Bargaining Update: April, 11 2024
Session: 2
Dear fellow EDMT co-workers,
We bargained our union contract for a second session on Wednesday, April 10, and we are happy to announce that we obtained an agreement on the Hours of Work and Overtime language. While we had proposed that the past practice of casuals not being required to work on a holiday continue, the employer has told us that their policy could require casuals to work at least one holiday. The contract we voted to join requires two holidays for casual workers. We agreed to meet in the middle, agreeing to require causals to work at least one holiday if need be.
The rest and most of the day was spent bargaining about all things economic: wages (including higher shift and weekend differentials), PTO accrual rates, union insurance plan, pension, and education reimbursement. The employer proposed that we keep the current non-contract PTO accrual rates (which are lower than union rates) - and said no to pension, union insurance plan, and union education reimbursement.
We countered their proposal with a package proposal offering the following:
1.) A lower PTO accrual rate but one that is higher than what we currently get as non-contracted workers.
2.) Union education reimbursement ($2,500)
3.) Union insurance plan
4.) Lowered our initial proposal of shift ($2 Eve, $2.50 Nights) and weekend ($2) differentials.
5.) There is no pension at this time.
6.) Placement proposal for all of us on the wage scale.
The session ended with both parties scheduling another bargaining session on April 24, where the employer will respond to our counter proposals.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
In Solidarity,
Nick Pierret
Juan Pineda
Bargaining Update: March, 27 2024
Session: 1
Our first contract negotiations session began with us proposing our non-economic proposals to the employer which consisted of demanding all non-economic languages of the Allina-SEIU service and maintenance contract which ANW EDMTs had voted to globe into or join, and the following two amendments: 1) Casuals continue to be excluded from holidays as is the current practice 2) The current system of holidays rotation system continue.
The employer agreed to keeping the current holidays rotation system but was hesitant on allowing casuals be exempt from working holidays, arguing that per their current policy, casuals may be required to work 1 holiday. The employer suggested looking into past data and will give us their proposal next bargaining session. As for the rest of the non-economic contract benefits and languages, we were able to bargain the employer to tentatively agree on all of them! (outlined below)
In the evening, we presented our economic proposals to the employer which included the wage scale of Mercy EDMTs, placement on that scale for each of us, increases to the shift differentials and inclusion of ANW EDMTs in the rest of economic benefits in the contract.
The employer responded to our economic proposal agreeing to offer Uniform and Shoes allowance but weren’t interested in offering pension, union’s health insurance plan, union PTO accrual rates and in increasing the shift differentials.
The next bargaining session is scheduled for April 10 where we will continue to bargain all economic benefits. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us, your bargaining team members.
In Solidarity,
Nick Pierret
Juan Pineda
Non-Economic Tentative Agreements Reached:
- Article 1 Recognition
- Article 2 Union Security
- Article 3 Management Rights
- Article 4 Union Stewards
- Article 5 Probationary Period
- Article 6 Corrective Action
- Article 7 Grievance
- Article 8 Casual Employees
- Article 9 Lead Employees
- Article 10 Preceptors/Trainers
- Article 12 Working Conditions
- Article 13 Relief Periods
- Article 15 Seniority
- Article 16 Reductions other than Layoff
- Article 17 Layoff and Recall
- Article 18 Job Vacancies
- Article 23 Disability and Leaves of Absences
- Article 25 Health and Safety
- Article 27 No Strike, No Lockout
- Article 20 COPE
Economic Tentative Agreement Reached:
- Uniform and Shoes allowance
Bargaining Committee:
Nick Pierret
Juan Pineda
Bargaining Dates:
March 27, April 10
More info and details to come as bargaining begins.