APL Bargaining Update #9

Bargaining updates

Your Bargaining Committee met with Alberta Precision Laboratories (APL) on June 23, 24, and 25 to continue negotiations.

These were a productive set of days overall. While APL continues to take hard positions on many issues, the tone at the table remained respectful and both parties were fully engaged in the bargaining process.

Your committee tabled wage proposals during this latest round. Unfortunately, the employer chose not to table a wage proposal despite our request that they table their wage proposal also. This lack of response is frustrating, and we know members continue to feel the same way about the slow pace of negotiations.

We believe this delay is connected to the ongoing formal mediation at the Alberta Health Services (AHS) bargaining table, where other HSAA members are also fighting for fair compensation and improved conditions. We remain well-positioned to secure an improved deal.

To increase pressure on the employer and avoid further delays, your bargaining team placed several final counterproposals on the table, both monetary and non-monetary, which APL has now taken away for consideration.

In terms of progress, we did sign off on several items:

  • Article 21 – Vacation (with improvements)
  • Article 28 – Seniority (renewed as-is)
  • Article 32 – Contracting Out (renewed as-is)
  • Local Conditions (renewed)
  • New Letter of Understanding related to vacation
  • New Letter of Understanding related to living donor support

Due to scheduling conflicts, the next set of bargaining dates is scheduled for September 9, 10, and 11. We’ve also asked APL to look at additional dates in October and November.

Your committee remains committed to securing the best deal possible—without concessions or rollbacks—and we will continue doing everything we can to move negotiations forward.

If you have any questions about you union's approach to bargaining, you can access our 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
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)