Letter of Understanding REACHED between HSAA and AHS - Transfer Agreement to Provincial Health Authorities
New bargaining update today. A Letter of Understanding has been reached between our union and AHS regarding the transfer of members from AHS to Recovery Alberta or any other newly created provincial health agencies in the future. This allows those members affected to choose their employer based on the availability of vacant positions in the same classification. And provides protections to other aspects of employment such as seniority date, pre approved vacation and time off being honoured and hours worked toward climbing the salary grid being carried over.
AHS was previously unwilling to commit to these terms. However, these terms are now in the collective agreement, which is a legal contract. These are the steps that we must take as a union to protect ourselves. Promises from AHS mean nothing. We must get what we want in writing, in a legal contract. Compassion and kindness are rarely shown to us in good faith.
If you have watched my Youtube videos, then you will know that I love framing everything through a lens of power. Power is present in every workplace. Employers want as much power as possible and they want to exercise that power over employees to serve their own self interests. Unfortunately, power inherently belongs to the employer because they control the means of production. And that’s what we were seeing with AHS. AHS controls the provincial health care agencies and they wanted absolute power to control their employees to suit the needs of the provincial health care agencies. Our union and collective bargaining is what gives us the workers power. This is an example of our union using the power of collective bargaining to take power away from AHS and use our power to get what we want. This may not seem noteworthy to some of you but it’s a great example of the power we have as workers. AHS (or any employer for that matter) isn’t a monolith. We can force them to change.
I loathe the fact that I need to spend most of my adult life working for someone else. Therefore, I am very passionate about the labour movement and getting treated with respect and dignity as a worker. I enjoy talking about unions and labour and I believe that the rank and file worker is the most important agent of change. Please continue to ask questions and seek discussion. It’s how we learn together to increase our understanding of the issues we face.
Check your email for links to the LOU
Why is this important to EMS?
Because nobody has any idea what is going to happen as the UCP tears our Health Care System asunder. Nothing is true and anything is possible:
https://www.airdriecityview.com/local-news/alberta-premier-reveals-plans-to-transfer-hospitals-away-from-ahs-9387543 ( the UCP wants Covenant to run rural hospitals)
Nothing is out of bounds for this government, we have no idea what pillar EMS will ultimately end up in.
United we bargain. Divided we beg.
