June 21, 1998
UNION MIFFEDBOSS SCOFFS AT LATEST OFFER
And if the 2,500 workers at Foothills and Alberta Children's hospitals vote against the offer, it could set the stage for an illegal strike as early as tomorrow. "As the deal stands now, I don't like it," said Dan MacLennan, president of the two Alberta Union of Provincial Employees locals representing the workers. "There are parts of (the proposal) that improve on what we've talked about so far, but I'm not happy with the proposal as a whole." But despite his own feelings about the offer, MacLennan said he'll refrain from making any official recommendation on how his members should vote. Talks between the Calgary Regional Health Authority and the union wrapped up Friday with the CRHA tabling what it termed its final offer. "There's no more bargaining," said Al Martin, a member of the CRHA's bargaining team. "The CRHA has come forward with an offer that matches and in some cases, exceeds other settlements in the province." But if the CRHA is unwilling to return to the bargaining table in the event support workers vote against the offer tonight, "we'll be going on strike," MacLennan said. Although a strike is illegal, MacLennan said the CRHA is unwilling to bargain anymore and union leaders want a clear mandate if they do call for a strike. "It's going to be an interesting vote because I don't agree with everything that's in the proposal and I'm going to tell the members that," said MacLennan of tonight's 7:30 p.m. vote at U of C's MacEwan Hall Ballroom. A strike tomorrow could cancel elective surgery for 40 patients at both the Foothills and Children's hospitals. The support workers were poised for a wildcat strike at 3:30 a.m. Friday, but that was called off when hospital officials threw in a wage hike for licensed practical nurses on the bargaining table. MacLennan acknowledged the CRHA's final offer has a few more concessions to the union -- like eliminating most two-tier pay scales to union set wages, but still falls short. Support workers in Calgary say they want wage parity with their Edmonton counterparts, who got a 9% pay hike, a 12-month no contracting out provision and a severance package in March. Next Story: DREAMS DIE HARD Previous Story: TRACKED DOWN
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