AUPE VS UCP

Alberta labour union takes fight against Critical Infrastructure Defence Act to the Supreme Court of Canada

Paula Tran - Yesterday

Alberta's largest public sector union is taking its constitutional challenge against the UCP government's Bill 1 to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said Bill 1, or the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act, violates the rights of Albertans and is an attack on the freedom to take part in peaceful protests.

The union is seeking leave to have the Supreme Court hear an application to overturn a decision made by the Alberta Court of Appeal last December, after the appeal court ruled that AUPE had no standing to bring the claim because no one had yet been charged under the Act.

Read more:
Advanced education minister expects Alberta post-secondary institutions to drop vaccine and mask mandates

The union argues the Alberta Court of Appeal based its decision on hypotheticals, even though AUPE and its members were experiencing a "current chilling effect" from the bill's prohibitions.

"AUPE believes that peaceful protesting is a cornerstone of our democracy and that the aim of the government is to use the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act to silence opposition to its policies," said Patrick Nugent, AUPE's counsel, in an emailed statement on Friday.

Video: Alberta First Nation says response to Coutts blockade shows Bill 1 is ‘racially profiled’

AUPE first launched its constitutional challenge against Bill 1 in June 2020, after the bill passed third reading the month prior. The bill was passed in response to the rail and road blockades that were organized in solidarity with the Wet'suwet'en hereditary chiefs protesting the construction of the Coastal Gas Link natural gas pipeline in northern B.C.

Read more:
Comparing Coutts border protest to Indigenous land defenders inaccurate, says Alberta premier

The bill allows law enforcement to arrest and fine anyone trying to shut down critical economic infrastructure, including railways and highways. It also makes it easier for police to intervene at blockades rather than wait for a court injunction.

But questions arose about the fact that the bill has not been used until Monday, 10 days after protestors arrived in Coutts.

Video: Alberta border blockade remains adamant, demands nationwide mandates lifted

Alberta RCMP has laid charges under the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act against Calgary street preacher Artur Pawlowski, who is being accused of obstructing and interfering with essential infrastructure.

Pawlowski was arrested at his residence by Alberta RCMP and Calgary Police Service officers on Monday. A video of his arrest showed him being handcuffed and taken away by police. Multiple people can also be seen yelling at the police and filming the incident.

Read more:
Alberta NDP calls on UCP to suspend commercial operators licences as Coutts protest enters 13th day

He has been taken before a justice of peace and remains in custody until his next court appearance on Feb. 16, said an RCMP spokesperson.

The AUPE criticized the UCP government's response to the protest, accusing it of only imposing the law against groups they don't like.

“The fact that the government and police waited so long to charge anyone under Bill 1 during the border protests at Coutts and aren’t using the act to shut down the protests entirely suggests that this will be a law that is imposed only on those with whom the government does not agree," said AUPE president Guy Smith.

The Alberta government maintains that the blockades are unlawful and enforcement decisions remain solely in the authority of the police.

Read more:
Manufacturing association says blockades taking big pinch out of Alberta’s economy

"The Alberta government looks forward to defending against these baseless claims. As always, enforcement decisions about statutes such as the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act remain solely in the authority of law enforcement.

"Constitutional rights, such as those of free assembly, have been found by courts to have reasonable limits. The blocking of critical infrastructure is unacceptable, and we believe that the Supreme Court of Canada will agree that the AUPE claim is without merit," said Alex Puddifant, acting Justice Minister Sonya Savage's press secretary.

Alberta loosening COVID-19 restrictions as border protests resume

Earlier this week, Kenney also said comparing police responses at Coutts to police responses to Indigenous land defenders is "inaccurate," calling the situation at Coutts very fluid and complex.

“It is never lawful to block a railway and I’ve seen with much frustration those kinds of blockades go on, sometimes for weeks. I think that is wrong,” he said

Alberta’s public service union votes to accept new collective agreement with province

By Emily Mertz Global News
Posted December 13, 2021


The two sides reached a settlement in mid-October after months of mediation.

AUPE represents about 95,000 workers in the province, including 22,000 who work in government services such as corrections, sheriffs, trades workers, conservation workers, social services, as well as administrative and support service workers.

The settlement was reached on Oct. 13 after about 20 months of negotiations.

“This round of bargaining has been the most challenging we have faced for many years,” AUPE president Guy Smith said.

“While these negotiations proceeded, our members have worked through a deadly global pandemic while continuing to provide vital services to Albertans. We appreciate the determination our members displayed to support each other and their negotiating team,” Smith added.

“They stood strongly opposed to the proposed employer concessions and to secure a collective agreement that respects them and the services they provide.”

READ MORE: Alberta government asks unionized public sector workers to take 4% pay cut

The agreement will expire on March 31, 2024.

According to the AUPE, it includes:
employment security for permanent staff staying in effect until Dec. 31, 2022
a 1.25 per cent salary increase effective Jan. 1, 2023

a minimum 1.5 per cent salary increase with potential for an additional 0.5 per cent increase based on economic factors effective Sept. 1, 2023

an eight per cent salary increase for employees performing duties as part of the Rural Alberta Provincial Integrated Defence response force as a result of significant expansion of policing duties, responsibilities and risks. The 8 per cent increase will be retroactive to April 1, 2021, and remain in place as long as RAPID exists

The union said the government withdrew concessions it had been seeking, including:
a four per cent salary rollback
the elimination of employment security
a significant reduction in shift differential pay
a significant reduction in weekend premium pay
the elimination of the paid Christmas closure days
added benefit plan costs for employees
reductions in overtime pay
reductions in health spending account provisions

2:03 Alberta nurses and other public sector unions warn of job action after wage rollback request – Jul 7, 2021

Alberta’s minister of finance said he was pleased AUPE members voted to accept the mediator’s recommendation.

“This four-year agreement comes after months of dedicated negotiations between the government of Alberta and the union. Full details of the ratified deal will be made available in the coming days,” Travis Toews said.

“I want to thank AUPE leadership for helping us achieve labour stability for the public service.

“This agreement recognizes the province’s long-term economic outlook and offers members compensation increases in the third and fourth year of the contract.”

Toews said this deal accomplishes the government’s goal of bringing spending in line with other provinces.

“I am hopeful that other public sector unions will look to this successful process, and that bargaining will proceed constructively across the broader public sector,” Toews said.

“The government respects the hard work and dedication of Alberta’s public service employees and their contribution to our province.”

AUPE, provincial government reach tentative deal



Wed., October 13, 2021


After months of what the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) referred to as intense negotiations, a mediated settlement has been reached with the provincial government.

AUPE represents 22,000 Government of Alberta employees like corrections workers, social workers and parks employees.

The groups have been in mediation since March after talks broke down.

"To be perfectly frank, I didn't think we would get to this point," Guy Smith, AUPE president, said.

"The government as an employer, in our opinion, was bound and determined to gain a number of concessions out of our members," Smith said.

The concessions the government wanted included a salary rollback, reductions in overtime pay, as well as reductions in benefits, among other things. According to an AUPE news release, these concessions are no longer on the table.

Here are some things the membership are voting on in the coming weeks, according to an AUPE news release:

1.25 per cent salary increase effective January 1, 2023.

Minimum 1.5 per cent salary increase with potential for additional 0.5 per cent increase based on economic factors effective September 1, 2023.

According to Smith, there had been steps taken to prepare for job action if necessary, including training hundreds of picket captains.

"We put all those processes in place and until we know this is a done deal, we will continue to [do so]," he said.

"I think the government saw our resolve. Obviously, we didn't want to be on picket lines, nobody does. We were determined to be prepared for it."

Union members still have to vote on the deal. The bargaining committee is recommending that members vote in favour of ratification.

Finance Minister Travis Toews said he is glad the agreement could bring labour stability for the public service.

"I respect the hard work and dedication of Alberta's Public Service employees and look forward to the results of the ratification vote," Toews said in an emailed statement.

Details of the agreement will be sent out through the mail, and due to COVID-19, Smith says they will also use a mail-in ballot system for the vote. He anticipated they will know the results in mid-December.

Smith said he hoped this signals a shift in the government's approach to other negotiations as well.

There are negotiations happening right now that include workers in healthcare and post secondary institutions as well as a number of other groups.

"There is some thought that this proposed settlement may have an impact on those tables as well because we're seeing concessions across the board at those tables," Smith said.

"We're hoping that this does reflect improved negotiations in those other areas as well."

The AUPE will be holding virtual town hall meetings for members who may have questions or concerns about the agreement. Those are expected to be held in November.

Notley, AUPE respond to Kenney's cabinet shuffle

BY JOSH RITCHIE
Last Updated Sep 22, 2021 

CALGARY — It didn’t take long for reaction to roll in after Jason Kenney shuffled his cabinet on Tuesday.

The cabinet shuffle was quick and saw former Health Minister Tyler Shandro shifted to be the new minister of labour and immigration.

While the man who held that role for the last two years, Jason Copping, was sworn in as the new minister of health.

Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley says swapping two ministers doesn’t change the fact that Jason Kenney is still the premier.

“Even if Jason Kenney were to step down, it doesn’t change the fact that the UCP has proven fundamentally that they cannot provide a responsible government for Albertans in a life-threatening pandemic,” said Notley.

She adds that while she isn’t sure if Tyler Shandro actually resigned from his position or not, the current issues the government face go beyond the former health minister.

Meanwhile, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) welcomed seeing someone new take on the role of health minister.

“Good riddance,” said AUPE Vice-President Susan Slade. “Tyler Shandro set fire to Alberta’s health care system and hung Albertans out to dry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s past time for him to suffer some consequences for his actions.”

In a release, AUPE says members recently obtained more than 1,299 online signatures calling for Shandro to resign.

Slade says Kenney’s cabinet shuffle is an attempt for the premier to salvage his reputation and echoed Notley in saying that, this is still a government run by Kenney.

“This is still Kenney’s government,” she said. “This does not erase how he has mistreated and attacked health care workers. Doctors won’t forget. Nurses won’t forget. Support services won’t forget. Patients won’t forget.”

Slade added that there are still some blemishes on Copping’s record, which include “regressive changes to workers’ compensation and legislation that could shut down protests against the government.”

“AUPE members are ready to defend themselves and all Albertans, regardless of whomever Kenney appoints,” she said. “When workers are under attack we stand up and fight back.”

Tyler Shandro and Jason Copping swap cabinet positions

Labour and Immigration Minister Jason Copping will take over the health portfolio this afternoon

Author of the article: Ashley Joannou

Publishing date: Sep 21, 2021

Health Minister Tyler Shandro announces the province's new COVID restrictions at McDougall Centre as Dr. Deena Hinshaw joins the press conference from Edmonton on Friday, September 3, 2021

 PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI /Postmedia

Tyler Shandro is no longer Alberta’s health minister after more than a year of heavy criticism over his handling of the portfolio.

Shandro was shuffled out at a short ceremony Tuesday afternoon, swapping roles with former labour and immigration minister Jason Copping who now takes over the health ministry.

Media was not invited to the ceremony, which was broadcast online. At a press conference later in the day, Premier Jason Kenney said Shandro offered his resignation from the health role and that both he and Shandro agreed it was time for a change.

“It is time for a fresh start, and a new pair of eyes on the largest department in the government, especially at a time such as this,” Kenney said, adding that it has been a “gruelling” file for Shandro.

Shandro had repeatedly faced calls to resign as health minister amid the COVID-19 pandemic and a protracted dispute between the government and doctors.

NDP Leader Rachel Notley — whose party had made those calls — said the news of Shandro’s shuffle was “welcome” but not a solution to the crisis going on in Alberta hospitals, which are overwhelmed by COVID-19.

“A cabinet shuffle will not ease the immense pressure on our hospitals from this severe fourth wave. It won’t reschedule the life-saving surgeries of thousands of Albertans. It won’t recover our economy. And it won’t help everyday families looking for leadership. Albertans deserve better.”

As newly-minted health minister, Copping said his focus will be on increasing hospital capacity, educating vaccine hesitant Albertans and preparing the health-care system for potential future waves of COVID-19.

“I stepped into this role, resolutely committed to building immediate capacity. However, we also know that COVID-19 is not likely to go anywhere, anytime soon,” he said.

Shandro’s departure comes as the province grapples with the fourth wave of COVID-19, which has put heavy pressure on the health-care system, particularly in intensive care units, leading to the cancellation of all surgeries that are considered non-essential and calls for other provinces and the federal government to help

.

Premier Jason Kenney standing in front of Jason Copping the newly appointed Minister of Health during a news conference in Edmonton, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. 

PHOTO BY ED KAISER /Postmedia

Kenney under fire

It also comes as Kenney faces internal conflict over the government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, a senior member of the UCP called for his resignation, days after asking the UCP board to hold an emergency meeting to discuss an early leadership review.

Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said Tuesday that he doesn’t think swapping Shandro for Copping will be enough to quell the discontent Kenney is facing.

“I don’t think he could have done anything to keep his job. I mean, Shandro is being removed why? Because he implemented exactly what the premier wanted him to do,” he said.

Ahead of a caucus meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Kenney said he believes he still has the support of the members of his party, caucus and party board.

“There have been a voices of opposition to public health policies from within my own party from day one of the pandemic. It’s not a secret. But my responsibility as premier is to listen to public health advice, look at the reality, not wish it away, not allow politics to pressure us from taking the necessary steps to save lives and protect the health-care system,” he said.

Bratt also said he believes moving Shandro off the health file has been in the works for some time but that Kenney held off until after Monday’s federal election to avoid doing more damage to the federal Conservatives.

When questioned multiple times by reporters about the timing of Shandro’s move, Kenney repeated that the pair decided that it was time for a “fresh set of eyes” and said the government is focused on getting through the fourth wave of the pandemic, not on politics.

‘Good riddance’: AUPE

Shandro was regularly at odds with the province’s health-care associations and doctors, leading to the multiple calls for his resignation.

In March, 2020, after Shandro took fire for confronting a Calgary doctor in his driveway over a social media post, Kenney rejected such calls, saying it was understandable Shandro became “passionate” in defending his spouse.

After doctors voted down a contract offer from the province in April 2021, Kenney rejected calls to fire him, saying he had his “full, 100 per cent confidence.”

Dr. Paul Boucher, president of the Alberta Medical Association, said that while there has been challenging times during negotiations, he appreciates Shandro’s “efforts to improve the relationship with physicians in recent months.”

“I wish him well. We look forward to continuing with his successor our current efforts to solidify the relationship between government and the medical profession,” he said in a statement Tuesday.

In 2020, the government said it would be cutting 11,000 Alberta Health Services jobs mostly by outsourcing positions in laboratories, housekeeping, food services and laundry. The change is estimated to save $600 million annually.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), which has raised the alarm about the outsourcing, welcomed the news of Shandro’s departure.
“Good riddance,” said Susan Slade, AUPE vice-president, in a statement. “Tyler Shandro set fire to Alberta’s health-care system and hung Albertans out to dry throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s past time for him to suffer some consequences for his actions.”

Kenney, meanwhile, thanked Shandro for his service and called him “one of the hardest working people I’ve ever known.”

The AUPE and Friends of Medicare criticized Copping for a piece of legislation he tabled last year limiting presumptive coverage for psychological injuries to only firefighters, police officers, peace officers, paramedics, corrections officers and emergency dispatchers.

Friends of Medicare also condemned a call his local constituency association made for the government to “support the option of a privately-funded and privately-managed health-care system” during the UCP’s 2020 convention.

Slade claimed moving Shandro is Kenney’s attempt to salvage his reputation by giving the impression of a fresh start for his government’s management of the health-care file.

“This is still Kenney’s government,” she said. “This does not erase how he has mistreated and attacked health-care workers. Doctors won’t forget. Nurses won’t forget. Support services won’t forget. Patients won’t forget.”

– With files from Lisa Johnson

TWEEDLE DEE & TWEEDLE DUM CHANGE PLACES

Shandro shuffled out as Alberta's health minister, takes on labour portfolio in swap with Copping

Former health minister faced heavy criticism throughout the pandemic

Author of the article:Ashley Joannou
Publishing date:Sep 21, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 2 minute read • 29 Comments

Tyler Shandro was shuffled off the health portfolio Tuesday afternoon. 

PHOTO BY AZIN GHAFFARI /Postmedia, file



Tyler Shandro is no longer Alberta’s health minister after more than a year of heavy criticism over his handling of the portfolio.

Shandro was shuffled out at a short ceremony Tuesday afternoon, swapping roles with former labour and immigration minister Jason Copping who now takes over the health ministry.

Media was not invited to the ceremony, which was broadcast online. Premier Jason Kenney did not give a statement explaining his decision to swap the portfolios.

Amid the turmoil of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a protracted dispute between the government and doctors, the NDP Opposition had repeatedly called for Shandro’s resignation as health minister.

In March, 2020, after Shandro took fire for confronting a Calgary doctor in his driveway, Kenney rejected calls for his removal, saying it was understandable Shandro became “passionate” in defending his spouse.

After doctors voted down a contract offer from the province in April 2021, Kenney again rejected calls to fire Shandro, saying he had his “full, 100 per cent confidence.”

In a written statement Tuesday, NDP Leader Rachel Notley called news of Shandro’s shuffle “welcome” but said it is not a solution to the crisis going on in Alberta hospitals.

“It is clear that the responsibility for Alberta’s pandemic mismanagement rests on the shoulders of every UCP member and therefore it is incumbent on them all to take responsibility and chart a more effective path on behalf of Albertans,” Notley said.

“A cabinet shuffle will not ease the immense pressure on our hospitals from this severe fourth wave. It won’t reschedule the life-saving surgeries of thousands of Albertans. It won’t recover our economy. And it won’t help everyday families looking for leadership. Albertans deserve better.”

Tuesday’s move comes as the province is dealing with a fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alberta currently has the highest rate of new COVID-19 cases in the country. The latest wave has put heavy pressure on the health-care system, particularly in intensive care units, leading to the cancellation of all surgeries that are considered non-essential.

Officials with Alberta Health Services announced last week that they were reaching out to other Canadian provinces asking for ICU spaces and skilled labour.

With files from Lisa Johnson

Alberta's new health minister brings questions and concerns from opponents to portfolio

Duane Bratt, a political scientist at MRU, said there are many questions around how Copping, a relatively unknown member of the legislature, ended up in the position and what he will do now that he has the role

Author of the article:Dylan Short
Publishing date:Sep 21, 2021

Minsiter of Health Jason Copping seen during his time as Minister of Labour and Immigration 

PHOTO BY LARRY WONG/POSTMEDIA


The appointment of a Calgary MLA into the role of health minister has left question marks, doubt and worry amid political commentators and opponents.

Jason Copping, MLA for Calgary Varsity and former minister of Labour and Immigration, took the reins as health minister Tuesday afternoon. Tyler Shandro has taken over Copping’s former portfolio.

Duane Bratt, a political scientist at Mount Royal University, wished Copping good luck as he steps into his new role, a position that has been under increasing scrutiny. Alberta is currently grappling with the highest COVID-19 case numbers in Canada and a health-care system that is struggling to maintain capacity.

Bratt said there are many questions around how Copping, a relatively unknown member of the legislature, ended up in the position and what he will do now that he has the role.

“How did he end up (there), was he the last guy in the room?” said Bratt. “I don’t know how he ended up in that job.”

Before entering provincial politics, Copping spent two decades working in management in the labour relations and human resources fields. His official UCP bio states he has previously worked on collective bargaining agreements and represented management in arbitration cases.

Copping was first elected into the legislature in 2019 and named to Premier Jason Kenney’s cabinet later that year. He has spent the past two years as the minister of Labour and Immigration, sponsoring five bills. Those bills mostly amended legislation around business and workplaces.

One of his recent bills, Bill 47: Ensuring Safety and Cutting Red Tape, 2020, changed a number of legal protections and compensation measures introduced by the previous NDP government. Those changes included the removal of presumptive psychological coverage for many health-care workers, including nurses and doctors.

Those workers can still receive compensation for issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder, but the Workers Compensation Board (WCB) won’t automatically assume those injuries come from the workplace.

Official Opposition Leader Rachel Notley reacted to Tuesday’s cabinet shuffle in a series of tweets, saying Copping has a legacy of revoking WCB protections and failing to protect workers at Alberta meat plants during COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) issued a similar statement, saying Copping has “blemishes” on his record, pointing to changes in workers legislation.

Bratt said the new role would be difficult for anyone to take on as relations have been frayed through past and present labour negotiations with health-care workers.

The province is currently negotiating a new bargaining agreement with the United Nurses of Alberta.

“What is his standing? What are the policy changes? Those are all very good questions and there is, I mean, there is no trust that the health-care workers have with the government over labour negotiations,” said Bratt.

Copping said Tuesday afternoon that he is honoured to be asked to serve as health minister. He said he has three pillars he plans to work on: increasing health-care capacity permanently, getting vaccine-hesitant Albertans to receive their shots and prepping the health-care system to adequately respond to potential future waves of COVID-19.

“We obviously have immediate and significant pressures on our health-care system right now and I step into this role resolutely committed to building immediate capacity,” said Copping.

AUPE taking province to court over National Truth and Reconciliation Day

by News Staff
POSTED SEP 20, 2021

People stand on Parliament Hill alongside a memorial for children who died at Indian Residential Schools, during a rally to demand an independent investigation into Canada's crimes against Indigenous Peoples, in Ottawa on Saturday, July 31, 2021. 

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees is taking the province to court over its decision not to recognize National Truth and Reconciliation Day on Sept. 30.

The AUPE has filed a formal policy grievance in court, hoping that the government will change its mind and recognize the day.

The province announced last month that it would be up to individual businesses to decide if they want to recognize the day and grant employees a paid day off.
RELATED:

City of Calgary to recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Concerns raised around Truth and Reconciliation Day plans

AUPE’s vice president, Bobby-Joe Borodet, says Alberta’s stance defies common sense and decency.

“If the government was going to leave this important responsibility up to employers, they should have taken a leadership role and honoured the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation themselves,” said Borodet in a release.

“How can an employer, let alone the provincial government, say they are working to act on reconciliation while refusing to acknowledge the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation? If they are still searching for something to act on, here it is.”

AUPE says previously the government had told the union it was still considering whether or not to recognize the day.

Edmonton city staff, police to observe National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Recognizing the importance of the Truth and Reconciliation calls to action, City of Edmonton staff along with the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) will recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

.

© Wes Rosa, Global News 

Edmonton City Hall pictured on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2020.

Over the summer months, Ottawa declared Sept. 30 as a national holiday that is meant to give public servants an opportunity to recognize the legacy of residential schools.

The day also coincides with Orange Shirt Day — a day on which people honour residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad, who had her orange shirt taken away on the first day of school.

"Our commitment to the Indigenous community we share these lands with is to continue to work with, understand, and grow as we recognize past wrongs and build bridges to the future,” said Edmonton city manager Andre Corbould.

Read more: Alberta leaves National Day for Truth and Reconciliation stat holiday up to employers

During the day off, police and city staff are encouraged to learn about the intergenerational trauma caused to Indigenous peoples, according to a news release.

Video: Meaningful ways to mark Canada’s first-ever Truth and Reconciliation Day

Community events along with workplace activities will also be planned for the Thursday.

“Recognizing Sept. 30 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is an important step in rebuilding relationships and reconnecting with Edmonton’s Indigenous community,” said EPS chief Dale McFee.

“There is still much work to do on the path toward true reconciliation, but the Edmonton Police Service is honoured to have this opportunity to reflect on our shared history and the impacts on Indigenous communities.”

Some services within Edmonton will be reduced to observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

City of Calgary will observe September 30 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation


(ANNews) – In June 2021, the Federal Government of Canada announced September 30 as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, making the date a paid day off for federal workers and employees in federally regulated workplaces.

The national holiday was one of the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada and was created to allow Canadian citizens the opportunity to honour and reflect on Canada’s history of Residential Schools.

However, Canada has said that the holiday only applies to federally regulated employers subject to the code, meaning that the federal legislation does not apply to provincially regulated employers unless a provincial legislature makes amendments to provincial law.

The Alberta Government has announced it will not be recognizing the day and has opted to leave the implementation of the holiday to provincially regulated industries, such as Alberta Health Services (AHS).

Alberta Indigenous Relations press secretary Adrienne South said that while the government is not recognizing the federal holiday, the province is encouraging Albertans to acknowledge and honour the legacy of the Residential School system.

“We must not limit our acknowledgement to the legacy of residential schools to just one day,” she said.

South then emphasized the province’s commitment to “implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s provincial calls to action, including helping Indigenous Albertans reclaim their traditional Indigenous names.”

In response to the province’s decision, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) is filing formal policy grievances against Alberta-regulated employers that are refusing to acknowledge the federal holiday.

The Union has said that some employers, like Alberta Health Services, have collective agreements which compel employers to acknowledge holidays created by the federal government.

Assembly of First Nations Alberta Association Regional Chief, Marlene Poitras, is also not pleased with the province’s decision.

“There have been too many stories in recent days of this provincial government ignoring First Nations peoples and communities in the province,” she said. “Why won’t the government step up and acknowledge this day, which directly responds to the TRC calls to action?”

“This refusal to formally acknowledge the Sept. 30th federal holiday within Alberta flies in the face of reconciliation with First Nations and shows a disdain and lack of care or respect for Alberta’s Indigenous population,” Poitras concluded.

Among the provinces not recognizing the federal holiday are Ontario and Saskatchewan. Among the cities not recognizing the statuatory holiday is the City of Edmonton.

The City of Calgary, however, has stepped up and decided to legislate the day by making it a permanent statutory holiday for all city employees.

September 30 will see the City of Calgary at reduced services and operations.

Calgary City Manager David Duckworth said, “This National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is incredibly important to reflect on a relevant issue in our society . . . It’s an opportunity for us to understand, grow and to build bridges with Indigenous people.”

The city has also announced that special events to commemorate the day will be released on its website as the date approaches.

Jacob Cardinal, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Alberta Native News

STILL GOING TO IMPOSE  AUSTERITY ON PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS

Alberta halves projected budget deficit to $7.8B; credits global boost in oil demand


EDMONTON — New numbers show Alberta's bottom line is on track to look better this fiscal year, but the province remains mired in a deep ditch of red ink as it battles a resurgence of COVID-19.

© Provided by The Canadian Press

Finance Minister Travis Toews said Tuesday that this year's deficit is projected to be $7.8 billion, less than half of the $18.2 billion projected in the 2021-22 budget in February.

He said benchmarks such as GDP projections, consumer spending, exports and housing starts are all far above projections made six months ago.

"Economic growth is exceeding our expectations," Toews told reporters.

The government credits the turnaround to an ongoing economic recovery from COVID-19, along with a rebound in the energy sector and price restraint by the oil cartel OPEC.

"Global demand for oil has outstripped supply, meaning oil prices are stronger than expected," said Toews.

West Texas Intermediate, the benchmark price for oil, was expected to fetch US$46 a barrel in the budget, but has been rising sharply and is expected to average more than US$65 a barrel this year.

Alberta's non-renewable resource revenue is now forecast at almost $10 billion, which is $7 billion more than first projected in February.

The overall revenue forecast is $55 billion, about $11 billion more than expected.

Total expense is now pegged at $62.7 billion. That's almost $1 billion more than planned, due mainly to anticipated crop insurance payouts caused by extreme drought this summer.

Toews reiterated there would be a plan to balance the books after COVID, but in the meantime, taxpayer-supported debt is projected to reach nearly $106 billion by next March, with debt interest payments pegged at $2.6 billion.

Toews said the government will keep trying to find savings — including a proposal to cut wages for nurses now bargaining for a new collective agreement.

THEY ARE CONTRACTING OUT HOSPITAL SUPPORT STAFF, HOUSE KEEPING, FOOD SERVICES AND LAUNDRY, THEY ARE CUTTING WAGES FOR REMAINING SUPPORT STAFF BY 4%, THEY ARE ALSO CALLING FOR CUTS TO WAGES FOR AUPE GENERAL SERVICES MEMBERS THIS IS KLEIN AGENDA FROM THE BAD OLD NINETIES

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for LAUNDERY WORKERS 

The economic improvement comes as Alberta battles a steep rise in COVID-19 cases linked to the more contagious Delta variant.

There were a thousand new cases a day reported last week, but that number dropped slightly on the weekend and was at 920 on Tuesday. There were 431 people in hospital with COVID, 106 of whom were in intensive care.

Premier Jason Kenney’s government lifted almost all health restrictions two months ago and Kenney, chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw and Health Minister Tyler Shandro have not spoken to reporters for weeks to address whether anything would be done on the rising case rates.

In their absence, municipal, business and education leaders have moved on their own, implementing a patchwork quilt of masking, testing and vaccination rules.

Toews challenged reporters who suggested the province is failing to lead through the pandemic, noting officials have issued statements and social media updates as required.

"We have not kept anybody in the dark," he said.

As for the economy, he said: "We've factored in the issue of the pandemic.

"It's been expected that the fourth wave is going to be a bit bumpy."

The Opposition NDP said Toews can't take credit for an economic rebound based on the ups and downs of global oil prices, and said that any continued economic recovery depends on a robust, responsible strategy to deal with the COVID surge.

"The government has flatly abandoned Albertans at a time when the fourth wave of COVID-19 is larger than they ever warned it would be," said NDP jobs critic Deron Bilous.

"They've abandoned us as uptake of life-saving vaccines has levelled off and Alberta is amongst the worst in the country in this regard.

"If the finance minister can't level with Albertans about his government's horrendous mishandling of this pandemic, we can't take him at his word about this government's so-called economic plan, either."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2021.

Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press

Alberta leaves National Day for Truth and Reconciliation stat holiday up to employers

By Emily Mertz Global News
Posted August 27, 2021 

For the first time, Sept. 30 will mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Allison Bamford explains who gets it off and how others are recognizing a date – Aug 18, 2021




While the government of Alberta “encourages all Albertans to reflect on the legacy of residential schools” on Sept. 30, it’s leaving the implementation of a statutory holiday up to individual employers for provincially-regulated industries.

In June, Ottawa declared Sept. 30 the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation — a federal statutory holiday that is meant to give public servants an opportunity to recognize the legacy of residential schools.

The designated paid holiday for federal employees also addresses one of the 94 calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

READ MORE: There’s a new federal holiday in September. What does it mean for you?

“For provincially-regulated industries, the question on a work holiday is a decision for individual employers, unless an employee’s employment contract or collective bargaining agreement specifically grants federally-regulated holidays,” explained Adrienne South, press secretary for Alberta’s ministry of Indigenous Relations.

The province encourages reflection, and will lower flags on Alberta government buildings on Sept. 30 “to honour lives lost at residential schools, and commemoration ceremonies will take place.

“We must not limit our acknowledgement to the legacy of residential schools to just one day. Alberta’s government will work with First Nations and Métis communities in establishing a permanent memorial on the Alberta legislature grounds for the victims of the residential school system,” South said.

She added the province is “committed to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s provincial calls to action, including helping Indigenous Albertans reclaim their traditional Indigenous names.”

READ MORE: Stoney Nakoda celebrate name change of Alberta mountain landmark

Mountain loses racist and misogynistic name, returns to former title – Sep 29, 2020

However, the Assembly of First Nations Alberta Association said it’s upset the provincial government is not considering legislation to widely observe Sept. 30 as a statutory holiday.

“There have been too many stories in recent days of this provincial government ignoring First Nations peoples and communities in the province as of late, enough is enough,” Regional Chief Marlene Poitras said in a news release Friday.

“Why won’t the government step up and acknowledge this day, which directly responds to the TRC calls to action to bring more awareness to the struggles Canada’s First Peoples have gone through in dealing with colonization?


“This refusal to formally acknowledge the Sept. 30 federal holiday within Alberta flies in the face of reconciliation with First Nations and shows a disdain and lack of care or respect for Alberta’s Indigenous population.”

Poitras also pointed to concerns raised by an Alberta First Nation about not having adequate access to the referendum questions and senate vote being included in many Oct. 19 municipal elections.

“I have also been told that the government is not taking any steps to ensure that First Nations can participate effectively in referendum items during upcoming municipal elections in regards to Daylight Saving and the equalization formula.

“While $10 million is being funneled into municipalities to support ease of voting on these items, no booths are being set up on the Nations, who are not municipalities and do not follow the same electoral rotation as other communities.

“Instead, we are told: ‘drive to the nearest community.’ For some nations in Alberta, this is an over 100-kilometre trek in one direction. For others, they are fly-in communities and are left without any options to participate in the democratic process.”

Poitras says this sends a message to First Nations peoples that their voices don’t matter.

“I call upon the government of Alberta to course correct these actions immediately, set up polling stations on referendum items on reserve and also to acknowledge the Sept. 30, 2021 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.”

Elections Alberta and the ministry of Municipal Affairs confirmed Thursday some people will have to travel to a nearby municipality or vote by mail to participate.

“Not every community hosts an election this fall; summer villages, improvement districts, special areas, First Nations, and the Alberta side of the City of Lloydminster do not have municipal elections this October,” Minister of Municipal Affairs spokesperson Mark Jacka told Global News.

“To ensure easily accessible voting information as well as easy access to voting opportunities, partnering communities will provide First Nations residents with election notification and the information required to cast their ballots.”

READ MORE: Alberta First Nation feels left out on fall referendum votes, senate election

Concerns raised over lack of on-reserve voting in Alberta referendum, Senate votes

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said Aug. 25 it was filing formal policy grievances against employers, including Alberta Health Services (AHS), that are refusing to acknowledge the newly created National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The union said some employers “are not honouring the new holiday” despite “collective agreements which compel the employers to acknowledge holidays created by the federal government.”


READ MORE: Alberta pledges $8M to help First Nations locate and honour graves at residential schools

However, a spokesperson for AHS told Global News the health agency “may or may not be obligated to recognize a new federally-regulated holiday as part of signed collective bargaining agreements with unionized employees.”

The issue is being reviewed, said Kerry Williamson.

“AHS has been working with stakeholders, including the Wisdom Council, on how to best recognize the day in a meaningful way and planning is underway.

“AHS has been recognizing Sept. 30, Orange Shirt Day, for many years,” Williamson said.

Saskatchewan events commemorate Orange Shirt Day

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan has not declared Sept. 30 a provincial holiday but it falls on the same day as provincially-proclaimed Orange Shirt Day — a day on which people honour residential school survivor Phyllis Webstad, who had her orange shirt taken away on the first day of school.

“We continue to proclaim Sept. 30 as Orange Shirt Day and recognize it as an important day of remembrance for those who have suffered harm and to honour those lives that were lost at residential schools,” said a government of Saskatchewan spokesperson.

Employees still have to work that day, but all provincial government buildings will lower flags to half-mast.

Similarly, in Saskatchewan schools, staff and students will be in the classroom on Sept. 30.

How to move forward with the TRC’s calls to action – Jun 26, 2021

© 2021 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

First Nations furious over province's refusal to declare holiday recognizing residential school tragedies

“This government’s actions are showing that First Nations aren’t just an afterthought, they are outright unimportant.”

Author of the article: Bill Kaufmann

Publishing date: Aug 27, 2021 • 

Members of the Bear Clan sing and drum at the Calgary City Hall memorial for children who did not return home from residential schools on Thursday August 26, 2021. The City is looking at creating a permanent memorial site.

 PHOTO BY GAVIN YOUNG /Postmedia


Alberta First Nations are angry over the UCP government’s plan to let employers decide whether or not they will recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a statutory holiday.

The federal government recently passed legislation to give that designation to Sept. 30 and make it a federal stat holiday, giving Canadians an opportunity to recognize the brutal hardships endured by Indigenous people in the residential school system and honour Indigenous legacies.

It is up to each province and territory to decide if it will follow Ottawa’s lead and make the day a holiday. The UCP government has decided to leave it to employers in provincially regulated industries as to whether they’ll give their staff that day off work.

Already some organizations are making Sept. 30 a day of special recognition. The Calgary Catholic School District and Calgary Board of Education are marking the day by suspending classes for students.

The government of Alberta encourages all Albertans to reflect on the legacy of residential schools, Adrienne South, press secretary for the ministry of Indigenous Relations, said in a statement.

“For provincially regulated industries, the question on a work holiday is a decision for individual employers, unless an employee’s employment contract or collective bargaining agreement specifically grants federally regulated holidays,” South noted.

She said the province on that day will also be lowering flags to half-mast “to honour lives lost at residential schools, and commemoration ceremonies will take place.”

But that isn’t sufficient, says the Assembly of First Nations Alberta Association, which accused the UCP government of giving short shrift to reconciliation by not declaring a statutory holiday.

“There have been too many stories in recent days of this provincial government ignoring First Nations peoples and communities in the province as of late; enough is enough,” Regional Chief Marlene Poitras said in a statement Friday.

“This refusal to formally acknowledge the September 30th federal holiday within Alberta flies in the face of reconciliation with First Nations and shows a disdain and lack of care or respect for Alberta’s Indigenous population.”

Poitras said fully honouring a day of reflection would fulfil the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to actively promote awareness “to the struggles Canada’s First Peoples have gone through in dealing with colonization.”

South said remembering the legacy of residential schools shouldn’t be limited to one day and that the government will collaborate with First Nations and Metis communities to establish a permanent monument to that history on the legislature grounds.

“Those who were so deeply affected by the terrible legacy of residential schools will forever be remembered,” she said.

The government will also continue to fulfil the TRC’s vision by restoring Indigenous names, such as a recently renamed mountain near Canmore.

The B.C. government has advised public sector employers to give staff the day off on Sept. 30.

“Our government is calling on all of us who deliver services to the public to use this opportunity to consider what each of us can do as individuals to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and to recommit to understanding the truth of our shared history,” Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, and Selina Robinson, Minister of Finance said in a joint statement in B.C.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees has filed a formal grievance with the employers, including the AHS, for not honouring the federal statutory holiday.

“To stick their noses up at the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a new level of heartless disrespect,” said AUPE vice-president Bobby-Joe Borodey.

“How dare they refuse to acknowledge a day to reflect on such a serious issue.”

The Alberta ANF’s Poitras also castigated the province for not planning to provide polling stations on First Nations so their residents can vote in this October’s referendum questions on the federal equalization program and daylight time.

“Instead, we are told ‘drive to the nearest community.’ For some nations in Alberta, this is an over 100 kilometre trek in one direction; for others, they are fly-in communities and are left without any options to participate in the democratic process,” she said.

“This government’s actions are showing that First Nations aren’t just an afterthought, they are outright unimportant.”

BKaufmann@postmedia.com

Calgary Board of Education to recognize National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Dave Dormer

CTVNewsCalgary.ca Digital Producer
Published Friday, August 27, 2021


CALGARY -- Calgary Board of Education schools will be closed Sept. 30 to recognize the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

CBE Supt. Christopher Usih made the announcement in a letter to parents and guardians on Friday.

"The intention of the day is to recognize and honour residential school survivors, their families and communities. It will also ensure that public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process," it read.

Related Stories
New federal holiday will help Canadians 'understand that truth' of residential schools

Union accuses Alberta Health Services of denying staff new statutory holiday

Because it is a federal holiday, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation only automatically applies to the federal government, federal crown boards and agencies and federally regulated companies.

"However, for the 2021-22 school year, Thursday, Sept. 30 will be a non-operational day to commemorate truth and reconciliation across the Calgary Board of Education. This means there will be no classes and schools will be closed for the day," said Usih.

"As a result of this change, Friday, Dec. 10 will once again be a regular school day."

That will only apply for this year, added Usih, and CBE officials will determine how to mark the day going forward.

CBE has asked that all schools recognize Truth and Reconciliation Week from Sept. 27 to Oct. 1, 2021.

"This week will honour Every Child Matters and Orange Shirt Day and provides flexibility for schools to select at least one school day within this week to recognize Orange Shirt Day with students while learning about the history and legacy of residential schools," said Usih.

The provincial government says it will encourage all Albertans to reflect on the impact residential schools had on Indigenous people and Canada as a whole. Officials said government buildings will have their flags lowered on Sept. 30 and ceremonies are planned to take place.

As for the holiday itself, officials say the decision about whether or not employees will have a day off is up to the employer in cases where a collective bargaining agreement does not expressly say that federally regulated holidays are granted.

Nevertheless, the Alberta government says the memorial for the victims should not take place on just one day.

"Alberta’s government will work with First Nations and Métis communities in establishing a permanent memorial on the Alberta legislature grounds for the victims of the residential school system, so that those who were so deeply affected by the terrible legacy of residential schools will forever be remembered," said Adrienne South, press secretary for Indigenous Relations Minister Rick Wilson in an email to CTV News.

"The government of Alberta is also committed to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s provincial calls to action, including helping Indigenous Albertans reclaim their traditional Indigenous names."

THE GHOST OF KLEIN HAUNTS ALBERTA
About 350 AHS jobs to be affected by outsourcing of linen and laundry services

Ashley Joannou 

© Provided by Edmonton Journal The Alberta Health Services logo.


Alberta Health Services is outsourcing the last of its in-house laundry jobs, impacting 334 employees.

In a statement Monday, AHS said the remaining linen and laundry services will transition to K-Bro Linen Systems starting in September.

K-Bro already handles more than two-thirds of AHS’s linen services including in Calgary, Edmonton, Hinton and Edson.

The company will begin taking over the rural Calgary zone followed by the south, central and north zones. AHS estimates it will take 34 weeks for K-Bro to completely take over providing linen services throughout the province by April 2022.

“If AHS were to try to maintain the existing in-house services, more than $38 million in upgrades would be required to ensure both safety and quality of services. Alternatively, AHS would need to invest more than $100 million to build new modern linen systems across the province,” the statement says.

The outsourcing will impact approximately 334 full-time, part-time and casual employees, the health authority said.

“AHS is committed to working with them and their union throughout this process to explore potential options in accordance with the collective agreement,” according to the statement.

Kevin Barry, vice-president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), said the move to outsource the remaining jobs is going to hurt rural Alberta. He expects K-Bro to centralize operations in larger cities and not keep the rural positions that exist now.

“(Government officials) talk about a strategy to help small businesses recover from the pandemic and this is certainly not a way to do it — to cut jobs from the rural communities who are going to need these people to shop in their communities to help support small business,” he said.

K-Bro Linen Systems did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Barry said it is risky to be trucking in linen to communities if there is ever bad weather that might impact road conditions.

Last year the government said it would be cutting 11,000 Alberta Health Services jobs mostly by outsourcing positions in laboratories, housekeeping, food services and laundry. The change is estimated to save $600 million annually.

A review conducted by Ernst & Young in 2020 found that outsourcing seven different services including linen, housekeeping and food would save the government between $100 million and $146 million annually.

The news of the upcoming cuts led to a one-day wildcat strike last year by some AHS employees in an effort to get the government to change its mind.

https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/2021/07/kenney-ghost-of-klein-alberta-hospital.html

FOR BACKGROUND ON K-BRO, AND THE WILCAT STRIKE AGAINST KLEIN IN 1995 SEE

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for LAUNDRY WORKERS 

THE KENNEY EFFECT

Burned out and demoralized: Some Alberta nurses look to leave amid province's bid to cut pay
Jennifer Lee 

© Leah Hennel/AHS A registered nurse and a volunteer with Alberta Health Services sit outside a room on an intensive care unit in May 2021, while family members behind the curtain say their goodbyes to a loved one dying of COVID-19.

After working the front lines through three gruelling waves of the pandemic, and now facing the prospect of pay cuts, some Alberta nurses say they're exhausted, demoralized and looking to get out — prompting concerns about the future of health care in the province.

"It was terrifying. … other people were told to stay home and we were told to go to work," said Edmonton emergency room registered nurse Jessica McGrath, who described facing heartbreaking scenes of patients needing to be intubated, struggling for their lives and dying alone.

"We are the ones that are seeing COVID at its worst."

But as the province emerged from its most recent COVID-19 surge — and negotiations between the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA), Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health resumed — nurses were presented with a three per cent wage rollback proposal. Including other changes, UNA argues it amounts to a five per cent cut.

"That was a huge slap in the face to a lot of us," said McGrath.

All this prompted McGrath to take a temporary one-year position — away from the front lines.

"I've never seen morale this low," she said. "We don't have the same spirit that we used to."
'I've never been more burned out'

McGrath is not alone.

A registered nurse in the emergency department at Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital — which temporarily closed a number of beds recently due to staffing shortages — says she too is looking to get off the front lines.

CBC has agreed to withhold her name because she is concerned about professional repercussions.

"I've worked in this department for close to 15 years and I've never felt so physically and emotionally drained as I do now. I've never been more burned out," she said.

The Edmonton nurse reviews the AHS job board every day, looking for a position outside of the ER.

Senior staff, she said, started leaving her department about a year ago. That intensified when negotiations resumed, punctuated by the proposed wage cut.

"People have even gone into the private sector. People have taken travel nursing contracts. People need out," she said.
Nurses leaving the province

"I've never had so many conversations with my colleagues on the job postings in different provinces," said Christopher Picard, an Edmonton-based registered nurse and spokesperson for the National Emergency Nurses Association of Alberta.

He plans to wait out the negotiations but said a move out of province has been on his mind.

"Having proposed wage cuts brought in after a once in a century pandemic — it does seem like a little bit of a betrayal," he said.

"Are people having these discussions? Yeah. Are people leaving? Yeah."

© CBC Heather Smith, president of the United Nurses of Alberta.

Despite these stories, Premier Jason Kenney refutes the idea that nurses are leaving.

"I wouldn't agree that people would move from Alberta to receive lower pay in other provinces and to pay higher taxes. That wouldn't add up," he said when asked by CBC News on Thursday.

"He's wrong," said Heather Smith, president of the United Nurses of Alberta, the union that represents registered nurses in Alberta.

Some senior nurses have already taken jobs in B.C., according to Smith. Anecdotally, she's heard of nurses leaving for Ontario too, where some hospitals are offering signing bonuses as a recruitment incentive.

"[Alberta nurses] are just not prepared to deal with the kind of disrespect they're feeling here in the province," she said. "They want workplaces that respect them and value [their] contributions … And they're quite prepared to do it in other locations."

The frustration among nurses — who haven't had a raise for five years — is ballooning, according to Smith, who compares today's tensions with the turmoil that led to a strike in 1988 when thousands of nurses walked off the job.

"I haven't seen this kind of anger and demand for action in decades," she said.

According to Smith, there is growing support for a strike which, by law, would require several steps including formal mediation since nurses are deemed essential workers.

She said discussions about non-union-sanctioned wildcat strikes are percolating and UNA is working to set up a day of action in August — along with other health-care unions — including information pickets at hospitals around the province.

"Increasingly there are members saying, 'Why wait?'" said Smith. "But we will do everything we can to attempt to respect the process by law."

Province holds line on wage cuts

Even with the growing unrest, Jason Kenney isn't wavering.

He's made no secret of the fact he wants to balance Alberta's books and that health-care spending, which accounts for nearly 45 per cent of the provincial budget, is a prime target.

Kenney said he appreciates the hard work of nurses through the pandemic and repeated his government's stance that Alberta nurses receive on average 5.6 per cent higher compensation than those in the rest of Canada.

"Alberta has a $16-billion deficit. We've been running massive deficits for a decade. We cannot continue to do that indefinitely," he said. "This government, at least, is not going to raise taxes to punish people who've already been hurting in the private sector — so we have to learn how to operate a little more efficiently. And that's the basis of our initial position in the collective bargaining agreement."
Government actions seen as 'needlessly aggressive'

Kenney's tactics could be seen as "needlessly aggressive" at a time when support for Alberta health-care workers has skyrocketed due to the pandemic, according to Lori Williams, associate professor of policy studies at Mount Royal University.

"It looks to me like there's a lot more support for health-care workers in general than there is for the government's response to health-care workers," said Williams, pointing to the acrimonious relationship with Alberta doctors after the province tore up their master agreement last year and announced a plan last fall to lay off many as 11,000 AHS employees and outsource their jobs to private companies.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) recently went back to the bargaining table too and was presented with a wage cut proposal of its own: four per cent for general support workers.

"The government keeps saying that it appreciates the sacrifices that were made by front-line health-care workers, but doesn't indicate that by their actions," said Williams.

Kenney's methods are strikingly reminiscent of the deep health-care cuts levelled by Premier Ralph Klein during the 1990s, according to Lorian Hardcastle, associate professor specializing in health law and policy at the University of Calgary.

"I think when you cut too quickly and too deeply, you risk really destabilizing the healthcare system," said Hardcastle. "That's what we saw during the Klein years and it took subsequent governments years to rebuild that health workforce, to rebuild that health-care system. And I think we may be putting ourselves in a difficult position right now."

If the Kenney government holds the line on wage cuts for nurses, Hardcastle said the relationship between the two sides will likely grow more acrimonious and it could have lasting effects on a system already battling staffing shortages and bed closures.

"Not only will there be disruption in the short term, but [there] could be longer-term problems with recruitment and retention that affect the health-care system for many years. And that can play out in terms of longer wait times for surgeries … it can result in more hallway medicine," she said.

"And that's the sort of thing that it takes a long time to recover from and rebuild."

BULLSHIT

Offer to health support workers 'fair, reasonable' in light of fiscal problems, finance minister says

FIRST THEY CONTRACT OUT THEIR JOBS THEN CUT THEIR WAGES
AUPE says government negotiators want 4 per cent pay cut

Michelle Bellefontaine · CBC News · Posted: Jul 16, 2021

 
UNA and AUPE members protested possible health care cuts and privatization at rallies across Alberta last year. (Trevor Wilson/CBC)


Alberta Finance Minster Travis Toews is defending his government's offer to health care support workers as fair and reasonable, while the union calls it disrespectful to the people who have kept hospitals functioning during the pandemic.


The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees said Alberta Health Services negotiators have tabled an offer of a four per cent wage rollback for one year, followed by three years of zero increases in the latest round of contract talks.

Toews says AUPE was asking for a five per cent increase in salaries over the next two years, which he said is an increase of $105 million. He said Alberta can't afford wage increases while it faces down $93 billion in debt. 

Alberta finance minister pushes salary rollback for nurses

"Our proposal is fair, reasonable, and in the best interest of all Albertans," Toews said in a news release Friday.

"AHS is offering job security to employees in exchange for the one-time wage reduction. This is a fair and equitable trade."

AUPE vice-president Susan Slade said the offer is disrespectful to the cleaning, laundry and food services staff who kept hospitals functioning during the pandemic. She said workers in the General Support Services unit are among the lowest paid health care workers.

"It's absolutely shameful that this government thinks that this is an appropriate thing to do after given the amount of hard work that everybody has done this last 16 months in this pandemic," Slade said in an interview with CBC News.

"Members are rightfully angry. They're disappointed."

The government's latest offer to AUPE comes less than two weeks after government negotiators tabled an offer to Alberta nurses that would force them to take a three per cent salary rollback.

NDP health critic David Shepherd said Premier Jason Kenney is trying to balance his budget on the back of health care workers. The Edmonton-Centre MLA said Kenney has spent millions on the Canadian Energy Centre, commonly known as the war room, and lost $1.3 billion of taxpayer money in the cancelled Keystone XL project.

"The premier has many, many areas where he has chosen to gamble and waste Alberta's tax dollars," Shepherd said.

"For him then to turn to our frontline health care workers who got us through this pandemic and say, you are going to pay for my mistakes and to try to attack and vilify them. It's unacceptable."

Emergency rooms and hospitals across the province are facing bed closures due to staffing shortages.

Alberta Health Services confirmed that 18 spaces at the Royal Alexandra Hospital emergency department were closed for four hours early Friday morning.

Twelve beds reopened at 7 a.m., leaving six beds closed due to "short-term staffing coverage issues," the health authority said via its Twitter account.

At an unrelated news conference earlier on Friday, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said Alberta's situation isn't any different from the pressures faced by health care systems in Canada and across the world due to COVID-19.

Toews calls proposed cuts to health-care workers' salaries 'reasonable'
Author of the article:Ashley Joannou
Publishing date:Jul 16, 2021 • 

Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews delivers the 2021 provincial budget at the Alberta legislature in Edmonton on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021. 

PHOTO BY DAVID BLOOM /Postmedia


Alberta Finance Minister Travis Toews is defending a proposal to cut the salaries of health-care staff, including cleaning, laundry and lab workers, saying it is reasonable and in the best interest of Albertans.

On Thursday, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said the government was proposing a four per cent wage cut for its general support services workers effective immediately after a new agreement is ratified, followed by a three-year wage freeze.

In a statement Friday, Toews said the government has to keep spending under control when the province is facing $93 billion in debt. He said Albertans pay more than most Canadians for public services including health care.

“Our proposal is fair, reasonable, and in the best interest of all Albertans. AHS is offering job security to employees in exchange for the one-time wage reduction. This is a fair and equitable trade,” he said.

“AHS is meeting with AUPE later today to continue negotiations. I’m confident both parties can work together to reach a fair and equitable settlement that respects the fiscal situation of the province.”

AUPE vice-president Susan Slade confirmed in an interview Friday that the union’s current proposal would maintain the status quo during Year 1 followed by a 2.5 per cent salary increase in each of years 2 and 3.

AHS initially proposed a one-per cent cut in February 2020 but contract talks were stalled amid the pandemic.

Slade the one per cent cut would have taken back an increase received through arbitration and that there have been very little increases in these employees’ salaries the last five years.

“I think given the fact that these employees have been working for the last 16 months in horrible conditions given the pandemic, him asking for a four per cent decrease is extremely shameful, disrespectful and unreasonable,” she said.

The government’s latest offer to AUPE comes after negotiators offered Alberta nurses a three per cent salary rollback as part of their latest round of contract talks.

Toews said the United Nurses of Alberta want a four per cent raise over two years.

At a press conference Friday, NDP health critic David Shepherd said the burnout and low morale staff are feeling from COVID-19 is being worsened by the suggestion of wage rollbacks.

Shepherd said that if the province wanted to save money it could choose not to fund the government’s energy war room or could have decided not to spend $1.3 billion on the now-cancelled Keystone XL pipeline.

He said the government needs to recognize the pressure health-care workers are facing and “start negotiating respectfully and bring forward a plan to address critical staffing shortages.”

The province continues to face bed closures due to staffing shortages at both rural and urban hospitals.

AHS said six of 50 emergency room beds are temporarily closed due to staffing issues at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Another 12 were closed for four hours Friday morning. Those 12 reopened at 7 a.m.

At an unrelated event on Friday, Health Minister Tyler Shandro said similar pressures are being faced by health-care systems in Canada and across the world because of COVID-19.

“AHS has done an amazing job for a year and a half, they continue to do it, to make sure that people are going to get the care that they need,” he said.

“Sometimes that means making dynamic decisions and responding to pressures on human resources or equipment issues because they’re doing the right things to make sure that people are getting the care that they need.”

ajoannou@postmedia.com

twitter.com/ashleyjoannou