ALF V1

Action Request: Stop The Wage Freeze Rally

When: Wednesday, November 27, 2013 at 2:30 p.m.

Where: Legislative Assembly of Alberta 10800 - 97 Avenue NW, Edmonton

Issue:
The Government of Alberta has announced they will table anti-worker legislation this afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Although the details of the legislation have been withheld from the public, it is expected to undermine collective bargaining by imposing a wage freeze on public sector employees, and to introduce extreme and punitive fines for wildcat strikes.

This rally will feature workers and elected representatives from across the union movement.

Please show up and fight for your right to collective bargaining.

For more information, please contact Olav Rokne, AFL Communications Director at 780-289-6528 or via email [email protected].

2013 Fact Sheet 6_Alberta has a Revenue Problem_2013_Nov27

6 of 6 fact sheets issued

Fact Sheet 1_Breaking a Promise and the Law_Rollbacks_2013_Nov27

1 of 6 fact sheets issued

2013 Fact Sheet 4_Breaking a Promise and Breaking the Law-Public Sector Wages

4 of 6 fact sheets issued

Fact Sheet 3_Alberta Economy Booming_2013Nov27

3 0f 6 fact sheets issued

Fact Sheet 2_Breaking a Promise and Breaking the Law-Supreme Court_2013_Nov27

2 of 6 fact sheets issued

Employers getting the green light for TFWs even when there are 2.3 unemployed Albertans for every job vacancy

Edmonton - The president of Alberta's largest worker advocacy group released new figures today, showing Alberta's robust labour market is leaving some Albertans out in the cold.

For the first six months of 2013, the Alberta labour market grew by 81,300 jobs. During that same period, 21,412 temporary foreign workers (TFWs) were brought to work in Alberta.

"The economy is growing at a reasonable pace, but there was a temporary foreign worker brought to Alberta for 26% of those jobs," says Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

At the same time, Statistics Canada reported yesterday there are 2.3 unemployed Albertans for every vacant job.

McGowan says the 2012 figures for Alberta are even more shocking.

The Alberta economy grew by 54,900 new jobs in 2012. However, there were 35,680 temporary foreign workers brought to Alberta that year, meaning there was a temporary foreign worker brought to Alberta for 65% of new jobs in the economy.

McGowan added that the above figures represent only those TFWs who arrived in Alberta in 2012. There were 68,339 total TFWs present in Alberta in 2012, or 124% of new jobs created in the province that year.

The AFL President reiterated his call for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to be scrapped in favour of comprehensive immigration reform that would see foreign workers come to Canada as permanent residents.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, CANSIM Tables 282-0001 and 282-0002. Government of Canada, Citizenship and Immigration, Quarterly Data Release.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Gil McGowan, President, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780-218-9888 (cell)

The number of unemployed Canadians outnumbers the number of vacant jobs in Canada.

2013 Factsheet: Job Vacancy Numbers Released Today

AFL President Congratulates UFCW 401 on Supreme Court Ruling

Edmonton – Gil McGowan, President of The Alberta Federation of Labour, offered his congratulations to the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401 for winning a major victory for the rights of workers.

Today the Supreme Court of Canada struck down Alberta's privacy laws as unconstitutional in relation to members of UFCW 401 recording individuals who chose to cross the 2006 picket line at Edmonton’s Palace Casino.

“This ruling ensures freedom of expression for working people and their unions,” said McGowan. “It’s a win for the rights of unions to fully represent workers during labour disputes.”

Doug O’Halloran, President of UFCW 401 said, “The Supreme Court has long recognized the importance of freedom of expression and we’re pleased with this ruling. This is an important victory for a union’s right to represent and protect workers.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Gil McGowan, President, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780-218-9888 (cell)