Striking workers at a south west Edmonton seniors’ facility marked 60 days on the picket line Sunday, by holding their own Heritage Festival.
About 80 licensed practical nurses and nursing aides at the Revera Riverbend have been on strike for two months.
The group, which includes members representing a number of different cultures from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, China, Haiti and Canada, held a mini-Heritage Festival Sunday.
Erez Raz, vice president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees which represents the workers, say the group decided to hold the mini festival as many aren’t able to attend Heritage Festival at Hawrelak Park over the long weekend because they’re on the picket line.
“We never want to see it go 60 days or even one day but since it is 60 days we decided to have a mini-Heritage Days here on the line,” Raz said.
The striking workers all brought food representing their cultures to the mini-Heritage Festival.
Workers are striking over a wage dispute with its employer Revera Inc. The AUPE says the employees are being paid wages and benefits below industry standard and employees also have no short-term disability insurance.
Raz says the union has been in talks with the company to try and end the strike, but says the offers being presented still aren’t fair.
“We will not go back to the table if what they do again is offer less than what they initially offered. That’s not what these people are here on the line for. They’re here to get a fair and equitable contract,” Raz said.
“We believe that we all deserve the same contract, same pay as other AHS members out there who are doing the same job and that’s what we believe in and what we will fight for.”
There were a number of care centre strikes over the summer.
Workers at the Hardisty Care Centre reached a deal with its employer at the end of July while workers at the Devonshire Care Centre reached a deal this past week.
