Members of United Nurses of Alberta and their supporters protest outside of Chinook Regional Hospital on August 11, 2021. (Lethbridge News Now)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

UNA, AHS to enter formal mediation for new collective agreement

Aug 28, 2021 | 1:42 PM

The presidents of United Nurses of Alberta’s (UNA) locals have met with the union’s Bargaining Committee and instructed it to proceed as quickly as possible to negotiate a new Provincial Collective Agreement with Alberta Health Services (AHS) and other major public-sector health care employers.

Union officials announced late Thursday, the Local presidents’ instructions to their Bargaining Committee made it clear that rollbacks in member pay and long-established provisions of the collective agreement are not acceptable.

Accordingly, the presidents are said to have told the Bargaining Committee to apply for formal mediation under Section 65 of the Alberta Labour Relations Code as quickly as possible.

To facilitate the process, union officials say the Bargaining Committee was instructed to withdraw all UNA proposals for essential services agreements and agree as a required step toward immediate mediation to accept all of the employer’s essential services staffing proposals.

In an email to AHS Senior Negotiator Raelene Fitz and other members of the employer Bargaining Committee on Wednesday, UNA Director of Labour Relations, David Harrigan, informed AHS the union is cancelling a meeting scheduled for Aug. 31 to negotiate essential services agreements at Royal Alexandra Hospital as it is no longer necessary.

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“We withdraw our proposals regarding staffing plans and agree to your proposals in their entirety,” the email states. “This applies not just to the Royal Alexandra, but to all of the staffing plans across the Province.

“As a result, we have now reached agreement on Essential Services,” Harrigan stated. UNA will submit the agreement to the Commissioner today.

Harrigan noted, the bargaining history between AHS and UNA shows an established track record of making significant progress through formal mediation.

“We are hopeful that the parties’ efforts will not be wasted in mediation,” he wrote, noting that both UNA and AHS have indicated a desire to reach an agreement, and the provincial government has stated that a new agreement with UNA is essential for the province. He said use of Section 65 mediation will allow for a timely resolution.

“But even if it does not lead to an agreement, it will allow the parties to exercise their strike or lockout rights,” Harrigan said.

READ MORE: Nurses protest proposed wage cuts outside Chinook Regional Hospital

Minister of Treasury Board and Finance Travis Toews issued the following statement about the ongoing negotiations with the UNA:

“I am pleased that the United Nurses of Alberta and Alberta Health Services (AHS) have an Essential Services Agreement that will now be submitted to the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) for review.

“AHS and UNA will be filing a joint application to the ALRB for formal mediation.

“Previously, AHS had filed for informal mediation. We are pleased to see UNA is now a joint applicant, and has acknowledged the importance of mediation.

“Mediation is a normal part of the negotiation process and is a step forwards toward a settlement and long-term labour stability.

“It is clear the two parties want to reach an agreement and it is important that this happen quickly.

“I am confident that formal mediation will be productive as the two parties work collaboratively towards a deal that respects both the expertise of Alberta’s nurses and the province’s financial situation.”