Workers at Red Deer Independent, Assisted and Supportive Living community voted overwhelmingly to unionize.
RED DEER – Workers at Optima Living, an independent, assisted and supportive living community in Red Deer, Alberta, voted overwhelmingly to join CUPE.
“The campaign to unionize was completed very quickly and we applied to the Alberta Labour Relations Board with strong support, said Jordan Spurr, one of the inside organizers. “For too long, workers struggled to have a voice – everyone wanted a better workplace. Too many are just getting by, working multiple jobs for low hours and low pay. These are the people caring for our loved ones, they deserve better.”
There are approximately 65 workers at Optima Living. Nearly 90 percent of ballots cast were in favour of joining CUPE. Employer objections to the certification application were dismissed by the Labour Board in early January. These workers will join Local 417, an established CUPE local in Red Deer, and elect their bargaining committee to start negotiating their first Collective Agreement.