Today’s provincial budget chips away at the incomes of hard-working public employees and their families while failing to increase revenues through progressive taxation, CUPE Alberta Treasurer Glynnis Lieb said.
“The Premier is picking the pockets of public workers,” Lieb said. “Demanding wage concessions while eliminating health care tax cost-sharing means less money for our kids’ after-school activities and less money for groceries and rent.”
“Once again, the Conservative government attacked middle class workers instead of looking to wealthy Albertans and corporations for their fair share of tax revenues,” she said.
“And cutting almost 1700 health care jobs means more stress on already over-worked employees and longer wait times for all,” Lieb said.
CUPE Alberta has called on the province to replace its flat tax with a progressive tax system and increase resource royalties and corporate taxes.
The budget falsely claimed Alberta public services cost more than other provinces.
“This is simply not true,” Lieb said. “Alberta falls below the national average when it comes to how much we spend on public services, on a per person basis.”
“And as a portion of our overall economy, Alberta spends LESS than any other province,” she said.
Lieb said that CUPE Alberta will consult with their members on how to respond to the budget.
“Unlike the Premier, we’ll listen to what our members have to say,” she said.
“One thing is for sure: we’ll tell our members that they have to get out and vote,” Lieb said.
CUPE Alberta represents 34,000 public workers in education, health care, government services, municipalities and other workplaces.
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Contact: David Loan c: (613) 301-7468 o: (780) 484-7644
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