The 247 Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members who work in general support services in West Central Alberta hospitals ñ along with 22,000 of their provincial colleagues ñ could be heading for a labour disruption after members rejected mediator recommendations last week.More than 95 per cent of the AUPE's general support service employees said no to the mediator's recommendations for a first-ever collective agreement with Alberta Health Services.The general support services workers do a wide variety of jobs at health facilities, including preparing meals, sterilizing surgical instruments, assisting pharmacists, and managing health records.The 247 general support service workers employed in Olds, Innisfail, Sundre and Didsbury do 270 jobs, said AUPE spokesperson Tyler Bedford.The AUPE has no plans to hold a strike vote at this time, he said.ìWe are calling on Alberta Health Services to return to the bargaining table,î Bedford told the Gazette.In a press release, AUPE president Guy Smith said: ìThe tremendous rejection of the mediator's recommendations means we have entered a critical stage of negotiations with Alberta Health Services.ìWe need AHS to come back to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair deal. If this fails, we must follow members' wishes on the next steps to take, whatever those steps may be.îOutstanding contract issues include salaries and hours of work, he said.Alberta Health Services officials said they are prepared to continue negotiations with AUPE.ìWe're happy to work with AUPE and the mediator if it helps us reach an agreement,î Susan McGillivray, AHS vice-president for human resources, said in a statement provided to the Gazette.ìIt's almost inevitable that these negotiations take time and in the end there is some kind of compromise on both sides ñ that's what this next stage is about.î
