|
As we watch how the global COVID-19 pandemic impacts our communities, we at the AFL are monitoring responses from different levels of government, employers and other jurisdictions around the world. Today, we want to share some of the work we’ve been doing to make sure the interests of workers are protected and that the voice of working people is heard.
News Critics describe Premier Jason Kenney’s COVID-19 speech as ‘Trumpian’
Last week, Jason Kenney downplayed the risks of re-opening the economy and sending people back to work by calling the coronavirus “an influenza that does not generally threaten life apart from the elderly and the immunocompromised.” In another part of his speech, he said, “The average age of death from COVID in Alberta is 83. And I remind the house that the average life expectancy is 82.”
“This is the worst kind of message to be sending to Albertans as they return to work,” said Gil McGowan, the president of the Alberta Federation of Labour.
“The science says that we’re not out of the woods yet and that we need to continue to be cautious and vigilant in terms of following the guidance of public health officials in both public spaces and workplaces. I’m afraid our Premier’s Trumpian narrative - which says that this is no worse than the flu and only a danger to the elderly - is going to lead to infections and deaths that could have been avoided.”
"Not only are Premier Jason Kenney’s comments about COVID-19 only killing the elderly ghoulish and cruel, they’re also dead wrong," continued Gil McGowan. “He repeatedly said that COVID-19 was largely a disease of the elderly. And he repeatedly referred to it as a type of influenza. These are not slips of the tongue. He is trying to build a Trumpian narrative that is at odds with the science. And he needs to be called out.”
 Unions say Bill 1 could make Alberta a 'police state'
The controversial bill the UCP government says is targeting rail blockade protesters - Bill 1: the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act was in the legislature this week. The Alberta Federation of Labour’s Executive Council, representing the majority of the elected union leadership in the province, released a statement asserting that it’s not an infrastructure bill, it’s an anti-democracy bill that will inevitably be used to target workers, along with environmentalists and indigenous people.
If it becomes law, it will bring Alberta closer to a police state than perhaps it’s ever been. The Alberta Federation of Labour asserts that the Bill aims to make strikes and protests illegal for trade unions and our allies.
Alberta labour leaders demand that Kenney not stand in the way of paid sick leave for all
Earlier this week Prime Minister Trudeau made a commitment to provide 10 paid sick days to all Canadians. However, workplace law is largely under the jurisdiction of the provinces. That’s why the Prime Minister says his next step is to negotiate with provincial premiers. Trudeau has promised to work with provinces to ensure all working Canadians will have access to 10 paid sick leave days. This is why Alberta union leaders issued a statement demanding that Premier Kenney work to make this a permanent reality in Alberta. Read our press release.
Listen to Gil McGowan, AFL President, on 630 CHED Ryan Jespersen show.
 Kenney Escalates His Attacks on Public Education During COVID-19
Weaken school boards, threaten to fire trustees, provide vague and ill-defined policy around a school relaunch, all while pushing forward a “Choice in Education Act.” It is a roadmap to undermining public education in Alberta.
Read more with the latest in our blog series.
Child care is crucial for Alberta’s economic recovery
Alberta workers are facing an urgent need for support when it comes to child care. Some workers are being forced to not return to work because of a lack of child care options.
Alberta unions are calling on the provincial government to take a leadership role in child care and to help with this situation by immediately providing funding for more child care centres in Alberta.
Letter to Prime Minister re: urgent need for financial support for municipal governments
This week, the AFL sent a letter to the Prime Minister about the urgent need for financial support for municipal governments in response to the economic turmoil caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Alberta, the situation is exacerbated by a provincial government seemingly deaf to the concerns of municipal officials. The recent provincial budget has downloaded costs and cut grants to municipalities. To add insult to injury, our two largest cities, Calgary and Edmonton, had a long-term agreement for stable funding shredded by the UCP government, despite an election promise to keep it in place. Read our letter.
Cities need help. Tell the federal and provincial governments to provide emergency operating funding for municipalities in order to protect the vital local services we all need. Sign the Canadian Labour Congress petition.
Workers’ Rights Town Hall - Facebook Live
Watch AFL President Gil McGowan in a virtual Town Hall live on Facebook, with Heather McPherson, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Strathcona discussing workers’ rights during the COVID-19 pandemic.
LAPP protected themselves from AIMCo’s $2.1 billion loss with downside protection plan done over AIMCo’s wishes
As the investigation by outsiders into the Alberta Investment Management Corporation or AIMCo’s $2.1 billion loss on an exotic volatility-based strategy continues other details are trickling out. Notably that AIMCo’s biggest client, the Local Authorities Pension Plan or LAPP had a downside protection plan independent of AIMCo that actually made money while its pension fund manager was losing it.
Multiple sources have confirmed that AIMCo actively discouraged this strategy and that it was done against the advice of AIMCo.
“This is a concrete example of the benefits of independent governance that we fought so hard for,” said Gil McGowan, the president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. “It’s also why we were so adamant about having the option of leaving AIMCo if we lost confidence in them as our pension fund manager.”
Action Join the resistance
This week, the University of Alberta announced its plans to cope with the UCP government's cuts to the institution this year by nine per cent, or $110 million. Read news story. Read the Non-Academic Staff Association's open letter. If you haven't yet, sign up for our #KenneysCuts campaign to join the fight.
 CUPE launches campaign to make long-term care public
Canada’s largest union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), has launched a campaign this week to fix Canada’s broken long-term care system, by making it a part of our public universal health care system.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment