Last week, the Alberta Labour Relations Board published their first new applications report of March 2023. In it was an application for union certification.
Local 8 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees submitted the application on 29 February 2023 on behalf of 25 workers employed by Aramark Canada Ltd.
These workers are employed at AgeCare Mount Royal in Calgary, a 93-bed long-term care facility. Aramark has a contract with AgeCare to provide food, housekeeping, laundry and linen, transport, supply-chain, and operations and maintenance services.
The ALRB has scheduled a hearing for tomorrow, during which time, Aramark will have a chance to argue whether they think the workers shouldn’t join Local 8 of CUPE.
If the workers are successful in their application, then the ALRB will supervise a vote, when workers will be able to democratically choose whether to join Local 8. If that is successful, then their next step will be to begin negotiating their first contract.
Local 8 already represents health care aides, recreation therapy aides, restorative/occupational therapy aides, licensed practical nurses, and environmental services assistants at AgeCare Mount Royal. The contract these workers have with AgeCare expires this summer.
If the ALRB approves this application and the hospitality workers vote in favour of joining Local 8, it’s possible they could be negotiating their first contract in concert with the healthcare workers negotiating their next contract.
Because the ALRB doesn’t archive their new application reports, I’ve included a copy of this report below.
