Bethany Care Society #4: Bargaining continues

Firstly, we’d like to extend a warm welcome to Aspen Ridge, who has joined the big table bargaining. Welcome to the newly certified unit and its members. We look forward to collaborating with you and will be reaching out to your members in the very near future. Negotiator James Mitchell will be meeting with the bargaining committee June 20th for bargaining training/ member survey prep and also to discuss issues at the facility.

Secondly, we’d like to report on the scheduling committee. We began discussions with the employer under challenging circumstances, as they initially reneged on their commitment to reestablish and collaborate with scheduling committees for Harvest Hill, Didsbury, and Airdrie. After a difficult discussion, the employer agreed to revisit their commitment with their executive team. We emphasized the urgent need for the employer to acknowledge the issues with rotations at these and other facilities, as our members have raised numerous concerns about inadequate staffing, insufficient full-time equivalents, short-shifting, lack of adequate time off, and excessively long work stretches.

The union’s stance is to work with the scheduling committees where possible, but the committees have concluded that a major overhaul of shift language in the collective agreement is essential. This would include limits on consecutive shifts, ensuring every other weekend off, and other improvements to working conditions. This remains one of our top priorities.

Additionally, we had extensive discussions regarding the employer’s arbitrary changes to stat day banking and usage. There has been a longstanding practice that allows members to bank stat days and use them over an extended period. The employer recently imposed a significant change, requiring that any banked stat day be used within 30 days. We challenged this change as inappropriate and potentially non-compliant with labor relations standards. The employer has agreed to revert to the original language, and we will address future stat day usage at the bargaining table. In the meantime, if you have been disadvantaged by this change, please contact your MSO to review filing a grievance.

We are deeply disappointed that Bethany Care Society has not honored their initial commitment and has shown a lack of seriousness toward our concerns. We have made it clear that if we are not given the respect we deserve, we will demand it. Bargaining will be challenging until Bethany Care Society recognizes the invaluable hard work of our members, who continue to face difficult conditions, stagnant wages, and poor working environments. We await their response but are prepared to proceed in a more assertive manner to secure the respect and conditions our members deserve.

Read bargaining update #1

Read bargaining update #2

Read bargaining update #3

Sign your Grey Card

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Sign up for MyAUPE Stay up to date on bargaining. Create a MyAUPE account at www.aupe.org/myaupe and encourage your coworkers to do the same. Registering with your personal contact information ensures you never miss important union news.

Wear red

Wear red to show support for your negotiating team! If you take any selfies or group photos while wearing red, send them to photos@aupe.org to share on AUPE’s social media and spread the solidarity. Let’s show Bethany Care Society that bargaining matters to us.

If you have any questions about this bargaining update, please reach out to a member of your negotiating team.

AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAM – BETHANY CARE SOCIETY

Chapter 009 Bethany Airdrie GSS

Eileen Booth
bootheileen@rocketmail.com

Chapter 009 Bethany Airdrie NC

Jill Thompson
jillt2@telus.net

Sabrina Edwards
edwardss@telus.net

Mellissa Lechelt
lecheltm@shaw.ca

Chapter 010 Bethany Calgary GSS

Davinder Bhatti
dkaurbhatti@gmail.com

Fenny Encarnacion
fennyencarnacion18@gmail.com

Chapter 010 Bethany Calgary NC

Valerie Monkman
valerie.w.monkman@hotmail.com

Nardose Kinto
mediab24@yahoo.com

Mohammad Ul Alam
salam_ul_alam@yahoo.ca

Chapter 011 Bethany Harvest Hills NC

Sharon Hoben
shodgins@shaw.ca

Emily Weber
evkpacker@gmail.com

Chapter 012 Bethany Sylvan Lake NC

Nadine Frederick
fredericknadine@outlook.com

Melody Gillespie
mdgillespie.mg@gmail.com

Gail Beam
vgbeam@gmail.com

Chapter 013 Bethany Mount View Lodge NC

Maria Teresa McAllister
mtesbar@yahoo.com

Tammi Gudjonson
tgudjonson2014@gmail.com

Chapter 013 Bethany Sundre Seniors’ Supportive Living NC

Jessica McAllister
jesy_mcallister@hotmail.com

Georgina Alm
gekesa67@gmail.com

Shaylene Doucette
shaylenedoucette@hotmail.com

Chapter 014 Bethany Didsbury NC

Tuesdae Johnston
teusdaes@hotmail.com

Jean Paul Almerol
jpalmerol14@gmail.com

Carrie Sears
crsears8203@gmail.com

Chapter 015 Bethany Collegeside NC

Ryan Lopez
tongol_rye@yahoo.com

Milady Laconsay
miladylaconsay@yahoo.ca

Topaz Phang
topaz_889@hotmail.com

Chapter 016 Bethany Riverview NC

Lamia Khorfan
lamia.khorfan@gmail.com

Regilda Ramos
gildapramos07@gmail.com

Catherine Van Tol
red0141@yahoo.com

Chapter 017 Bethany Cochrane NC

Tammy Clark
clarktammy971@gmail.com

Evaristo Estabillo
jojo_nrs2@yahoo.com

Chapter 030 Aspen Ridge Lodge Didsbury NC

Linsday Scribner
l.raescribner@gmail.com

Christy Dingman
christy.dingman@gmail.com

Hope Elkins
hopepoole51@gmail.com

AUPE RESOURCE STAFF

James Mitchell Negotiations
j.mitchell@aupe.org