Last week, Local 401 of the United Food and Commercial Workers published an update on their website regarding negotiations for some of the home care workers they represent.
These 25 or so workers are employed in Strathmore by Bayshore Home Care Solutions and have been without a new contract since their previous one expired this past November.
Workers showed up to a scheduled bargaining session on 20 March to observe the negotiations. Because these workers weren’t part of the bargaining team, the employer’s representatives stood up and left the room.
Another bargaining session was scheduled for 12 April. This time, the meeting was held virtually on Zoom, and the employer had to approve every connection request. They left anyone not on the bargaining team in the Zoom waiting room.
The workers’ bargaining team presented several non-monetary changes to the new contract. The employer responded by opposing every single one of them.
This is bad faith bargaining. They have no intention of participating in meaningful negotiations. They are upset that the union wants a transparent bargaining process and are throwing a tantrum to demonstrate their displeasure.
Remember, these are non-monetary proposals. The workers haven’t asked for raises yet.
Here are some of the things the workers had asked for.
- Zero tolerance for client rudeness, impropriety and abuse
- Client care follow Alberta Health Services guidelines
- Workers receive a detailed statement of earnings
- Workers receive a copy of their paystub
- Reduce probation from 6 months to 3 months
- Service defined as total number of hours worked with Bayshore
- Seniority based on original date of hire with Bayshore
- If two workers have same seniority standing, greater seniority would be based on alphabetical order
- The employer provide accommodations for workers with language barriers
- Workers who are in the immigration process should receive time off for immigration appointments
- Workers should get paid time off to attend their own citizenship ceremony
- Increase union representation on occupational health and safety committee to 2 (from 1)
- For disciplinary hearings, the steward shall be present
Again, the employer opposed every one of these proposals.
This was only the fourth day of bargaining since the last contract expired.
The most recent contract between these workers and Bayshore, for example, took four years to negotiate. Local 401 is not doing that this time around. According to their update, they’re already planning to apply for mediation.
These workers joined Local 401 in November 2019. This will be their second contract since unionization.
