|
The last time your bargaining committee (the Government Services Bargaining Committee – GSBC) met directly with the Employer was April 9 and 10. Despite the Union putting forward a comprehensive package of important contract language and monetary proposals, the Employer refused to respond formally with written counter-proposals. They still maintain a position of no pay increases for the first two years of a new agreement (i.e. April 2017 – March 2019).
Despite the level of frustration the GSBC feels about the lack of movement on key issues such as job security, workload, contracting out, contracting in, wage equity and monetary items, we are committed to continue bargaining. However, no new dates to bargain have been proposed or agreed to by the Employer.
There has however, been a conclusion to negotiating an Essential Services Agreement (ESA), as required by law. A brief overview of the ESA is below.
Local Councils summit:
In light of the lack of movement, and the fact the ESA has recently been approved by the Essential Services Commissioner, which could now potentially lead to a position of legal job action, the GSBC has organized a two-day summit of all Government Services Local Councils.
This summit will be held in mid-June and will be a gathering of elected Local Council leaders and activists. The purpose is to provide a detailed update on the status of bargaining and what has transpired since bargaining started a year ago, what issues remain unresolved and where we see bargaining going.
There will also be an in depth presentation of the ESA and how it applies in the event of a strike or lockout. Tied in with this will be determining strategies for engagement and mobilization of the membership to put pressure on the Government to reach an agreement.
In the mean time, we are obviously hopeful to return back to the bargaining table; but need to see greater commitment from the Government to reach an agreement.
The GSBC is committed to keeping you updated with any new developments in bargaining.
Essential Services Agreement:
AUPE and the Government of Alberta have successfully reached an Essential Services Agreement (ESA) after more than one year of negotiations.
The ESA, which was reached in late March, will govern the terms of a strike or lockout in the Government of Alberta, should bargaining reach an impasse.
With the ESA signed, the GSBC is better able to pursue avenues that can help to push the bargaining process forward.
The ESA stipulates that, on average, less than 20-per-cent of staff will remain on the job in the event of a strike or lockout. Some areas of the public service require higher levels of essential services provisions, and some less.
Overall, the ESA ensures the minimum number of staff is on the job in order to protect public health and safety, while also maintaining the union's ability to apply pressure on the Employer in the event of a job action.
The agreement between the employer and the union became a requirement under the province's Bill 4: An Act to Implement a Supreme Court Ruling Governing Essential Services, which reversed the ban on strikes for most public sector workers and ensures that the most essential services are not impacted in the event of a lockout or strike.
The term "essential" is applied to the service that is being provided and not the worker who provides that service.
AUPE and other unions had been advocating for years for the changes included in Bill 4, which helps to level the playing field between workers and employers by ensuring that workers can exercise their right to strike in the event of a bargaining breakdown.
Your bargaining committee remains committed to providing you with up to date information about the progress we make at the bargaining table and what you need to know about the ESA.
GSBC BARGAINING TEAM MEMBERS:
Local 001 – Faye Rever rever0001@gmail.com
Local 002 – Emille Currie ecurrie@distributel.net
Local 003 – Mike Larson 003bargaining@gmail.com
Local 004 – Ken Weir kennethweir1@gmail.com
Local 005 – Randy Ramsden r.a.ramsden@hotmail.com
Local 006 – Donna Smith xsmith@telus.net
Local 009 – Darrol Mason masonfox1@hotmail.com
Local 012 – Terrie Wispinski twisp@shaw.ca
AUPE RESOURCE STAFF:
Dale Perry Lead Negotiator
1-800-232-7284 or d.perry@aupe.org
Mac McNaughton Negotiator
1-800-232-7284 or m.mcnaughton@aupe.org
Trevor Zimmerman Organizer
1-800-232-7284 or t.zimmerman@aupe.org
Farris Sobhani Organizer
1-800-232-7284 or f.sobhani@aupe.org
Tyler Bedford Communications
1-800-232-7284 or t.bedford@aupe.org | 
