Labor Relations for Civil Services Association - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theLabor Relations for Civil Services Association. Answer: Introduction TheAlberta Union of Provincial Employees is a trade union in Canada which solely operates in Alberta. The union has about 84000 members as of December 2016. It is the largest labor union in Alberta. Most of the members of the union are the workers of public sector. The membership of the union is divided into four categories for the purpose of better administration namely people who are direct employees of the government, employees working in the health care sector, employees working in non-profit and private facilities and employees working in educational sector as well and municipal governments employees. The union also represents the members of a private company which was formerly an agency of the government. The union was established on 26th march 1919 when a founding meeting was held by a few employees of Alberta at first prebyterian church of north Edmonton. An agreement was made between them for the incorporation of Civil Services Association of Alberta and Judson Lambe was ele cted as the initial president. A crest had been adopted by the union which provided Unity Strength Protection ("AUPE | Alberta Union of Provincial Employees", 2017) Significant life events in the history of the union and its impact on the union and its members The first annual convention of the Civil Services Association was held on 1921 February which accounted to an overall cost of $202.65. Eleven provincial executive members along with eighteen delegates attended the first annual convention. W.T. Aiken who was a public works employee had been selected as their new precedent and irrespective of the behavior of a few politicians civil services employees were highly respected in the society those days. A need for legal recognition in the form of a full-fledged union had been identified by the leaders of CSA as it was growing in size considerably with 3000 members in 1970. About 300 members of the Department of Health Social Development in 1974, portrayed dissatisfaction with respect to changes in statutory holiday benefits in an arbitrary manner. The government did not provide any support to the employees and thus they went on strike which was carried on over a period of 10 days and resulted in significant wage increase for the employees. The strike had ended in 1st October 1974 when more than 10000 employees who directly worked for the government had left their jobs for two days as the government had imposed pay increase in an arbitrary manner which did not allow the employee to have a chance to bargain. The point raised by the employees had been won by them as the government agreed to their demand by allowing bargaining and negotiation for pay increase in a bona fide way. The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees was born legally on 14th June 1976 when the Civil Services Association was brought to an end by the legislature through a repealing in the Alberta Act. The day on which the union had been formed a budget of 43.4 Million had been boosted by the Union. The first president of the Union was the last president of CSA T.W. (Bill) Board. The founding convention of the Union was held at Chateau Lacombe Hotel on 18th November 1976 in Edmonton. As the operations of the union were conducted under the Societies Act the government still had to approve the decisions of the convention. However the practice came to an end when the Union changed its status to an unincorporated trade union on 17th November. The new union incorporated all aspects of CSA. The union got bargaining rights in relation to every group of employees who had a collective agreement with the union on 18th May 1977 through the Public Service Employee Relations Act (PSERA). In 1976 the new prime minister of Canada Pierre Elliot Trudeau had declared that bargaining and negotiations by employees over a prescribed limit illegal in relation to wages. The inception of the union initiated the same year when it declared to openly contest the government. After a series of unsuccessful negotiation the union declared strike knowing that the actions were illegal to challenge the rules and provisions made by the government. The government began to cut jobs and the membership of the union started to fall. The most challenging decade for the union was from 1987-1996 which witnessed various layoffs and privatization. The union had lost more than 3000 of its member over the period of 1992-1993 as a result of privatization of liquor store. In total 4700 jobs related to the health care sector had been lost between 1990-1993. All the reserve funds of the union had been used up when the new president Carol Ann Dean had been elected in 1992. A loan of $1 million accumulated over the union by 2004. A special convention was called for by the executives to address the financial crunch. The rebuilding period of the Union was between 1997-2004. This was because of the labor shortage of labor in the booming economy which provided for between bargaining powers to the union. In order to make up for previous roll backs the union concluded about 79 new agreements in 1997. In 1998 the employees the health care sector walked off their jobs for only a period of two hours which made them win the settlement (Selby, 2015). A major campaign had been launched by the union in 2007 with respect to changing the labor law of the country. It was argued by the union that the labor laws were not consistent to international standards and were unfair and prejudicial to the employees. In 2013 the union had launched the wild cat strike (Aupe. Org, 2017). Current issue faced by the union The union is currently bargaining to various employees across different sectors in relation to collective agreements. The union recently rejected the offer made by the Portage Collage Employers by a wide margin of its members and launched a bargaining survey. The bargaining committee is continuing bargaining in a positive tone in relation to Elizabeth Heath Care at St. Thomas Heath Center. The election for the union is going to take place and the union has invited its members in relation to a pre-election forum ("AUPE | Alberta Union of Provincial Employees", 2017). How the issues are addressed The union has diverse strategies to address issues which it has been facing currently. Strategies such as strikes, government lobbying, initiating awareness and education plans for its members and emphasizing on unity. The union acts in the best interest of the employees and ensures that the employer does not treat them in an unfair manner (Smith, 2016). Social issue the union works on The union addresses any issue which is faced by the employees at their specific work place which may include Gender equality, discrimination, revising unfair laws and ensuring fair remuneration to the employees. The union also works on social issues such as poverty and providing a proper work life balance to the employees to ensure their personal development ("AUPE | Alberta Union of Provincial Employees", 2017). Personal observation Yes I would want to be a member for this union. This is because the union fights and stands up for what is right and protect ant employee from being treated unfairly by the employer in the work place. the union ensures that fair remuneration is provide to its members and their rights and bargaining power in the work place is maintained. References AUPE | Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. (2017). AUPE.org. Retrieved 27 September 2017, from https://www.aupe.org/ Aupe. Org, (2017). Retrieved 27 September 2017, from https://www.aupe.org/news/wildcat-strike-timeline Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada, Romanow, R. J. (2002).Commission on the future of health care in Canada. Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada. Selby, J. (2015). Delaying, Disarming, and Deceiving the Union: The Lougheed Government, Alberta Government Employees, and the Public Service Employee Relations Act, 1977.Labour/Le Travail,75(1), 75-100. Smith, G. (2016). Please find enclosed copies of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees' submission.