AHS NC: Tentative Agreement highlights, Telephone Town Hall details

Members will discuss the TA on Nov. 25 before our ratification vote

Your negotiating team secured a tentative agreement with the employer just one minute before our strike was scheduled to begin.

We believe this agreement represents a real achievement for nursing care workers across the province. Our agreement sets a new standard for all health care workers and Alberta’s labour movement. We recommend members vote to accept this agreement.

Below are the highlights of our new tentative agreement, including wage increases, benefits increases, shift premium increases, and much more.

Wage increases

Thanks to your strength and solidarity, your team won some of the highest total wage increases we have ever secured.

23.81% total wage increases for Licensed Practical Nurses
17.05% total wage increases for Health Care Aides

Here is a breakdown of those wage increases:

A general wage increase of 3.0% each year for all members;
Markets adjustments for Licensed Practical Nurses:
- 10.0% market adjustment, retroactive to April 1, 2024
Markets adjustments for Health Care Aides:
- 4.0% market adjustment, retroactive to April 1, 2024

When calculating our wage increases, the 3% each year does not just increase your base wage. It is a 3% increase to your wage after your wage has been increased by the market adjustment. The increases compound, resulting in a higher amount.

In other words, each 3% wage increase is actually worth more than 3%, because they take the market adjustments into account.

It is extremely important to note that our market adjustments are retroactive to April 1, 2024. Before today, the employer was not offering retro-pay on the market adjustment. No other public sector union has achieved retroactive market adjustments! This is a huge win for Nursing Care members.

Health Care Aides also secured a pay scale grid restructure. This restructuring removes the bottom two steps from the wage scale. Employees who can move up the scale will be moved up. This change is effective April 1, 2024.

Thankfully, we stopped the employer's proposed wage cuts for Orthopaedic Technicians, LPN Connect Care Credentialed Trainers, and LPN – Renal Dialysis.

AUPE will add a wage calculator to the website soon. Members can use this tool to calculate how these increases will improve their wages.

Big premium improvements

The following increases to shift premiums and rates will come into effect the day we ratify the agreement:

Increase to Responsibility Premium from $1.25 to $3.50 / hour;
Increase to Preceptor Pay from $0.65 to $2.00 / hour;
Increase to the Regular On-Call rate from $3.30 to $7.00 / hour;
Increase to the Named Holiday On-Call rate from $4.50 to $7.00 / hour.

Benefit improvements

Enhanced dental plan coverage for scaling and root planing;
Increase to the Flexible Spending Account from $1,100 to $1,200 / year, effective January 1, 2026;
$1,000 for massage therapy, with no per visit limit, effective the start of each month, following 90 days after we ratify the agreement;
Enhanced diabetic equipment coverage, including continuous glucose monitoring system, effective the start of the month, following 90 days after we ratify the agreement;
Removal of the 3-month waiting period.

Professional development support and licensing improvements

3 paid professional development days for HCAs upon regulation (effective February 2026);
$190 reimbursement for HCAs’ first practice permit fee and liability insurance;
Increase Professional Fees reimbursement for LPNs and HCAs (covering the total current cost of dues and liability insurance).

Mileage improvements

Increase the mileage reimbursement amount from $0.52/km to $0.72/km (this is the Canada Revenue Agency rate), effective the day we ratify the agreement.

Other major improvements

New Shift Giveaway trial language.
Increased funding to the Rural Capacity Investment Fund, which will help recruit and retain staff in hard to recruit areas of the province:
April 1, 2024: $4.368 Million
April 1, 2025: $12.6 Million
April 1, 2026: $12.6 Million
April 1, 2027: $12.6 Million

Hours of Work

We have also agreed to submit the following articles for voluntary interest arbitration, in accordance with Division 15 of the Labour Relations Code, RSA 2000, c. L-1:

Article 12A.05
Article 12A.07(c)
Article 19.02
Article 19.02(e)
Article 19.02(f)

The parties agreed to a one-member voluntary arbitration board. First, we have to agree on who our arbitrator will be. If no agreement is reached on the arbitrator within 30 days of ratification, then either party may apply to the Director of Mediation Services to randomly select and appoint an arbitrator from the approved list of arbitrators on the Grievance Arbitration Roster.

Town Halls

Ratifying our agreement is a democratic process. Before we vote on the tentative agreement, we will hold town halls to discuss the agreement with you.

We will schedule two 90-minute telephone town halls on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 12 noon and 7 p.m. (1900).

AUPE will call you before each town hall. You are welcome to join both.

We look forward to answering your questions at our town halls next week.

Thank you, once again, for your solidarity. Your negotiating team felt your full support as we worked tirelessly to secure this tentative agreement. Thank you for making the brave decision to strike for what you deserve – it was your willingness to take action that got us this deal at the bargaining table.

Please contact a member of your team if you have any questions.

AHS NURSING CARE NEGOTIATING TEAM

Local 041

Christine Vavrik

rvavrik@shaw.ca

Catherine Sivasankar (alt)

accb@shaw.ca

Local 043

Sandy Miller

smiller98@msn.com

Jennifer Power (alt)

cherrigarcia24@yahoo.ca