Salem Manor: Progress made as negotiations resume

Your negotiating team met with the employer on Sept. 22 and 23 and made progress on some non-monetary items.

In Article 30 (Discipline, Dismissal and Resignation), the employer agreed to provide 24 hours’ notice before a disciplinary or investigation meeting and to let members know of their right to union representation at these meetings.

In Article 4 (Recognition, Union Membership, and Negotiation), we strengthened the language to ensure all new employees will get a 30-minute union orientation with the Chapter Chair, without the presence of management.

We agreed to continue nine articles in the existing agreement without changes.

We were happy to hear that the employer wants to revive the Employee-Management Advisory Committee (EMAC). This is a joint committee with employer and employee representatives. It exists to try to solve problems and address areas of mutual concern, including resident care and staff workloads.

The employer wants to make significant changes to the contract language on call-in shifts and trading shifts. They say they want to make it easier to fill those shifts when someone calls in sick.

Currently, shifts must be offered on the basis of seniority. The employer has proposed a first-come first-served process instead. We will discuss this in more detail at our next meeting on December 1.

We hope to conclude non-monetary discussions at that meeting, but the employer says it is unlikely to provide monetary proposals.  

The Alberta government’s restructuring of health care means The Salem Manor Society now operates under a new agency, Assisted Living Alberta, and the employer is uncertain what that will mean for how they operate.

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

AUPE NEGOTIATING TEAM – THE SALEM MANOR SOCIETY

Morgan Amyot  
morgan.jade.amyot@gmail.com

Cheryl Zurbrigg 
cherylzurbrigg@gmail.com

Melody Littmann 
poodle1@telus.net

Mindy Gould (Alternate) 
mindysierragould1989@me.com

AUPE RESOURCE STAFF

Scott Drake Negotiations 
s.drake@aupe.org