Month: December 2014
Contracted snow clearing costs ten times more than in house: CUPE
CALGARY – The President of the union representing most Alberta municipal workers reacted to news that Calgary taxpayers paid ten times more for snow clearing on bike paths than they would if the work had been done by city employees.
Reports indicate that clearing the snow using a private contractor cost $726.14 per centimeter of snowfall. Snow clearing done by Calgary City staff cost $72.65 per centimeter.
“This is just another example, in a long list of examples, where public services are offered more affordably than private, contracted out services,” said CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts.
“Governments are all too eager to give work away on the theory that it will be cheaper, when time after time, it’s actually more expensive.”
Roberts called upon the City of Calgary to abandon the use of contractors for snow removal.
“It’s clear we get better service at a better price from the proud and dedicated employees of the City of Calgary.”
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High River employees get early Christmas gift – a union
HIGH RIVER – Sixty-nine health Care Aides and Licensed Practical Nurses working for Sunrise Village nursing home have voted to become members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).
The employees voted 93% in favour of joining CUPE in their second attempt this year to form a union.
CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts said, “The members came to CUPE because of complaints about unfair treatment in their workplace”.
“With over 600,000 members across Canada, CUPE can offer these workers the best resources around to settle their issues and bring them better working conditions and wages,” said Roberts.
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Christmas message from CUPE Alberta
On beha
lf of CUPE Alberta, I’d like to wish you and your family a happy and safe Christmas and holiday season.
For me, Christmas is about family and friends. It’s about spending special time together and recharging for the year ahead.
But Christmas is also a time to reflect upon the fortune to have what we have, and to think about those who have less. CUPE is committed to making sure everyone has what they need to lead a happy, healthy and productive life to its fullest potential. Christmas is a time to reflect on what we can do to help those who don’t have steady employment, benefits and the other things we sometimes take for granted.
So please enjoy the season, and happiest of New Years to us all!
Marle Roberts, President
CUPE Alberta
P3 Hospitals will not work: CUPE
EDMONTON – Provincial government documents uncovered by Alberta’s NDP indicate the province acknowledges operating hospitals under a “Public Private Partnership” model would be more expensive to taxpayers. … Read more…
December 10th – Human Rights Day
Sixty four years ago, the United Nations declared December 10th to be “Human Rights Day” to bring attention to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard for people around the world. … Read more…
National Day of Remembrance (White Ribbon Day)
On December 6th 1989, a gunman entered the École Polytechnique in Montreal, separated men and women and shot nine women, killing six. It’s been known as the Montreal Massacre ever since. In 1991, Member of Parliament Dawn Black introduced a private members bill to the House of Commons proclaiming December 6th as a national day of remembrance. The bill was passed with the support of all parties.
We remember December 6th because violence against women continues in Canada today. While most acts of violence are not as spectacular as the Montreal Massacre, they are alarmingly common.
- Half of all women in Canada have experienced at least on incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 16.
- On average, one woman is killed every six days in Canada by her intimate partner.
- On any given day in Canada, over 3,300 women are forced to sleep at shelters to escape domestic violence.
- There are over 40,000 arrests each year in Canada for domestic violence, 12% of all violent crime in Canada. Since only 22% of such cases are reported, the actual number of violent domestic incidents is surely much higher.
- As of 2010, there were 582 cases of missing or murdered aboriginal women in Canada – a situation that has caused both Amnesty International and the United Nations to call upon our government to take action.
- More than 1 in 10 Canadian women have reported being stalked in a way that made them fear for their lives.
We must never stop working to end the violence against women that is endemic in our communities. CUPE Alberta will support all efforts to make Canada a safer place for all sisters.