Bargaining Begins at Calgary Quest Children’s Society
President Thomas Hesse joined our Bargaining Committee on August 28th to kick off the negotiation of a new collective bargaining agreement for our members at Calgary Quest Children’s Society.
Our President’s opening remarks outlined the severity of the affordability crisis that members at Quest are facing, and told the Company that they need to take care of their employees. He formally requested the ratification procedure from the Company, and an end to a sick note policy which he described as “ludicrous.” And he made the case that it simply is not practical for any employer to bargain without acknowledging the unique nature of the times we’re living in.
“These are crazy times,” said President Hesse. “And what we all have in common, both employers and union members, is that we all need to deal with these unprecedented realities.”
As such, President Hesse made the case that meeting the monetary needs of employees is a moral issue, and that not-for-profit operations such as Calgary Quest should be budgeting for substantial wage increases as a standard part of their business model. He remarked that our opening proposal for wage increases would therefore be 10% increases back-to-back in the next three years.
Claire Griffith, Negotiator for UFCW 401, will be leading the Bargaining Committee through the negotiations process and expressed her support for the positions the President had laid out, as did the committee in general, as bargaining got underway. Claire and Sandy Harmeson, the Labour Relations Officer for Calgary Quest, worked with our members from the workplace to start the dialogue with the Company.
The Union has now provided the Company with our bargaining proposals. The Company has not yet responded to those proposals, and the Bargaining Committee has written to demand that they do so.
“When we’re fighting for our members to simply be able to survive the affordability crisis,” says Richelle Stewart, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 401 in support of this stance: “We can’t afford delays from the employers. It’s important for all parties in negotiations to come to the table in good faith and comply with the requirements of the labor relations code.”
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to bargain for a better deal for Calgary Quest members!
Posted on: August 30,2024