Speaking out about governments who ‘refer to front-line workers as heroes while refusing to recognize their real value’ CUPE Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick encouraged delegates to fight for better wages and working conditions for all, and in particular for the lowest paid.
“Raising the wage and benefits floor, is the best way to ensure that the quality of public services improves,” said Rennick.
Rennick said the first step towards improving the lives of Alberta workers has to be changing the government in the provincial election on May 29th.
“We sure need big change in Alberta—we need Rachel Notley as premier.”
“Danielle Smith revealed her vision of what health care should be. She said maybe Albertans should start paying for visits to the doctor. She mused about charging patients a portion of the cost of major surgeries” said Rennick. “She is not a person to trust—not with our health, and not with our lives.”
After the election, Rennick told delegates to work hard to gain ground at the bargaining table. And she pledged that CUPE would provide the financial support to achieve those goals. Rennick pointed to her first budget as Secretary-Treasurer as setting the stage for those battles.
“Every new available dollar has gone to increase staffing positions and programs across the country,” said Rennick. “National programs and services that you count on are strengthened. Support for provincial divisions is going up and new staff positions are being put in place in every region of the country including Alberta.”
Rennick also mentioned the CUPE Safe Union Spaces Working Group addressing harassment and gender-based discrimination and violence within CUPE.
“Making our union safer for all—is a collective responsibility that involves all of us. It is an ongoing responsibility, one that won’t have an endpoint, but one that will make us stronger.”