Covenant Health Bargaining Update #7

After cancellation of our last dates (November 20 and 21, 2024) due to weather and associated safety concerns, your Bargaining Committee concluded another two days of negotiations on December 5 and 6, 2024. The vast majority of this time was spent in caucus (amongst our own respective committees), with limited time together at the table with the Employer. The Employer continues to attend scheduled bargaining dates seemingly unprepared to engage in negotiating.

We were able to have some fulsome discussion regarding workplace health and safety as our Senior Occupational Health and Safety Advisor facilitated a presentation for the Employer of our proposed amendments to Article 42: Joint Workplace Health, Safety and Wellness.

We had hoped that the Employer would use the cancelled November dates to prepare and attend to our December dates with responses to the majority of our outstanding non-monetary proposals. Sadly, this did not seem to be the case. As a result, the parties were not able to reach agreement on any further outstanding Articles, which include priority concerns such as workload, health and safety (including psychological health and safety).

We have expressed our concern and frustration with the pace of bargaining. Your bargaining committee travels from across the province to engage in negotiations on your behalf and it is disheartening when scheduled bargaining dates are spent primarily in caucus, with little formal responses or progression resulting. In response, the Employer has committed to provide fulsome response to all outstanding proposals at our next set of bargaining dates, January 23 and 24, 2025.

Your committee remains persistent and dedicated to negotiating an agreement that speaks to members’ priorities and concerns.

For further questions or feedback, please email covenantbargaining@hsaa.ca. Your input is invaluable to us.

The committee would also like to extend best wishes to all Covenant Health Members for a peaceful and joyous holiday season.

In solidarity,

Your Covenant Health Bargaining Committee

Ella Lunn, Respiratory Therapist, Grey Nuns Hospital
Nolan Roesch, Physiotherapist II, St. Mary’s Hospital, Camrose
Terra McLaren, Medical Radiation Technologist, Banff Mineral Springs Hospital, Banff
Hesham Mostafa, Therapy Assistant, St. Joseph’s General Hospital, Vegreville
Joanna Czyzewska, HSAA Labour Relations Officer (Lead Spokesperson)
Shannon McLeod, HSAA Labour Relations Officer (Spokesperson)
Sheena Schiemann, Administrative Assistant Negotiations