AAHP Ratifies Collective Agreement
St. John’s, NL – After many months and much uncertainty, the Association of Allied Health Professionals (AAHP) has successfully ratified a new agreement with the province.
“We are pleased to announce that we have ratified a new 4-year contract for our membership, with a ratification vote of over 88% in favour of accepting this tentative agreement,” said Gord Piercey, President of AAHP. “This contract is a first step in the right direction for allied health professionals and the stabilization of the healthcare system – meaning that there is more work to be done. However, we are optimistic that this new contract will put us on the path to a much stronger future.”
Following conciliation, AAHP did have outreach from Government. Whilst preparing for a potential strike vote, AAHP worked with the province to secure terms and commitments that AAHP’s negotiating team felt far outweighed those that would be achieved through job action.
“After years of waiting to get the respect they deserve, our members finally feel like Government is listening and ready to take the necessary steps to strengthen retention efforts and recruitment capacity,” added Gord. “While this agreement sees significant movement in wages, and some positive changes to workload and standards of practice, we recognize that it will not immediately solve all the current issues facing our membership. This is why we are calling it a purposeful first step. ”
The AAHP’s membership has been determined to see issues around the JES addressed since negotiations began. In this new agreement, Government has committed to working jointly with the AAHP to develop and implement a new, permanent health professionals pay grid with a target for completion of one year from date of signing.
AAHP thanks its Negotiating Team, Board of Directors and the entire membership for their commitment, patience, and solidarity during this time. “We have a solid foundation to build upon now, and the AAHP will persevere to ensure our membership is protected, strengthened and supported,” concluded Gord.
The AAHP is a public sector bargaining unit representing more than 800 highly skilled health professionals who collectively provide a range of preventative, diagnostic, technical and therapeutic healthcare and clinical support services across the lifespan and care continuum and in virtually all program areas within the health care system. AAHP’s Membership represents over 24 different health care disciplines comprised mainly of regulated, community, clinical and therapeutic professions. Members of the allied health workforce deliver, support, or inform direct patient care and have completed occupation-specific post-secondary education or training.
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