Cuts to education and health a betrayal of Jason Kenney’s promise

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Statement by CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill on today’s provincial budget:

During the provincial election this spring, Jason Kenney promised to ‘maintain or increase’ public services. Today’s budget breaks that promise.

Kenney is not freezing spending on health care and education, cuts will come. They will come as costs increase and services are squeezed as a result. Doctor’s fees and other contracts will have to be honoured, and that means money will be taken from front line services. Longer wait times, poorer care, fewer nurses with more patients is what we can expect.

In fact, in this budget – Jason Kenney is cutting nurses, rural doctors, drug services and ambulance services. These are real cuts that will hurt all Albertans. 

In education, it’s the same story – as the population grows, school districts will be squeezed. In turn, they will put more kids into each class, and hire fewer teachers, support staff, custodial workers and educational assistants to try and keep things going. 

The Kenney budget cuts Educational Assistants, it cuts funding for class size reduction, and it cuts funding to keep school fees low.

In what universe is this ‘maintaining services in health and education?’

Other services will be even worse off. A 10% cut in post secondary education is the exact opposite approach Alberta should be taking. We need to train people for high tech jobs of the future. Not increase tuition and lower standards in our colleges and universities.  Tuition is expected to jump by as much as 23%, and families will no longer have the education tax credit to help out.

Municipal grants have been cut. This means less funding for roads, building and new projects. And if cities decide to cover the provincial funding themselves, they will take the funds from operations – meaning rec centres, libraries and other public spaces will reduce hours. Trash collection and road repair will be even less frequent, and wait times to get access to municipal services will increase.

And everyone’s income taxes are also increasing as the government de-indexes the tax exemptions. Amazingly, they still claim they are not raising taxes.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The Kenney government moved quickly to give a $4.5 billion tax cut to already profitable corporations. They claimed this would create jobs, but companies like Husky merely pocketed the windfall while laying off hundreds in Calgary.

The Kenney cut backs save $1.3 billion. The corporate tax give away cost $4.5 billion. These are the choices Jason Kenney has made.

AISH recipients (who cannot work due to disabilities) lose indexing. Kenney says it’s not a big deal. It is a big deal. All of it is a big deal.

We need to fight back, and we will fight back. But I can’t do it alone. CUPE members must speak up. Watch this space for more updates, share this video, attend union meetings, sign petitions and go to rallies. It all helps. We’re all in this together – and we have to take our province back.

 

 

STAND TOGETHER AGAINST BILL 9

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Workers and supporters across the province are taking action and standing together against Bill 9.

Our contracts, our wages and our rights are under attack.  Come out and join the fight against the UCP’s Bill 9 at info-pickets being organized across Alberta.

 

Edmonton

Thursday, October 24, 2019
4:30pm – 5:30pm

Rundle Centre
3341 – 118 Avenue
Edmonton, AB

Picket in the parking Lot

 

Medicine Hat

Monday, October 28, 2019
11:00am – 1:00pm

Medicine Hat Regional Hospital
666 – 5 Street SW, Medicine Hat, AB

Picket on the corner of 8th Ave SW and 5th St SW

 

For more information please visit:

https://www.aupe.org/news-and-publications/campaigns/fight-back-aupe

 

CUPE Alberta Region – Seeking Member Facilitators

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CUPE Alberta Region is looking to expand the roster of available Member Facilitators.  If you have taken CUPE Courses, have an interest in Union Education and would be willing to be trained to become a Member Facilitator please click the link below for the application.

CUPE Member Facilitators Application

Roster’s are based on many factors such as geographical area represented, members of equity seeking groups, or positive experience or involvement within the local.  For further information please refer to the link below for the full letter from Audrey Barr, Education Representative, Alberta Region.  If you have further questions Audrey can be contacted at abarr@cupe.ca.

CUPE Alberta Region – Letter Re:  Call-Out for Member Facilitators

 

Wood Buffalo Housing lockout ends CUPE members vote to accept mediator’s recommendations

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FORT MCMURRAY – Unionized employees of Wood Buffalo Housing voted last night to accept the recommendations of a mediator to end the five-month lock out at the public housing agency.

The lockout, which started May 10th, impacted all 46 CUPE members working for WBH. The dispute centered on the company’s desire to contract out services conducted by groundskeeping, housekeeping and maintenance employees.

CUPE Local 1505 President Judy Collier said she is satisfied with the results.

“After five months on the picket line, our members have fought and won an important battle,” said Collier.

“While we didn’t get everything we wanted, our actions made a difference and showed Wood Buffalo Housing that employees are not expendable.”

Collier said the mediator’s recommendations saved many of the jobs set to be contracted out, guarantees no further contracting out, and increases the severance package for those who are not protected.

Workers return to work Oct 23.

“In the days to come, the new normal starts at WBHD. Many of our members go back to doing what they love – helping residents and serving our community.”

“Lockouts and strikes are challenging, I could not be prouder of our members. They have shown strength, courage and determination against a hostile employer. They’ve stood up for themselves and earned the respect they deserve.”

 

Mediator makes recommendation to end Wood Buffalo Housing lockout

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FORT MCMURRAY, AB – The union representing 46 locked out workers at Wood Buffalo Housing has confirmed that there is a potential settlement to end the almost five-month labour dispute.

Judy Collier, President of CUPE 1505 confirmed that parties had difficulties coming to a final agreement, but the union will present a mediator’s recommendation to members over the next few days and that members will be able to vote to accept or reject the recommendation.

“After five months on the picket line, taking the mediator’s recommendations to our members for a vote is our best option,” said Collier. “CUPE will support the members, whatever decision the members make.”

CUPE will not discuss the details of the mediator’s report until after it has been explained to members.

EDMONTON ELECTION TRAINING CAMP

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Hosted by the Canadian Labour Congress:

When:  Saturday, September 14, 2019 – 11:30 am – 3:30 pm

Where: Hudson’s Pub on Whyte Ave (10307 – 82 Avenue NW) (Private Room Rented)

What:    Training on Federal Election Issues and a Social to Build Momentum

The event will have speakers and training in the morning with a “use what you’ve learned” canvass taking place after lunch.

Facebook link for more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/447264009214009/

This event is open to the public and is kid-friendly, and the venue is accessible for all abilities.  Parking is street parking.

Further Details about the Federal Election Training & Social in Alberta:

What does it take to move the needle and have our progressive values front of mind in our communities?

It takes showing up. It takes sharing ideas to drive our collective momentum. It takes building connections with each other to then feel emboldened to speak loud and proud about what YOU believe in.

Join the fun on September 14th, meet others that are fighting to keep our Edmonton-Strathcona riding orange and to expand that orange centre.

We’ve seen what Jason Kenney and the UCP is doing to the rights of working people, how he is trying to mess with our collective agreements and trying to take away the funding streams we rely on to have a vibrant labour movement in Alberta.

Let alone how he is regressing the gains we’ve made in women’s rights and LGBTQ2S+ protections.

We’ve had enough and having his buddy Andrew Scheer in office at the federal level will give them an immense amount of power to destroy and regress our rights.

Being active in this election is crucial so the right-wing extremist Premiers don’t have a federal leader that could open up our constitution to tear apart the protections that Canada is built on


Itinerary:

11:30 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
Welcome and Greetings from the Canadian Labour Congress & Alberta’s Labour Leaders

11:50 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.
Election Training | Know the Issues & Make a Difference

12:45 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
Lunch (provided), Mingle & Build Momentum

1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Meet our Alberta NDP Candidates for the Federal Election

2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Use Our New Knowledge and Canvass

CUPE disappointed in court decision

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Government should honour signed contract because that’s what honourable people do – Gill

The President of CUPE Alberta is disappointed in today’s court ruling removing the injunction against Bill 9 – the Kenney Government legislation that rewrites collective agreements of many public sector workers.

President Rory Gill said Alberta union members have a right to expect their government to abide by signed contracts.

“When Jason Kenney tears up your contract, even on small matters, it means he doesn’t respect you,” said Gill. “You wouldn’t buy a toaster from someone who reneged on a deal, because that person has demonstrated they are not honourable.”

Gill said that while CUPE is not part of the court decision, there are some CUPE contracts that are affected by Bill 9.

“Alberta workers need to know that today’s decision is a minor legal setback, and every public sector union is committed to fighting for their interests,” said Gill. “A deal is a deal. That’s basic schoolyard stuff.”

What’s wrong with the word ‘public’?

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CUPE suspects UCP has an agenda

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill smells a rat.

“Taking the word ‘public’ out of the names of public-school districts makes no sense, and is of such little value I have to believe something else is at play.”

The leader of the 38,000 member union was reacting to the news Alberta Education Minister Adriana LaGrange issued a Ministerial order striking the word ‘public’ from all Alberta School Division names.

Gill believes it’s a subtle change aimed at getting Albertans ready for more private schools.

“The term public implies ‘open to anyone’ and ‘in the broad community interest’ and said there is great value in keeping the term in the names of Alberta school divisions.”

“Who could be against a word that implies inclusion and community benefit?” asked Gill. “Why would a government want divisions to spend tax dollars on rebranding?”

“The Kenney government has already sent strong signals it wants to increase the number of private, elite schools in the province, and this move is clearly a means to hide them among other schools in our communities.”

“Instead of taking the public out of public schools, let’s just be honest about the other schools and call them what they are – schools for the rich and privileged.”