Bargaining Update - GSBC update #31

AUPE and Minister of Finance agree to enhanced mediation, upcoming town halls

We would like to thank you for your continued engagement and involvement in what has been an extremely challenging and frustrating round of bargaining. We are doing everything we can to move this along. To this end, we have reached out to senior levels of government directly in a final effort to come to successful resolution.

We are pleased to inform you that today, AUPE and the Government of Alberta are announcing a new enhanced mediation process in an effort to successfully conclude the current round of bargaining.

We would like to thank Minister of Finance Nate Horner for getting directly involved and focusing on finding solutions to this challenging round of negotiations. We welcome this development. There is still a long way to go, but by establishing an enhanced mediation process, the parties can concentrate on the key outstanding pay and working conditions issues with the intention of reaching settlement.

The parties have agreed to approach Mr. Lyle Kanee to take on the crucial role as mediator. Mr. Kanee brings decades of professional experience and mutual trust from AUPE and the government into this role. Mr. Kanee will be joined on the mediation panel by a representative assigned by each party.

We are eager to get this enhanced mediation underway. After bargaining for 18 months and frustrated by the lack of movement towards settlement, we view this as the final opportunity to reach an agreement. This enhanced process replaces the previous mediation we were engaged in; therefore, the July 31 date under the previous mediation has been cancelled.

But time is of the essence. The enhanced mediation panel has until August 29 to assist the parties in reaching an agreement or to recommend terms for settlement.

If we are able to reach agreement or are supportive of the recommended terms for settlement, we will hold a ratification vote by September 3. If we are unable to reach an agreement or if we reject the recommended terms for settlement, we will serve strike notice by September 6.

The parties have agreed to not share their relative bargaining positions publicly in an effort to maintain focus on and protect the integrity of the enhanced mediation process. We will keep you updated as much as possible throughout the process, but please be aware that it is very likely that the mediator will direct us to not share specific developments on an ongoing basis.

In the meantime, please make sure to attend the telephone town halls on August 6 and 7, at 12:00 noon and 6:00 pm each day.

Your ongoing strength, solidarity and involvement are crucial to success. Stay strong, stay involved, and continue to support each other and your negotiating team.

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