SAIL Unable to Accept Mediator’s Recommendation
For Immediate Release (Edmonton, Alberta) Friday, August 1, 2014
Supports for Artspace Independent Living Inc. (SAIL) recently participated in meetings with the Alberta Union of Public Employees (AUPE) and a mediator, in an attempt to end the strike by SAIL workers which began May 7. The Board of Directors of SAIL have reviewed the mediator’s report and are unable to accept the mediator’s recommendations.
SAIL President Roxanne Ulanicki issued this statement:
“This is a labor dispute that no one wants. As much as SAIL wishes that the strike and lockout were over, the Board is unable to ratify the mediator’s recommendation. Fulfilling the recommendations would bankrupt the organization. If these recommendations were implemented, we would have a shortfall of $100,000 in the first year and up to $250,000 by 2016.
The strike has lasted 12 weeks and has been incredibly disruptive to SAIL users and the others who live at Artspace Housing Co-op. Artspace is an apartment/condominium complex of 88 suites and it also houses the SAIL office. Of the 180 people who live at Artspace, up to 30 persons with disabilities and/or seniors use the services of SAIL. Since 1989, SAIL users have banded together so that they could receive assistance from home care aides while living in their own apartments. SAIL is not funded the same way as a 24-7 continuing care facility because Artspace is not an institution. SAIL is passionate about its self-directed model and cares deeply about the home care providers who make this unique model of home care a success.
Now is an unusual time for SAIL. A number of long time user-members have passed away and others are choosing to move to a self-managed care arrangement with Alberta Health Services. Instead of a contract with AHS to provide 4400 hours of care, we will now be providing 1200 hours of care per month. We are a small and now smaller organization and appreciate the continued commitment and support of Alberta Health Services as we work through these changes. Being responsive to the needs of the few is a hallmark of a system that values choice and quality of life. We will continue to try to explain our model of care and financial situation to the union. Despite not being able to accept the mediator’s recommendation, we remain hopeful that we can come to an affordable agreement that improves working conditions in ways that benefit employees and our SAIL user-members.”
SAIL Inc. is a consumer driven, self-directed model of homecare managed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Every member who lives in the Artspace Co-op and is a user-member of SAIL is responsible for directing the staff as to how best to meet their needs. The user-member trains the staff on how to meet their personal care needs and is responsible for making sure they get their medication. The user-member has a say as to when their care time is scheduled. User-members live in their own apartment, no matter their level of care.
Media Inquiries: Roxanne Ulanicki, President, Board of Directors, SAIL Inc.
roxanne.ulanicki@shaw.ca 780-240-0042
(update: corrected to final edit)
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