Alberta Health Services, General Support Services (GSS) Agreement
Location: province-wide, Alberta
Union: Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, Locals 054, 056, 057, 058, and 095
Affiliation: Independent
Number of Employees: 22,000
A 36‑month renewal agreement, effective from April 1, 2011, to March 31, 2014, settled in April 2012 at the mediation stage. Duration of negotiations - 16 months.
Wages
| Effective April 1, 2011 |
Effective April 1, 2012 |
Effective April 1, 2013 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| General Adjustments | 3.0% | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Hourly Rates | |||
| Food Service Worker I | $15.79 – $17.22 ($15.33 – $16.72) |
$16.26 – $17.74 | $16.75 – $18.27 |
| Laundry Worker II | $17.26 – $18.85 ($16.76 – $18.30) |
$17.78 – $19.42 | $18.31 – $20.00 |
| Clerk I | $17.11 – $20.82 ($16.61 – $20.21) |
$17.62 – $21.44 | $18.15 – $22.08 |
| Cook II | $22.93 – $25.55 ($22.26 – $24.81) |
$23.62 – $26.32 | $24.33 – $27.11 |
| Medical Transcriptionist | $24.47 – $29.76 ($23.76 – $28.89) |
$25.20 – $30.65 | $25.96 – $31.57 |
| Maintenance Worker IV | $28.53 – $31.11 ($27.70 – $30.20) |
$29.39 – $32.04 | $30.27 – $33.00 |
Market Adjustment
Effective April 1, 2011, Therapy Assistants will be placed on a new salary grid identical to that applicable to Auxiliary Nursing Care staff employed by Alberta Health Services.
Hours of Work
38 3/4 hours per week for most classifications (unchanged).
Shift Premium
Effective January 1, 2013, 0 – $2.25 – $3.50 (0 – $2.25 – $3.00); May 1, 2013, 0 – $2.50 – $3.50; June 1, 2013, 0 – $2.50 – $4.50; and, November 1, 2013, 0 – $2.75 – $5.00.
Weekend Premium
Effective April 1, 2013, $2.75 ($2.25) per hour worked; November 1, 2013, $3.25.
Standby Pay
$3.30 ($3.00) per hour on a regular work day and $ 4.50 ($4.25) per hour on a day of rest or named holiday.
Paid Holidays
11 designated days plus 1 floating holiday (unchanged). Christmas Day and the August Civic Holiday will be listed as “super-stats” effective April 1, 2012, and April 1, 2013, respectively (new). Employees required to work on either holiday will be paid at double time (time and one-half) and receive a day in lieu (unchanged).
Paid Vacation
3 weeks earned after 1 year, 4 after 3, 5 after 10, and 6 after 20 (unchanged).
Supplemental Vacation: Effective May 1, 2012, five days’ additional entitlement on a one-time basis only upon completion of 25 (unchanged), 30, 35, 40, and 45 years’ continuous service (new addition). Supplementary vacation may be taken at the employee’s option at any subsequent time, but prior to the next supplementary vacation anniversary date. Effective the same date, vacation pay for part-time regular employees will increase by 2.0% for one year only when their 25 (unchanged), 30, 35, 40, and 45-year service benchmark is reached (new addition).
Health and Welfare
Health Spending Account: Effective April 1, 2012, employer contributes $600 ($500) annually on behalf of each full-time employee; annual contribution is prorated on behalf of part-time employees (unchanged). Any unused allocation in an employee’s account as of December 31st of each year may be carried forward for a maximum of one calendar year (unchanged). Effective January 1, 2013, plan is converted to a flexible spending account, allowing members to direct expenses into health spending, RRSPs, professional development or wellness activities (new addition).
Extended Health Care: Effective January 1, 2013, plan provides 100% coverage for diabetic supplies and insulin pump supplies (new addition).
Job Security
Layoff and Recall Procedure: Bumping selection is improved so that full time employee status is considered to a greater degree in both home site based bumping and bumping to other sites within a 50 km radius (new addition).
Combining of Multiple Part-Time Positions: Employees with two or more part-time bargaining unit jobs may combine the positions for benefits, disability/life insurances and pension eligibility (new addition). Casual employees who are regularly scheduled for more than three months’ employment must be converted to part-time status (new addition). Thereafter, these employees will also be allowed to combine small part-time jobs in order to qualify for benefits and pension coverage.
Allowances
Northern: Annual allowance of $3,000 when employed in a location between the 55th and 57th parallel, $6,300 above the 57th parallel, plus a $1,235 personal travel allowance, and $12,480 when employed in Fort McMurray (maximum of $250 per month for full-time employees; $1.50 per hour, to a maximum of $125 per month, for part-time and casual).
Labour-Management Committees
Classification Appeal (new addition): To be established to work on issues associated with classification systems and the appeal process. Committee has 120 days to reach agreement on substantive issues or a mediator will assist with their resolution.
Bargaining Unit Inclusions / Exclusions (new addition): To be established to begin the process of working out the correct boundaries of the bargaining unit.
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1347503 – Report completed in August 2012.
Note: Summary reflects the information received at time of ratification.