A bad budget from a bad government

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Alberta’s 2022-23 budget is a master class of deception and gaslighting.  It pretends to have a lot of good news, but page after page signals more hardship for the people of the province.

Jason Kenney and the UCP are claiming this is a good news budget because it forecasts a small surplus for the coming fiscal year. This surplus is 100% based on record high gas and oil prices, which are not in the control of any government. It’s hard to imagine how any government wouldn’t balance the books in this context.

ECONOMY

A balanced provincial budget does not equal a healthy economy. Alberta has a 9% unemployment rate. Calgary has the highest unemployment rate among major cities.

Kenney and the UCP promised 55,000 new jobs. They are currently 138,000 jobs behind that pace.

POWER BILLS

And when you look at the budget details, you see a government not committed to the same priorities as Albertans.

Despite record high gas and electric bills, Jason Kenney has offered no relief for power or gas bills. The budget talks about possible gas rebates NEXT year, but only if gas rises to over $6.50 a gigajoule, a price they admit probably won’t happen.

Here are some other details the UCP won’t be spending your money to advertise:

K-12

The UCP decided to stop reporting the number of students in Alberta schools. They just won’t tell us. We do know there are 1,000 fewer teachers funded by the government than when the UCP took over in 2019. This year alone, there will be 554 fewer teachers than last year.

There will be $117 million in new school fees and school taxes.

MUNICIPAL PROJECTS/TRANSIT

The UCP is cutting $1 billion from municipal capital projects. They are even walking away from matching funds being offered from the Federal government for transit projects.

HEALTH CARE

Health care funding in Alberta is $100 million behind inflation from the start of the Kenney term. And remember, the system had extra costs due to the pandemic.  If you include a COVID recovery plan, there’s almost $1B less than 2021-22.

The promised new Red Deer Hospital? Forget it. The UCP budgeted only $139 million over the next three years. The cost of the hospital will be $1.8 billion, at this pace it won’t open for almost 40 years.

POST SECONDARY

There have been $690 million in cuts since UCP took office.

This year, tuition will increase by 10%.

CONCLUSION

Once again, Jason Kenney and the UCP are not being honest with Albertans.  They continue to try and deceive us about the state of the economy, and the mismanagement of public services we depend upon.

There is a little over a year before the next election. Let’s hope Albertans can survive until then.

Calgary long term care facilities to reduce staffing levels: Union lack of funding cited

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While the fifth wave of the COVID pandemic has caused most jurisdictions to require higher staffing levels at most long term care facilities, some local operators are being forced to reduce hours to make up for government funding gaps.

CUPE Alberta says its members working at Intercare Corporate Group Inc. are having their hours reduced and some positions are being eliminated. Over 75 part time employees and 41 full time employees working at Chinook Care Centre, Southwood Care Centre and Brentwood Care Centre are losing hours. Most of the reductions are happening in housekeeping and laundry, but some dietary positions are also being reduced and one unit clerk position is being eliminated.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill says funding for long term care facilities has not increased since before the pandemic, even as costs go up.

“The Kenney government’s budget and approach to COVID continues to cause needless pain and suffering,” said Gill. “The UCP learned nothing from early outbreaks at seniors’ facilities and are continuing to pinch pennies and force seniors to make do with less.”

Gill noted that a government review of continuing care released last May called for increases in staffing levels at seniors’ care facilities. Then Health Minister Tyler Shandro claimed in the Legislature that the government was working on an action plan to implement those recommendations.

“Eight months after promising seniors higher levels of care, we’re seeing cuts,” said Gill. “As usual, the UCP says one thing, does another and lies through its teeth.”

CUPE passes emergency motion to fight bad legislation from Jason Kenney

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CUPE passed an emergency resolution at our National Convention to use ‘all means necessary’ to fight Jason Kenney’s Bill 81. The bill makes it near impossible for unions to comment on public issues.

Alberta delegate Lee Ann Kalen called Bill 81 “Another tactic from Jason Kenney to silence unions.”  Appealing to delegates from other provinces, Kalen said “Alberta needs your support – because other conservative governments are taking note.”

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill called Bill 81 “Yet another law curtailing free speech. The UCP is trying to shut down debate.”

Gill continued: “The UCP are going to fail. They are going to fail because things are changing in Alberta in ways I never thought possible. The union movement is getting stronger every day.”  “You can’t shut the union up. You can’t shut CUPE up.”

The motion was passed by 97% of delegates.

 

 

CUPE Alberta Division Executive endorses Candace Rennick for CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer

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The CUPE Alberta Division Executive is proud to endorse Candace Rennick for CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer.

“Candace has spent her entire working life fighting for workers’ rights. She has walked the walk for decades and demonstrated a fierce dedication to the labour movement. She has a vision for a future where CUPE is an even stronger, more inclusive and diverse union. The CUPE Alberta Division Executive is proud to lend our support to Candace Rennick, who will help lead our organization into the next chapter,” said CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill.

Candace Rennick has served as the Secretary-Treasurer to CUPE Ontario for the last 11 years. In her role she has positioned CUPE Ontario to support a strong and effective fight back campaign against government austerity.  She has served on CUPE’s National Executive Board since 2003 and is a member of the Canadian Council of the Canadian Labour Congress.

“The CUPE Alberta Division Executive is confident that Candace will work in the best interests of all workers and their families,” said Gill.

The National Secretary-Treasurer election will take place at the CUPE National Convention, which will be held virtually November 23-26, 2021.

This endorsement is made on behalf of the CUPE Alberta Executive and does not represent the endorsement of individual CUPE locals.

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CUPE Alberta recognizes and acknowledges the intergenerational trauma of Canada’s Indigenous communities. In recent years, Canadians have been coming to terms with the horror of what happened at residential schools, a truth that survivors and their families have always known. We share in the deep pain and anger of Canada’s Indigenous communities, and we recommit ourselves, today and every day, to the process of reconciliation.

September 30th, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is an opportunity to reflect on the history of our country and the legacy of residential schools. The Alberta Government’s decision not to recognize the day is an attack on Indigenous communities and sends the wrong message to all Canadians. CUPE Alberta is observing the day and calling on the UCP government to step up as a true partner to Indigenous peoples.

The road to reconciliation is painful but we must walk it together: we must listen, learn, and take action to support the healing of our Indigenous communities. CUPE Alberta, with the support and guidance of the Alberta Aboriginal Council, will be taking a number of concrete steps that support the education, consultation and training of our members. Reconciliation is an essential component in solidarity building across Canada and we all have a role to play. We encourage all members to find opportunities to learn and reflect on our shared history as we work together to build a more equitable and inclusive society.

In solidarity,

Sherry Elliott
Senator, CUPE Alberta Aboriginal Council

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Rory Gill
CUPE Alberta President