AUPE wants better wages in Lamont

LCHF employees looking to mediation after first wage negotiations failed

BY JANA SEMENIUK

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) workers for the Lamont County Housing Foundation (LCHF) Senior’s Homes are looking for better wages and taking their message to the streets after a meeting with LCHF failed to reach an agreement in early Aug.

Four members stood at a table in front of the Father Filas seniors’ home in Mundare on Sept. 12, giving out coffee and donuts and speaking to whomever came by and giving information about the ongoing negotiations.

They repeated the same event in front of the Beaverhill Lodge in Lamont later that afternoon.

Tracy Noble, an organizer with AUPE, said the groups wanted to engage members and talk about the ongoing process.

“(We want) to have them understand the bargaining process and what it's like to stand in front of the employer to fight for a better contract. So, we're engaging members today here, and in Lamont, to come out and have those one-on-one conversations with the members themselves who are in bargaining,” she said.

Noble said workers are asking for a 3.5 percent increase to keep up with inflation which has so far been turned down by LCHF. She said a strike vote is an extreme they are not looking for.

“We just want the employer to realize that we are here for them. And that we're just looking for something that is fair,” she said. “And honestly, just the rate of inflation, because groceries, gas, everything is so expensive right now and we need the members to feel safe and secure in their jobs to be able to know one job is enough, not two or three jobs to continue on. That's the most important thing for us.”

Laura Pederson, 59, is an AUPE member on the negotiating team and has been a night shift worker at Father Filas for the past 23 years. She said inflation has affected her in her daily life.

“I noticed that I charge a lot more things on my credit card than I used to. Just (trying) to make ends meet,” she said. “I have to drive to work because I live out in the country. So just simple things like the amount of (money I spend on) gas. The cost of it (is) phenomenal.”

Cathy Dueck, 70, also on the negotiating team, has been a cook at the Beaverhill Lodge in Lamont for the past six years and said, at her age, she needs her job.

“I’m 70 and I still have to work because I couldn’t live off of what the government is paying us,” she said.

Benny Dubitz, maintenance employee for LCHF in addition to also being a member of the negotiating team, said the employees are asking for reasonable wages.

“Our wages are not very high; you can literally compare our wages to the McDonald's restaurant. If you go over there, we’re only a couple of dollars more for the cooks and so forth out here,” he said.

Noble said there are close to 50 AUPE workers in Lamont County seniors’ homes, adding that an informal mediation session is booked for early October where the members hope to negotiate an acceptable deal.

“(We want) to have that fair negotiation, because if we haven't met the inflation (rate), how do we expect our members to survive on a daily basis?” she said.

Shahad Bharmal, Chief Administrative Officer for the LCHF, said by email he would prefer not to comment on the matter at this time.

Lamont County Housing Foundation employee Benny Dubitz (centre) speaks to people about the ongoing negotiations between AUPE members and LCHF in front of Beaverhill Lodge in Lamont on Sept. 12. Dubitz is on the negotiating team for AUPE representing nearly 50 employees. Photo: Tracy Noble

MARATHONOF HOPECONTINUES

Three young ladies kicked up their heels joining 15 other participants for the Terry Fox Run in Lamont on Sept. 18. The annual Lamont run has been facilitated by the Knights of Columbus since 1988 and this year raised nearly $5,000 for can-

cer research. Photo: Jana Semeniuk

Friends of the Lamont Firefighters Society Would like to thank everyone for their generous support of the “Heroes in the Sky” event held on Sept 10th, 2022 Special thank you to the following donors:

Town of Lamont Lamont Health Care Centre Lamont Value Drug Lamont Ag Society Realty Advisors Back Alley Pub Lamont Liquor Linda and Herman Sieker The Calder Family Lamont Foods Webbs Machinery Vegreville Lamont Grocery Elk Island Thrift Store Aldon Auto Servus Credit Union Lamont County General Auto Yogi’s Liquor Store Morag’s Tupperware –Morag Dzwenko Titan Towing Lamont Dental Clinic Linda Burns Queen of Hearts Grooming Enbridge Trendy Petals Snowy Mountain Images Elk Island Youth Art by Andy- Andrew McDonald CT Skid Steer – Cory Cholak Rebecca Green- Fomasi Elk Island National Park The Lamont Leader

Special Thank you to Webbs Machinery Lamont for sponsoring the Kids Zone

Thanks to all the community members and families that came out and showed their support as well. A great big Thank You to the Lamont Fire Department families for their continued support of our members.

Margaret Grace Lakusta

July 20, 1943 to Sept 19, 2021

I Miss You Mom I thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new. I thought about you yesterday, and days before that too. I think of you in silence, I often speak your name. All I have are memories, and your pciture in a frame. Your memory is my keepsake, wiith which I’ll never part. God has you in his keeping, I have you in my heart.

Forever in our hearts, Lori, Jonathan, Brad ,and Hannah Jespersen

FAIR WEATHER HARVEST

Harvest continues in a field outside of Chipman last week. Most reports are that the weather has cooperated very well this fall.

Photo: Jana Semeniuk

GIANT MARSHMALLOW HARVEST

Above: This farmer on Highway 45 near Bruderheim wrapped his bales in plastic, making it resemble a field of marshmallows. Often farmers wrap the bales in plastic to maintain the product quality.

Jana Semeniuk photo.

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