LOOKING OUT FOR THE INTERESTS OF SENIOR CARE WORKERS.
Protect Yourself: Do Not Read This At Work!
Teamsters Local 987 has been supporting Alberta workers responsible for providing senior care and support services for years. Our union represents homecare providers, as well as those working in long-term senior care facilities.
Homecare Providers | Independent & Assisted Living Facilities | Long Term Care | Memory Care Facilities
How Starting a Union Can Help
Teamsters: A Proven Partner For Senior Care Providers
The Teamsters Union represents thousands of care workers across North America, including members represented by Local 987 in multiple facilities across Alberta. If you’re working as a care provider for seniors, whether it be in long term care, assisted living or home care, Teamsters 987 can help you and your coworkers!
A Unified Voice For Your Entire Team
The job of providing compassionate, comprehensive, quality care for Alberta’s seniors falls on many shoulders. Teamsters 987 represents all non-management care workers on your team, including full and part-time staff.
5 Steps For Starting a Union
The biggest step when starting a union is realizing that you deserve to be treated with dignity, respect and fairness.
Once you find a determined leader who is committed to the cause, the process is quite straightforward. Teamsters 987 is there to support you every step of the way (For a more detailed overview, click here).
Learn the Benefits of Starting a Union
Starting a union is a big step and not a decision you should take without having the right information. The more you know, the better able you’ll be to persuade your coworkers to support you.
Contact Teamsters
We have extensive experience and a proven track record in the senior care sector. A Teamsters Organizer can walk you through the process step-by-step and provide all the support you need.
Form An Organizing Committee
Organizing a union is too much work and responsibility for one person. The Organizing Committee is a small group responsible for planning and coordinating the process. It should represent the various roles within your team (eg. LPNs, Health Care Aids, General Support Services).
Sign an Organizing Petition
Your Teamsters Organizer will help you create a document for all employees to sign. It’s 100% confidential. Once you get enough support, you will be in a legal position to hold a vote.
Hold a Vote
A secret vote will be held to ask if workers wish to start a union. If a simple majority of your coworkers vote in favour (over 50%)… congratulations. Your union will be legally certified.
Be Discrete. Be Aware. Be Wise.
Efforts to start a union will be resisted by management. An employer may attempt to threaten you, but fortunately, you are legally protected against intimidation or dismissal. Your Teamsters 987 organizer can provide valuable advice to help you get the support of your coworkers while minimizing any risk.
I have been with my company for over 7 years. I go through an evaluation every year and we would usually get a modest raise depending on the evaluation outcome. For the past 3-4 years, I was told management was not authorized to give raises. After some initial delays, negotiations were finally agreed upon. Thanks to the hard work and effort of Teamsters 987 on our behalf, I wound up with a substantial raise due to hours worked. Based on my past union experiences, I was nervous but after experiencing what the Teamsters 987 labour union has done for me, I love them! I am very impressed!
KIM, SENIOR CITIZEN SUPPORT UNION MEMBER
FAQs: Starting a Senior Care Union
No. Your employer cannot find out who did or did not sign a petition. When an application for certification is submitted, the Alberta Labour Relations Board Officer requests a list of all employees from your employer. This way, the Board, not your employer, can confirm if you have enough votes to support the application to start a union. Whether the petition passes or fails, your employer will not be able to access the results.
Once you have a collective agreement that you and your coworkers have voted to accept you will be required to pay dues which all members pay To calculate this, multiply your hourly wage rate by 2.5 and add $2 to that sum.
Eg. if your hourly rate of pay is $20/hour, your dues would be: $20×2.5=$50 $50+$2=$52/month for Union dues.
Remember: YOU DON’T PAY DUES UNTIL YOU AND YOUR COWORKERS VOTE TO ACCEPT A CONTRACT! There is no cost to you throughout the process of us negotiating your first collective agreement.
Yes. Alberta has a wide range of independently owned and corporate-run care facilities and homecare providers. Some are licensed, while others are not. Because wages, benefits and working conditions can vary from one organization to the next, unions can help level the playing field. In addition, unions can help protect workers who feel unsafe, overscheduled and under-resourced. The number of unionized facilities continues to grow throughout our province and across the country.
A union will protect you by standing up for your rights and protections granted under the law. Unionizing gives workers a stronger voice and greater leverage in ensuring a fairer, safer, more equitable work environment. Ultimately, a union can lead to better working conditions and increased job satisfaction. As your union, Teamsters 987 can work to address concerns at your workplace – ranging from wages and benefits to scheduling to safer workplaces.
Yes. Your union can represent non-management workers in all roles. For example, Licensed Practical Nurses, health care aids, culinary/food service staff, housekeeping, maintenance staff, laundry workers and more.
LEARN HOW STARTING A
UNION CAN TRANSFORM
YOUR WORKPLACE
Reach out to a Teamsters 987 Organizer.
It’s 100% confidential.
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