Your Union Bargaining Committee tabled a full package of non-monetary proposals on March 6, 2017. "Non‑monetary" proposals are all those proposals that don't deal with compensation. By the end of May, the Employer had responded to about 2/3 of the proposals tabled 2 months prior. The Union was unable to return to the table during June. The Employer provided 2 available days over the months of July and August that were conflicts for the Union. The Union again sought dates prior to summer ending without success.

The parties did reconvene last Friday (October 20) and have a schedule of dates going forward. This schedule provides less days at the table with the Employer than your Union Bargaining Committee would like, but it's impossible to compel dates – there is simply no legal framework to do so.

Your Union Bargaining Committee presented the petition signed by 85% of the membership to the Employer at the meeting Friday. That petition demanded:

· No more stalls and delays in bargaining

· Caseloads reduced to AOPSI standards

· All vacancies backfilled

· Fair job descriptions and postings

At the meeting on Friday, the Employer provided not only a full response to the non-monetary proposals but a monetary package as well. Your Union Bargaining Committee has told the Employer that we'll deal with monetary items only after significant progress was made on the non-monetary proposals being agreed. Job posting language and caseload standards created to ensure client safety aren't related to monetary issues.

Your Union Bargaining Committee knows that you have important non-monetary goals for your first collective agreement – caseload standards, enhancing the use of Aboriginal cultural practices in the daily work of the agency among them. In addition to those items, there are proposals to ensure that: grievances are quickly and fairly resolved, selection and promotions are fair, job security increases with seniority, workers have a means to identify and resolve resource and practice concerns and many others that establish the relationship between the Union and the Employer. We will continue to work hard to realize those goals.

In Solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee, Deb Young, Chair; Dena Silver, Sandra Postnikoff, Brent Camilleri

 

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