AUPE Forced Union of AHS IT Staff

Mr. Hope claims IT staff were always intended to be included in the GSS bargaining unit and that decision was clear to the Board, AHS and AUPE back in 2009 so why wasn’t it communicated to all affected employees at that time? And moving forward why weren’t all employees hired into IT position after that decision date informed that their positions would eventually be transitioned into the GSS Bargaining Unit? Or for that matter, why were all provincial health employees, regardless of their determination in 2003 not informed that with the passing of Bill 27 they would eventually have to be included in one of the four region wide bargaining units since the intention was for them to be “wall to wall”? We weren’t informed that our positions were to be reviewed for inclusion until this year. I wasn’t hired into a union position. I certainly didn’t get a say in whether or not I wanted to assume a role within the collective bargaining unit. A transition to the collective bargaining unit results in a net loss in benefits and monetary compensation for me. How exactly is that not constructive dismissal?

“for the establishment of region-wide functional bargaining units as bargaining units for the purposes of this Act for all regional health authorities and their employees who are represented by a bargaining agent”. (s. 162.1(1) (a)) Pursuant to s.162.1(a) of the Labour Relations Code, the Lieutenant Governor and Council issued the Regional Health Authority Collective Bargaining Regulation AR80/2003. Among other things, this Regulation provides as follows: “2(1) Bargaining units for employees of a regional health authority shall consist of all employees in the health region who are represented by a bargaining agent and are employed in one of the following functional groups: (a) direct nursing care or nursing instruction; (b) auxiliary nursing care; (c) paramedical professional or technical services; (d) general support services.”

Forcing formerly out-of-scope employees into the union with neither a vote nor any measure of consultation violates both the spirit and the letter of the international labour movement's tenets. Out of scope employees were hired under the proviso that their positions were not union, it therefore behooves the union to allow affected employees a vote on unionization. This is NOT solidarity.

Whether it would be better for us to be in or out of union representation, this process will not possibly produce a good outcome - no one can feel like their interests were considered, and therefore that they will be fairly represented in future.

We are entitled to the right to vote on this.

We shoud have been given the right to vote and action should have been taken accordingly. It would have pleased both parties those that want in and those that want out. Union dues deducted religiously for what? Take home package is getting smaller. Feel very betrayed and am very upset with this whole deal.

To everyone who hasn't joined the Google group yet, please do so at: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/ahs-it-all There's a lot of information there and we still need more support as well!

Although it's been a while since this petition was active, I want to provide you with an update. An IT working group has sought legal counsel, and we are prepared to proceed. So that we can communicate with each other, a Google group has been created where accurate and up-to-date information will be available and conversations will be protected. To join, using a personal email address, send your request to https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/ahs-it-all Please share this information with other IT staff; however, so that we don't violate AHS policy - DO NOT use AHS email or Lync.

With the townhall meeting yesterday morning, it sounded like we IT employees do not have a choice or a say about this, but after the meeting last night, it sounds like we do have the RIGHT and we have options, we all just need to band together and make decisions!

Rights to vote please!

I believe we should be able to choose our own union and not be forced to accept what the AHS has decided for us. We are not children and there are really good unions out there if we have to join one.

If we do get placed into AUPE GSS we might have a shot at a quick exit from AUPE. Since the current collective agreement between AHS and AUPE GSS - Locals 054, 056, 057, 058 and 059 expire on March 31, 2014 we might have a shot at leaving the union once placed into it. If there is no new agreement in place by the time we are joined into AUPE we can file a Revocation Application with the Alberta Labour Relations Board. A petition would need to be quickly started and would require 40% of IT to sign it. Once presented to the Labour Board they would review the application and set up a vote to leave the union. Unfortunately this can't be started until we are in the union. http://www.alrb.gov.ab.ca/faq_revocations.html http://www.alrb.gov.ab.ca/faq_filing.html

I would like the opportunity to vote on union membership.

Definitely would prefer to vote, and I would vote 'no' to IT being unionised.

AHS IT staff deserve the right to vote on what is a major change to our employment conditions.

Been treated fairlly being out of scope, I see no benefits to being in a union in my position

NO to being unionized!

Forcing anybody to join a union is undemocratic, to say the least. Throughout the history of unions, people elected to join a union. It is anybody's right to make that decision on their own. AUPE has no legitimate power to force us into membership against our expressed will. It is truly ironic that we have to unify against a union's greed for power and membership.

our positions within IT are too critical for us to be forced into a union. True democracy should be the people's will.

Indeed, we should have voice and a say in this matter.