On Wednesday Alberta Union of Provincial Employees and Extendicare (Canada) Inc. were to get their first look at a provincial arbitrator’s report that is intended to resolve their contract dispute.
AUPE was preparing to serve strike notice in May when Alberta Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk appointed a one-member Disputes Inquiry Board on May 19.
Workers have been without a contract since the facility opened last September. AUPE members voted overwhelming in favour of a strike in February, but continued to participate in mediated talks during the spring.
The Disputes Inquiry Board had until July 18 to present Lukaszuk with recommendations.
AUPE Staff Negotiator Kevin Davediuk said the AUPE bargaining team will examine the report and will render its decision to members next week.
“Because there is so much data in the report it will take us a day or two to digest it. We do have formal vote with all members already prescheduled for July 27 in Red Deer.”
“At that meeting we’ll know whether our people accepted or rejected this as a contract settlement.”
AUPE has about 275 workers at the privately-operated continuing care centre.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com