Month: April 2015

CUPE Alberta President statement on the death of City of Edmonton worker

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CUPE Alberta President: Death of City of Edmonton worker affects us all

CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts today said workers across the province are grieving after the death of a City employee and CUPE Local 30 member from an accident last week.

“I join with my union brothers and sisters across Alberta in offering our deepest condolences to this young worker’s family, and to his friends and co-workers,” she said.

“When one of us is hurt, we all feel the loss,” Roberts said. “We all pause and think about the times we’ve had near accidents, and about how our families would be affected.”

Roberts pointed out that April 28 was the International Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job.

“We gathered this week to remember those we’ve lost over the past year,” Roberts said. “We also recognized the importance of improving workplace safety. It’s said that workplace accidents are almost always preventable, so it’s especially tragic when they still happen”.

“We have lost a friend, a brother, a worker, and a valuable member of our community. We are diminished by our loss,” Roberts said.

 

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City mourns loss of City of Edmonton worker

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Members of CUPE Local 30, representing City of Edmonton workers, are deeply moved by the loss of a colleague and friend who died today from injuries sustained in a workplace accident last week.

“We are shaken and saddened,” Local 30 President Mike Scott said. “Our thoughts are with his family today.”

Scott said this is the second workplace death in the past 12 months. Earlier this year, city worker Harl Hawley passed away suddenly while working at the Grand Trunk Recreational Centre.

“An injury to one is an injury to all,” Scott said. “We must never take safety for granted, and this tragedy reminds us all of the importance of choosing safety over convenience.”

“We will be working with the roadways department to ensure another accident like this will never happen again,” Scott said.

“Today is a sad day for workers across the city and across our province,” Scott said

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Statement from CUPE Alberta President for the National Day of Mourning – April 28

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Statement from CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts for the
National Day of Mourning on April 28th

The Canadian Union of Public Employees established the first National Day of Mourning in 1984. We did so to remember those brothers and sisters killed or injured on the job and to dedicate ourselves to fighting for safer work environments.

CUPE’s idea was quickly adopted by the Canadian Labour Congress and by other unions, and is now recognized in over 80 countries world-wide.

Today, we remember our own.

CUPE 4946 member Dellis Partridge was killed at work during his first shift as a bus driver with the Peace River School Division.

CUPE 30 member Harl Hawley, a pool service employee with the City of Edmonton, passed away suddenly while working at the Grand Trunk Recreational Centre.

Our thoughts are with their families, friends, and co-workers today.

Just last week, another CUPE 30 member was badly injured while unloading a City of Edmonton dump truck. His condition is still critical, and we hope his recovery is successful.

With these members in mind, we renew our commitment to our right to health and safety and to respect on the job.

The National Day of Mourning was born of the values of the union movement, to mourn the dead and the sick and the injured.

But let us fight, too, for the living. Let us fight for safe workplaces.  Every day.

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Canadian Union of Public Employees Alberta Speaks Out Against C-51

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 (April 18, 2015) Canadians attending rallies in Calgary and Edmonton to protest Bill C-51 – the federal government’s new “security” law – heard from CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts and Treasurer Glynnis Lieb.

“The Canadian Union of Public Employees believes in democratic rights to free speechCUPE Alberta Speaks Out Against C-51 and to assembly,” Roberts said at the Calgary rally. “C-51 threatens to paint anyone who opposes this repressive government as a terrorist, with the aim of scaring people away from dissent.”

Speaking in Edmonton, Lieb said the law would allow government agencies like the health department to share personal information with the RCMP.

“Your financial records, your health records – they all become fodder for government agents,” Lieb said. “What was once considered to be the stuff of conspiracy theories is IMG_20150418_125805745becoming the law of the land in Canada.”

Public support for C-51 has dropped to less than 33 per cent across Canada, as citizens learn more about the bill and its impacts.

“So far, only the NDP is opposing this bill in the House of Commons,” Roberts said. “We’re calling on CUPE members to write their MPs and call on them to kill this legislation.”

“C-51 must be stopped,” Roberts said.

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AFL Resolution 902 – Fort McMurray International Airport Out-sourcing Jobs to Temporary Foreign Workers

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Resolution No. 902 – Fort McMurray International Airport Out-sourcing Jobs to   Temporary Foreign Workers

The Alberta Federation of Labour will support CUPE in opposing the outsourcing of unionized custodial and security jobs at the Fort McMurray International Airport Authority to contractors who use the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to make low-ball bids based on below-poverty-line wages.

The Alberta Federation of Labour will work with affiliate and non-affiliate unions to devise and implement a protest strategy aimed at convincing the Fort McMurray International Airport authority to reverse its decision on contracting out.

Because the unemployment rate in the Fort McMurray area has almost doubled in the past six months and the use of Temporary Foreign workers in most positions can no longer be justified.

Because the company hiring the guest workers from the TFWP is offering $14.50/hour, which is far below the cost of living in Fort McMurray.

Because low energy prices will result in many Canadians and landed immigrants losing jobs in the energy sector and related industries, especially in Fort McMurray.

Because there are questions as to whether Temporary Foreign Workers can obtain the necessary security clearances.

Because the TFWP should not be used to displace working Canadians or permanent residents.

Because the TFWP exploits workers by tying them to employers and denying them full labour-market mobility.

Because Canada needs real immigration, not an exploitive guest worker program.

Adopted unanimously by delegates to the AFL Convention, April 18, 2015

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CUPE calls on Wild Rose Leader Brian Jean to support Fort Mac airport custodians

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Quotes Jean: “Canadians should have first crack at any job they want” 

CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts asked Wild Rose leader Brian Jean to speak out against the Fort McMurray Airport Authority’s plan to privatize custodial services in favour of a company that relies on Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW).

“When he was in the House of Commons, Mr. Jean made very clear statements about the TFW program and the need to employ Canadians first,” Roberts said. “It’s time he intervened in the Fort McMurray situation on behalf of the Canadian workers.”

On May 1, 2013, while Member of Parliament for Fort McMurray-Athabasca, Mr. Jean said:

I have heard from union and non-union members throughout my constituency hat   they clearly want some changes to the temporary foreign worker program. We are here for Canadians, and Canadians should have first crack at any job they want, no matter what part of the country they are from.

“We agree with Mr. Jean in this regard,” Roberts said. “We ask him to bring his influence as a Fort McMurray politician, resident, and business owner to stop the Airport Authority from contracting out these jobs and laying off 24 hard-working Canadians.”

Last week, the Fort McMurray Airport Authority announced that custodial workers would lose their jobs to a private cleaning Company, Bill’s General Cleaning. Bill’s uses Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) in its services.

Since the announcement, Bill’s confirmed with the Edmonton Journal (Apr 11) that TFWs would be used to replace the Canadian employees.

According to his website, Bill’s pays on average half of what the current workers earn and less than half the average cost of living in Fort McMurray.

Many of the custodial workers are women with little education, few job prospects, but are the sole income earners in their households. Losing their jobs means applying for social assistance and possible homelessness.

“It’s time our political leaders speak in favour of Canadian workers and tell the Fort McMurray Airport Authority: No contracting out!” Roberts said.

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For more information, please contact David Loan, CUPE Alberta Communications Representative, (o) 780-484-7644 or (c) 613-301-7468

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Dirtier schools, reductions in services and support: Calgary Board of Ed response to provincial budget

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Is this where we want to send our kids?” asks CUPE 

The Calgary Board of Education’s budget assumptions report will result in 2nd class schools, CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts said today.

“From lower standards of cleanliness to limits on communications, services, and support, this report draws a very unattractive picture of where our schools are going,” Roberts said. “Is this really where we want to send our kids?”

Roberts was responding to a CBE report, “Budget Assumptions Report 2015-2018” that was tabled at the Board meeting yesterday.

The report is a response to the recent provincial budget. Among the report’s 22 recommendations are:

  • Cleanliness for CBE facilities will be reduced below current standards
  • The number of single custodian schools will increase
  • Communication services…will be reduced
  • Administrative supports and services will be reduced.

CUPE Local 40 President Bob Anderson, who represents CBE custodial staff, said the reduction in cleanliness will have a long-term impact on schools and shorten facilities’ lifespan.

“We saw three classrooms closed due to mould last year, and we’ll see more mould without constant care and monitoring,” Anderson said. “The province and the CBE can’t keep cutting back on infrastructure cleaning and maintenance.”

“It’s the death-of-a-thousand-cuts for our schools,” Anderson said.

Roberts said the issue begins with the provincial budget tabled last month.

“The Premier froze the education budget despite 2,500 new students coming in to the CBE this year alone,” Roberts said. “It’s a budget that doesn’t care about kids, and doesn’t care about the workers who support them in school every day.”

“Parents need to let the Province and the CBE know: we won’t accept 2nd class schools and we won’t accept this budget plan!”

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For information or interviews, please contact:

David Loan, CUPE Alberta Communications Representative,

(o)  780.484.7644 or (c)  613.301.7468

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26 Fort McMurray airport workers lose jobs to privatization, temporary foreign workers

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Twenty-six Fort McMurray airport custodial staff learned today that they are being fired, their jobs out-sourced to a company that recruits and hires temporary foreign workers.

“We’re in shock,” CUPE Local 1505 President Les Collins said. “Temporary foreign workers aren’t supposed to displace hard-working Canadians who want to keep their jobs.”

According to the Bill’s General Cleaning website, custodial staff will be paid only $14.50/hour, the equivalent of $30,160 per year before deductions. The Province of Alberta says the average cost of living in Fort McMurray is $65,000.

“Offering to pay workers considerably less than half of the cost of living is unconscionable,” Collins said. “This is simple exploitation.”

Bill’s General Cleaning has a sister company, which shares an office address and phone number, called Bill’s Recruiting. They specialize in recruiting and placement of temporary foreign workers (TFWs).

CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts is calling on the federal Minister of Labour to demand an investigation into the use of TFWs in this case.

“We want to know why long-term employees are being put out of work, and TFWs being brought in,” Roberts said. “How does this support the Canadian economy?”

“Our workers went through intensive security screening in order to work at an airport,” Collins said. “Safety is a major concern. How can we be sure of the backgrounds of people who have been in Canada only a few days?”

CUPE members and supporters intend to picket the airport and to contact municipal, provincial, and federal politicians to reverse the privatization plan.

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Contact: David Loan

o) 780-791-3411

c) 613-301-7468

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