Month: June 2020

A bill before the Alberta Legislature will put Alberta’s blood collection system in peril by allowing private interests to ship plasma out of the province and country.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) who represents employees at Canadian Blood Services, says the Kenney government is giving for-profit blood brokers the ability to operate freely, including the ability to ship blood to other countries.

“Private blood brokers do not create self-sufficiency in Canada because they make their profits by selling the plasma internationally,” said CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill. “Blood brokers pull donors from the public system, depleting our supply chain.”

“It’s not worth the lives of patients needing blood to make a few dollars for friends of the UCP,” said Gill. “This is a move being done to reward business interests close to the Kenney government, not to save money or provide better health care.”

“The Kenney government needs to scrap the bill, and reverse this dangerous, corrupt blood for money scheme.”

Two-thirds of administrative staff now gone

RED DEER – Another 39 CUPE positions were eliminated and reduced from Red Deer College today in a move the union is calling “devastating to programs and services going forward.”

CUPE Local 1445 President Trina Carroll says there were once 157 people in her union delivering support services to students. Carroll says 43 were let go due to COVID-19 and Red Deer College has given no indication when or if they will all return.

“Students, faculty and even the public are going to see a dramatic reduction in the quality of program supports at the College,” said Carroll. “I am very concerned as to how we will be able to deliver a proper education support, or even provide services.”

In a media announcement early today, Red Deer College announced that recreation centres have been moved to Phase 2, so are in preparation to re-open the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre. Carroll stated, “The College will be running the centre with minimal staff, all parts of the college will struggle to offer required services given the cuts we faced.”

“Provincial cutbacks are devastating post secondary education in Alberta,” said Carroll. “We were promised no cuts to front line services, but that promise has not been kept.”

BANFF – Jason Pratt, President of CUPE 4318 issued the following statement in reaction to the layoff of almost 400 employees at the Banff Centre. The Centre has placed 284 members on long term leave and another 100 on short term layoff.

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“CUPE Local 4318 members are immensely saddened by the news of the permanent layoff of friends and coworkers who have been a part of Banff Centre for many years.  CUPE Local 4318 will continue to work with the centre, in hopes that all of its members have jobs when the Centre eventually and fully reopens.

Many of the staff are struggling with the uncertainty and are in a position where they will have to make tough decisions about their lives and futures. In the interim, we strive to help our members by answering their questions and addressing issues in their hour of need.  We are working with the employer to ensure all staff will receive their entitlements in accordance with the collective agreement.  Arrangements have been made to feed staff, reduce rent for on site workers, and assisting with job services to help find other employment.  We at CUPE Local 4318 remain hopeful that the Banff Centre will one day reopen fully, but we remain limited by the coronavirus and the ability to facilitate on site programming.”