Employees from Shepherd’s Care took to the streets March 31 to show their displeasure over a proposed one per cent over three years wage increase.
More than 42 staff members at the Christian-centred senior’s living facility have been working without a contract since December. Shepherd’s Care and the Alberta Union of Public Employees went to the bargaining table in August, but discussions have since broken down. Those staff members staged a protest outside the facility, and AUPE representatives joined them.
“(The employees’) collective agreement bargaining has reached an impasse, and the employer refuses to recognize the value of the work these employees do for the residents of that facility,” said AUPE vice-president Sandra Azocar.
Shepherd’s Care’s corporate office declined an offer to comment on the issue.
The Barrhead Shepherd’s Care staff joined more than 200 others from Kensington Village in Edmonton and the Millwoods facility in showing their distaste for the offer currently on the table, she said. Protests were staged at several sites last week. Members of Kensington Village held their own protest on March 28.
That protest got a lot of support from passersby, as that facility is in a very visible location, Azocar said. Shepherd’s Care in Barrhead, however, is tucked away off the main highway; so several pickets took it upon themselves to walk up to Highway 33 to garner more attention. The main objective of the protest was to provide information to the public about what is happening at the bargaining table between Shepherd’s Care and AUPE.
“We believe that without the work of its employees, this foundation would not be where it is today,” Azocar said.
“(The company) is not willing to open its books to our bargaining committee, so we don’t know where they stand financially, and they’re not bringing anything to the table in terms of their finances,”Azocar said.
Azocar said she believes the one per cent increase over three years that has been offered is in clear disrespect to her members, and that it bears no acknowledgement of the value of their work. She said the union has tried to meet with Shepherd’s Care over and over again, but “they’re just basically stalling.”
Azocar said a one per cent increase would amount to about a 63-cent-an-hour raise for each member. Furthermore, there is a great deal of concern over what she called the disparity in the amount that workers are getting paid.
“(Our members) are all doing the same work, but some are making more than others for that work,” she said.
Morale among members of AUPE isn’t very good, Azocar said, especially when their employer fails to take into account hard work and net worth. When people have to get two or three jobs just to make ends meet, it affects the quality of life, because there’s no time for family when workers are jumping from job to job, she added.
“If the employer paid our members a decent wage so they can do their work and in a timely manner, then the situation would be better. However, our members are not happy with the situation at all right now.”
Shepherd’s Care employees are the ones responsible for providing quality care to the residents they are used to getting, Azocar added. The employees have the support of the residents and their families, because they are the ones who are ultimately affected by this entire process, she said.
“We are committed to doing everything possible until a fair contract is reached, and we will stand behind our members until they get their due respect.”
