Picket Schedule for Thursday, November 14th
7:45 am – 3:45 pm
At/near Holy Trinity School on Powder Drive.
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Local 2559 and 2545 Members are Back at Work on November 15th.
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Contact:
Jocelyn Johnson, Communications Representative
Phone #: 780-700-5592
Statement from CUPE Alberta Women’s Committee
The CUPE Alberta Women’s Committee stands with trans people, especially children. This November 20th marks the 25th anniversary of Trans Day of Remembrance. The day was proclaimed in 1999 in the United States in memory of Rita Hester, a Boston trans woman who was senselessly murdered and continues to be denied justice.
The day has since grown into an international commemoration of 2 Spirit, Trans, Non-Binary and Gender Diverse lives lost due to discrimination and hate and a celebration of their comrades’ continued resilience and resistance in this time of increasing uncertainty and governmental imposition of discriminatory legislation.
Just last month, the UCP put forward three pieces of legislation targeting trans youth. This without any consultation with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community or their care providers and despite a deluge of research, statistics and lived experience of community members, medical professionals, school workers and families warning that the harm resulting from this action is certain, irreparable and potentially lethal.
The CUPE Alberta Women’s Committee calls on the provincial government to rescind Bills 26, 27 and 29 and immediately begin making reparations to the community that has already been so devastatingly harmed by the rise in discrimination and hate.
We further call on the government to work with the Alberta 2SLGBTQIA+ community and its allies to identify methods of support and education with a view towards eradicating the inequities faced by trans people when accessing publicly funded services such as health care and education.
Fort McMurray, Alberta
Over 1000 education support workers in CUPE Locals 2559 and 2545 are on their second day of picketing as negotiations remain stalled by the Government of Alberta’s constrained bargaining directives to school divisions.
“Parents and students are joining us on the picket line because they know this fight is about them and the services they need.”
“The provincial government is controlling what school divisions can agree to in wages at the bargaining table and restricting education budgets, effectively squeezing the school board and putting funding shortfalls on the backs of students and the workers delivering critical education support services. It’s shameful”, said Rory Gill, President of CUPE Alberta.
The Provincial Bargaining and Compensation Office (PBCO) set up by the province is a third party at local school division bargaining tables across Alberta, mandating a strict cap on wages. This interference in free and fair collective bargaining has resulted in the members of four other CUPE locals taking similar decisive strike votes. Instead of lifting these wage mandates, the province has been intervening in the strike process by forcing locals that gave strike notice into a Disputes Inquiry Board (DIB) process. Members of Locals 2559 and 2545 in Fort McMurray voted down the recent DIB recommendations by 93% and 95.5%.
“The provincial government is hoping we will just give up and accept poverty wages so they can keep shortchanging our community”, said Lynn Fleet, President of CUPE Local 2545, “but our membership and community of parents who care about access to quality education are getting stronger by the day in this fight for fairness.”
Following these two days of picketing on November 13th and 14th, members of CUPE Locals 2559 and 2545 will return to work for one day, then begin rolling strikes on November 18th.
“This can all be solved by the province deciding to stop imposing poverty wages,” said President of CUPE Local 2559 Danielle Danis. “Parents and students are joining us on the picket line because they know this fight is about them and the services they need.”
Updates on picket locations and times can be found at alberta.cupe.ca.
Jocelyn Johnson, Communications Representative
780-700-5592
The Government of Alberta’s unilateral changes to AIMCo’s board without any consultation with public sector unions representing members in the Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP) and the Public Sector Pension Plan (PSPP) shows a deep disregard for the fact that pension funds belong to Alberta workers and retirees, not the government.
“This government needs to restore independent decision making for pension plans, not bring in the Minister to manage AIMCo.”
Pension security depends on the ability of unions, through a joint governance model, to make decisions about how public pension funds are managed. Changes in 2019 (Bill 22) undermined joint governance to allow provincial interference and risky political investments.
Originally the jointly-governed LAPP Corporation would have had the ability to change investment providers if they determined that was in the best interests of plan members. The Alberta government in 2019 locked them into AIMCo, however, saying that AIMCo would deliver excellent results. Now they say AIMCo is performing poorly and less efficiently. Members’ unions were never consulted on any of the changes.
“Removing the ability of pension plans to move with their feet undermines pension security,” said President of CUPE Alberta Rory Gill. “The solution for AIMCo performance is to restore the right of pension plan members to choose who administers their retirement savings, not have a government minister continue to interfere through political appointments.”
LAPP has shown that it is better equipped than politicians and AIMCo to make investment decisions. When AIMCo had significant losses in early 2020, LAPP investments did not suffer from the same losses because LAPP implemented its own downside-protection strategy – despite still being required to use AIMCo as an investment fund manager. These decisions by LAPP saved the pension fund almost $1.9 billion dollars.
“Politicians need to stop putting their politics into our pensions. Workers and retirees need their hard-earned savings to be focused on returns and reliability, not risking those savings to serve political agendas of the government of the day,” said Gill. “This government needs to restore independent decision making for pension plans, not bring in the Minister to manage AIMCo.”
MEDIA
Jocelyn Johnson, Communications Representative
780-700-5592
Spruce Grove, AB – The Canadian Union of Public Employees is pleased to officially represent workers of the Spruce Grove Public Library.
Spruce Grove Public Library staff will join CUPE Local 30 as a new unit. This unit is the 11th group of library workers within CUPE.
Spruce Grove Public Library employs approximately 25 employees. The library offers programs and services including computers and printing, in-person and virtual programs, outreach visits, special events and meeting spaces for rent. There are plans to open a second location in March 2025.
Contact: Brigitte Benoit, Organizing Representative
bbenoit@cupe.ca
403-200-7688
CUPE Locals 2545 and 2559 issued official strike notices, indicating a full withdrawal of services on Wednesday, November 13, and Thursday, November 14, 2024. Picketing will start at 7:45 a.m. at/ near Dr Karl A Clark Public School/Lady of the Rivers Catholic School (Franklin Avenue) on Wednesday, November 13, 2024, and at a different location on Thursday, November 14, 2024.
Beginning Monday, November 18, 2024, the strike and pickets will start rotating through various schools in Fort McMurray, with a different location identified daily.
Hours before the strike notice was served, the public school district delivered a lockout vote notice to CUPE Local 2545. Public school board trustees will take a vote to determine if they will lockout education support workers.
“We will carry out the strike as planned and respond to the lockout vote as events unfold. In the meantime, we urge parents, supporters and the community to contact the public school board trustees and encourage them to vote against a lockout,” said CUPE 2545 President, Lynn Fleet. “The rolling strikes will no doubt create a disruption for families. However, rolling strikes also mean that our most vulnerable students won’t fall behind. They will still get socialization, education, and care on the days we are not picketing. A lockout would rob children of the services they need for an undetermined length of time. This would be chaotic for families,” added Danielle Danis, President, CUPE 2559.
Contact
Alanna Bottrell
Communications Representative
Phone #: 780-381-0809
With the holiday season right around the corner, sixty CUPE Local 30 members employed by EPCOR received unexpected and alarming job reclassifications resulting in wage reductions of up to $6 per hour for some, effective immediately. The employer sprung the news on members employed in EPCOR’s Wastewater Collection and Construction Services branch the afternoon of Wednesday, November 6th in a meeting with all 60 employees and their union.
CUPE Local 30 reacted swiftly to the move and is filing a grievance alleging it is a blatant violation of the collective agreement.
Eric Lewis, President of CUPE Local 30, pointed out that these severe cuts to wages are completely unnecessary as the company just posted a $193 million dollar increase to shareholder dividends.
“EPCOR shareholders will continue to get rich, while workers – who create shareholder value in the first place – are punished with wage decreases,” said Lewis.
The CUPE Local 30 president is also concerned that wages could be cut in other areas. “There is no telling how far EPCOR’s greed could penetrate the organization,” Lewis added.
Affected members have been advised by their union to participate in the grievance process within the necessary timelines.
CUPE Alberta president Rory Gill noted this is part of a pattern of pushing down workers at a time when wages aren’t keeping up with the cost of living. “When we have a provincial government watering down labour legislation, trying to weaken unions, and suppressing wages, it’s not surprising that corporations are emboldened to take every opportunity to put their profit above their people. That’s why, as the largest union in the country, we fight back.”
Contact
Jocelyn Johnson
Communications Representative
Phone #: 780-700-5592
The union representing many of the Alberta’s education and health-care workers is calling for Danielle Smith and the UCP government to withdraw Bill 26, Bill 27 and Bill 29, and end their harmful attacks on trans youth.
CUPE has always fought for human rights in the workplace and beyond. All CUPE members and the Albertans they work with in schools and in the community have a right to dignity and safety. Requiring education workers to deny the identity of students and putting them in a position of ethical conflict creates unsafe conditions for both students and support staff.
The UCP government is failing Albertans with this legislation. Most Albertans are trying to meet their basic needs, find health care, and access important supports in their schools and communities. “This government has a lot of work to do to fulfill its responsibilities to Albertans. The extent they will go to distract from their failures and use the identities and lives of Alberta citizens to sow political division is heartbreaking and disturbing,” said Rory Gill, President of CUPE Alberta.
Parents, youth, teachers, and health professionals are saying this legislation is not only wrong-headed, it’s also potentially devastating for some of the most vulnerable young people and families in the province. “Hard-working Albertans and their families need a government focused on solving problems, not creating them. Bill 26, Bill 27, and Bill 29 need to be withdrawn in the interest of the dignity and safety of every Albertan,” said Gill.
Bill 26, Bill 27, and Bill 29 are part of a disturbing nation-wide rise in anti-trans policies. CUPE stands in solidarity with trans people and will help resist threats to their rights and safety.
“Hate and misinformation have no place in our workplaces or communities. These bills take the bullying of vulnerable young people to new lows as Danielle Smith tries to score political points while ignoring the needs of working people,” said CUPE National President Mark Hancock.
“Our union has the backs of trans youth and the CUPE members who help them learn, get health care, and live their lives. Trans rights are human rights and we will show up whenever workers or their families are under attack anywhere across this country,” said CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick.
Contact
Jocelyn Johnson
Communications Representative
Phone #: 780-700-5592
Fort McMurray Catholic and public education support workers in CUPE Locals 2545 and 2559 will vote on recommendations proposed by the Disputes Inquiry Board (DIB), from Friday, November 1st until 4pm Monday, November 4th, through an electronic ballot. The Alberta Labour Relations Board will announce the official results on Tuesday, November 5th. If the recommendations are voted down, 72 hours’ strike notice could be served immediately by the Local.
“The DIB recommendations do not address the needs of our members. We have not had a raise in almost ten years, and a $175.00 annual honorarium proposed by the DIB does not make up for a lack of meaningful wage increases,” explains Lynn Fleet, President of CUPE Local 2545. “We did not negotiate this settlement. If we do not fight back now for our right to bargain freely and fairly, we will continue to be pushed around. We urge members to vote ‘no’ on this offer,” says Fleet.
The DIB recommendations would put wages at a rate that still falls short of a livable income, leaving many members below the poverty line. “We’re hearing loud and clear from our membership that they won’t accept a deal that doesn’t address the inflated cost of living, and we strongly support every member’s decision to vote ‘no’,” adds Danielle Danis, President CUPE Local 2559.
CUPE Locals 2545 and 2559 represent more than 1,000 educational assistants, librarians, IT workers, custodians, and maintenance workers at Fort McMurray’s public and Catholic schools.
Contact
Alanna King
Communications Representative
Phone #:780-381-0809
Sturgeon Public School Division education support workers in CUPE Local 4625 held a strike vote on Friday, October 25th. The membership of roughly 250 includes educational assistants, cafeteria clerks, office clerks, library clerks, therapy assistants, library technicians, cafeteria technicians, accounts clerks, vocational assistants, divisional administrative assistants, and licenced practical nurses. The result was a decisive strike vote with 93% of the membership turning out to vote and 94% in favour of taking strike action. After confirmation of the final results by the Alberta Labour Board, the Local is now in a position to give 72-hour notice to strike.
President of CUPE Local 4625 Kelly Salisbury said she heard consistent themes about understaffing and severe difficulty making ends meet on low wages from members leading into the vote and anticipated this strong result. “We’ve tolerated 8 years of zeroes, doing our best to support the kids we care deeply about. We just can’t make it work anymore. Students are our absolute main priority, but an inability to pay the bills is affecting members at home, making the job unsustainable,” said Salisbury.
Along with CUPE Local 4625, CUPE Local 474 members also recently held a strike vote with 97% of members voting yes to strike. The two Locals join CUPE Locals 3550, 2559, and 2545 with strike mandates, however these three other Locals were forced into a Dispute Inquiry Board process by the provincial government just before they took strike action.
“We are very determined to achieve a fair collective bargaining agreement,” said Salisbury. “We know that if we don’t stand up for fair pay for these important services, the ones who will suffer most will be our students and their families.”
Contact: Jocelyn Johnson
Communications Representative
Phone #: 780-700-5592