters of Understanding (LOUs) of our collective agreement, with improvements:

Articles Sgined Off

  • Article 5 - Dues, Deductions, and Union Membership
  • Article 40 - Job Classifications
  • Article 48 - Copies of Collective Agreement

LOUs Signed Off

  • LOU #22 - Employee and Union-Developed Shift Schedules
  • LOU #27 - Relocation Reimbursement
  • LOU #28 - Appeal Process

We also signed off on a new Land Acknowledgement, an important addition to our agreement.

Our next scheduled negotiation dates are February 4 and 5. We remain committed to advancing these negotiations as quickly as possible to achieve an agreement that meets the needs and expectations of our membership.
While your bargaining team has indicated its full availability to meet with APL, the employer has not been open to extending sessions. We firmly believe that longer stretches of bargaining would allow us to move more efficiently and productively through the outstanding items. We have requested additional dates and continue to stress the importance of advancing discussions toward more substantive monetary matters. However, the employer has not yet shown the same urgency to progress.

If you have questions about your union’s approach to bargaining, you can access a general FAQ page. For further questions or feedback, please email aplbargaining@hsaa.ca.

In solidarity,

Your APL Bargaining Team

Laurie Brassard, Laboratory Technologist, UAH, Edmonton (Chair, HSAA Board Member)
Lisa Constantini, MLA, PSC, Calgary (HSAA Board Member)
Ayed Saad, Laboratory Technologist, FMC, Calgary
Evan Zinyk, MLA, Base Lab, Edmonton
Georgianna Renkas, Laboratory Technologist, FMC, Calgary
Katie Hudson, Combined Lab & X-Ray Technologist, Fox Creek
Bailey-Rae Church, MLA, PSC, Red Deer
Chris Bradshaw, HSAA Labour Relations Officer (Lead Spokesperson)
Tammy Milliken, HSAA Labour Relations Officer, (Spokesperson)