1. I was told that if we organize a union my wages will be frozen or “red-circled” until the wages at other health care sites catch up. Is that true?
This isn’t true. It’s a tactic to dissuade workers from organizing a union and win improvements. CUPE health care workers make different rates of pay across the province and none of the wage rates are frozen waiting for others to catch up. When CUPE health care workers win wage increases, it helps all CUPE health care workers to push for rates increases at the bargaining table.
When you win a union at South Calgary Primary Care Network and negotiate a first contract, the bargaining committee would table wage increase proposals to receive the same wage increases that other health care workers received going forward.
2. Why should we unionize when we get paid similar rates as other health care workers in Alberta, have decent benefits and do not pay union dues?
Right now, the employer makes all the decisions. They can make changes to our wages and working conditions whenever they want.
SCPCN workers want the security of a legally binding contract. Workers at SCPCN are organizing a union to have the power to voice concerns about workload, staffing and health and safety and get those concerns addressed.
SCPCN workers want the power to negotiate improvements to working conditions. SCPCN workers want job security, just cause protection and representation in the event of discipline or termination and a fair job posting and hiring process.
Workers at SCPCN want access to the specialist services CUPE has available to their members including legal specialists, researchers, communications and media specialists through their union dues.
3. Can the employer freeze our wages during negotiations?
The employer can freeze your wages now. They can also change your working conditions at any time, because you are not unionized.
A ‘statutory freeze’ or ‘stat freeze’ is a law preventing the employer from making changes to employment conditions pending a union certification.
From the period that a union starts to sign up members, until a first contract is negotiated, employers cannot change wages or conditions of employment without agreement of the union.
The ‘stat freeze’ exists so that employers cannot try to destabilize or erode employee support for the union.
Without this rule in place, employers have been known to increase wages to non-union supporters, while finding many ways to punish the supporters.
However, even during a ‘stat freeze’, an Employer cannot delay or withhold an expected wage increase or a remove or change benefits.
SCPCN management may allude to fact that unionizing will limit them from giving perks like wage increases. This is untrue. Should SCPCN want to provide wage increases to workers during the ‘stat freeze’ period, SCPCN need only negotiate the proposed wage increase with the union.
The union will say yes. That’s what we do. As long as the perks are fairly and evenly distributed, CUPE would never say no to better wages.
Having a union means the employer can no longer provide benefits to some and not others.
If SCPCN wants to increase wages for education workers, they can do it right now.
Instead of asking yourself what if they do, you should ask yourself why haven’t they?
4. What would happen to my benefits if I join CUPE?
When you are successful in union certification, the full benefits plan would be “frozen” during the statutory freeze period.
Should seeking out alternative benefits be a bargaining priority set by SCPCN employees, the bargaining committee will review alternatives that are broadly similar to the current plan and of equivalent or greater value.
CUPE does not bargain concessions; we do not to bargain less than what workers came in with.
5. What about vacation pay? How would that change when we are unionized?
Your current vacation entitlement would be preserved. Any increases to vacation entitlements are negotiated and would become legally enforceable by the Collective Agreement.
With a union you and your coworkers can make vacation improvements a priority and fight for improvements through bargaining. Without a union the employer can change your vacation entitlements at any time.
6. I’m a single parent and worried about the employer finding out I signed a union card; I can’t afford to lose my job.
At no point in the campaign does the employer see a list of which workers signed cards.
It is illegal in Alberta for an employer to intimidate or interfere with workers organizing a union.
Section 149(1) of the Alberta Labour Relations Code says that no employer can refuse to employ or fire any person because the person has singed a union card. Additionally, no employer can intimidate, threaten, or compel an employee to refrain from becoming a member of a union.
If a management representative or someone acting on behalf of the employer approaches you or one of your coworkers and threatens or intimidates you, please let us know. Contact Brigitte Benoit at bbenoit@cupe.ca
7. I had to take paid sick days to deal with a serious health issue and didn’t feel supported when I returned to work.
When you are unionized you have representation and support around sick leave and accommodation in the workplace. When you have a union contract there is a process and representation to be able to file a grievance if a leave or accommodation is denied.