The latest edition of VOICE – CUPE Alberta’s Newsletter is now available online.
CUPE Alberta Equality Award
In addition to being a work of art, inukshuk means “to act in the capacity of a human.”
CUPE Locals in Alberta are invited to submit nominations for the CUPE Alberta Equality award.
The Equality award recognizes CUPE members whose work on equality issues has made a difference.
Deadline for nominations is February 12, 2016. Click here for more details
CUPE Alberta Health & Safety Award
Nominate a member who has made a significant contribution to the area of health and safety in Alberta.
December 6 – National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
On December 6, 1989 at École Polytechnique (a post secondary school in Montreal) a shooter went on a rampage. After separating women from men, the shooter killed fourteen women and injured ten others.
Since then, December 6th has been named “White Ribbon Day” as a day to remember those women, and all others who experience violence.
While massacres like the one in 1989 are thankfully rare, the statistics around Canadian violence against women are shocking:
- Half of all women in Canada have experienced at least one incident of physical or sexual violence after the age of 16.
- On average, every six days a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner.
- On any given day in Canada, more than 3,300 women (along with their 3,000 children) are forced to sleep in an emergency shelter to escape domestic violence. Every night, about 200 women are turned away because the shelters are full.
- Each year, over 40,000 arrests result from domestic violence—that’s about 12% of all violent crime in Canada. Since only 22% of all incidents are reported to the police, the real number is much higher.
December 6th event in Edmonton
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International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 3rd is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This is a United Nations sanctioned day that aims to help promote an understanding of people living with a disability and to encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being.
As a Union, CUPE aims to break down barriers to the disabled wherever possible. We work with employers to make reasonable accommodations for disabled workers, develop policies that create employment opportunities for the disabled, and educate our members and the public about the value to our communities disabled persons can add.
The Alberta Premier’s Council on the status of persons with disabilities is hosting events across the province.
Click here to find out what’s happening in your community.
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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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World AIDS Day – December 1st
December 1st is World AIDS day. It is a day to unite in the fight against AIDS and HIV.
More than 35 million people have died of AIDS or HIV since the virus was identified in 1984. There are 34 million people living with HIV globally.
Scientific advances have been made that make it possible for HIV positive persons to live long, productive lives. However, much of that progress is limited to patients living in prosperous countries with good health care systems. There is much to do for HIV patients in the third world, and among the poorer populations throughout the west.
If you want to support World AIDS Day, wear a red ribbon (or post one on your social media profile). You can also check this website for activities in your city, or to donate to AIDS research or assistance.
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Alberta delegates elected at National Convention
CUPE Alberta President Marle Roberts was one of three delegates from Alberta elected to CUPE’s National Executive Board at the recent CUPE convention in Vancouver.
Roberts was re-elected to the position of General Vice President (BC & Alberta). In addition to Roberts, David Graham (CUPE 941 – St. Albert Municipal Workers) was elected as Regional Vice President (Alberta) and Gloria Lepine (CUPE 3550 – Edmonton Public School Support Workers) was elected as Diversity Vice President.
You can see the whole list of newly elected National Executive Board members here.
Mark Hancock elected President of CUPE
Vancouver – Mark Hancock has been elected the national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Over 2,100 delegates, representing CUPE locals from across the country, elected Hancock to lead Canada’s largest union. The vote took place at CUPE’s 27th biennial national convention taking place this week in Vancouver. Read more…