Protect your future

Notley government accomplishments

  • Tightened rules around gay straight alliances in schools so kids can join without being outed.
  • Building a new neonatal care unit in St. Albert.
  • Cancelled the privatization of hospital lab services in Edmonton. Brought that service in-house under Alberta Health Services.
  • Started Alberta’s first housing strategy, building 4,000 units of affordable housing.
  • Promoting and fighting for the Trans Mountain pipeline and Alberta’s energy industry.

The NDP works for all Albertans .
CUPE Alberta

Mental health awareness day


January 25, 2017
Local 2157 President Lise Comeau and
Vice President Karli Matthews sit to talk at
Keyano College for mental health awareness day.

Health and Safety Award

Do you know a member who has made a significant contribution in the area of health and safety in Alberta?  If so, we would like to hear from you!

Closing date for nominations: December 31, 2016

Click here for more information.

Say “No” to paid plasma donation

PlasmaHealth Canada has opened the door for private clinics to buy blood plasma from donors. Commercializing Canada’s blood supply is not only a dangerous precedent, it’s wrong.

In February of 2016, Health Canada issued an operating license to Expharma/Canadian Plasma Resources to open the first paid plasma donation clinic in Saskatoon. The company has also indicated that it has similar licenses pending in Manitoba, British Columbia, and here in Alberta. Like a bad smell, this bad idea is blowing west.

 

 

So, what can the people of Alberta do?

Dear Local Executive and CUPE Members,

 Re: Relief FUND for CUPE Alberta members  

In light of the devastation caused by wild fires in the Fort McMurray area, CUPE Alberta is creating a Relief Fund to assist CUPE members in Alberta who are affected by this 2016 fire.

All monies collected will go directly to CUPE members, the funds will be split amongst CUPE Alberta members who have lost their homes or who will have to be relocated for an extended period of time.

We are asking locals to donate to the Relief Fund to assist our members in rebuilding their lives and homes, and restore hope for the future.

We are hoping to have all donations into the CUPE Alberta Office asap.   This will enable us to distribute the funds to the affected CUPE members.

Please forward your donation to:

CUPE Alberta Treasurer
ATTN: Relief Fund – Fire
300 – 10235 124 Street
Edmonton AB T5N 1P9

In solidarity,
Marle's signature
Marle Roberts
President, CUPE Alberta

 

April 28 – Day of Mourning

DayofMourning-Banner-01

Every day, workers around the world are injured and killed while trying to earn a living. In Alberta, workplace deaths number in the hundreds per year.

On April 28th we pause to remember those injured and killed while working, and re-commit to improving conditions so further deaths will not occur.

The last year has sadly seen its share of workplace deaths and injuries. However, there is some good news. Alberta has joined other provinces in Canada in protecting agricultural workers under labour and health and safety laws. In the first three months of 2016, WCB Alberta has approved 159 applications for compensation from farmworkers – applications that would have been denied last year.

There is still much more to be done. Workplace deaths are preventable. Please keep working to make our jobs safer.

Click here to find out about April 28 events in your area.

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Climate change plan will be good for Alberta

EDMONTON – CUPE Alberta’s President is adding her name to the list of people endorsing the province’s plan to address climate change.

Marle Roberts says the plan announced in November and endorsed by oil patch CEOs and environmentalists will help combat climate change and open new economic opportunities for Alberta.

“This plan will change the world view of our oil sands, and the view of Alberta,” said Roberts. “It will develop greener energy sources while at the same time, open up new markets for our oil and gas products.”

CUPE Alberta represents 35,000 public sector employees in the province.  Roberts says that while her union only represents a small number of energy workers – like all Albertans – CUPE members rely upon the industry.

“When the price of oil is high, Albertans have done well, and when oil is low, our economy suffers,” said Roberts. “This plan is first real attempt in a generation to diversify our economy and get us off the roller coaster dependence on oil prices.”

“Climate change is real, it is manmade, and we have to address it.  This plan does so while tackling our economic problems at the same time.  It deserves our support.”

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pk cope#491

Keep Alberta hospital labs public

lab-worker

Hospital lab privatization has failed in the past. Previous Alberta governments have tried selling lab work to private businesses, only to reverse course after patient safety was compromised, and costs went up. The previous PC government pushed ahead with a contract to give lab services to companies with a history of overcharging, driving up health care costs and disputes with regulators and governments.

Now, the NDP government has to decide whether to continue this course of action, find a new contractor, or move the lab services in house.

A letter signed by sixteen pathologists at the University of Alberta Hospital makes it clear doctors see huge risks to patients and the public under this scheme.

Privately run health care delivers poorer quality services at a higher costs. Join the call to bring our hospital labs into a publicly delivered system.

Ask the Alberta Minister of Health to reverse the privatization of hospital labs.

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

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

DL/vt COPE #491