ALF V1

The city of Edmonton is honouring the 100th anniversary of a local union with it's very own dedicated week of recognition.

Mayor Stephen Mandel and numerous councillors were on hand at City Hall Monday to declare June 11 to 17 Alberta Federation of Labour Centennial Celebration Week.

"It's to recognize that it's the 100th anniversary, and the contributions they've made to the city and to the workers in the province," said Mandel.

The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) was first formed by workers and farmers in 1912.

Today, the AFL represents 145,000 workers across the province, comprised of 29 unions from the public and private sector.

"We're very proud of what our organization has been able to accomplish over the last 100 years," said AFL President Gill McGowan.

"Many of the battles that were started by my predecessors that many years ago have been won, frankly."

Initial AFL objectives included ending child labour, setting a minimum wage, establishing occupational health and safety regulations, and hammering out a standard 40-hour work week.

McGowan said that while workers are better off as a result of ALF's work over the past century, both the current federal and provincial governments threaten worker rights.

"The (Stephen) Harper government has used back to work legislation not once, not twice, but five times just in the last year alone. And now they're considering legislation that is going to make it much more difficult for unions to do the job that they need to do on behalf of working people," he said.

McGowan also points to election platform policies from Premier Alison Redford and the Alberta Progressive Conservatives that aim to close "frivolous lawsuit loopholes," and give union members the ability to opt-out of union dues that "fund activities unrelated to collective bargaining and grievance administration."

Other policy points include laws that make it mandatory for the AFL to provide annual financial statements for members to show "how dues were spent in the previous year."

"As we come together today to celebrate 100 years, we also have to remind ourselves that there are battles that still need to be fought in order to protect the right of workers to join together in unions and bargain collectively," said McGowan.

The week of celebration includes a large gathering at Fort Edmonton Park June 16 that includes games for kids, a senior's tea, BBQ buffet dinner and a salute to the labour tribute.

For more information, visit www.afl.org.

Edmonton Sun, Mon Jun 11 2012
Byline: Tanara McLean

AFL vows to continue fight for rights as attacks on workers continue

The City of Edmonton today paid tribute to contributions union members have made to the city and province with a ceremony at City Hall.

"If one would look back a hundred years, one would be just appalled at the condition you worked in and the environment people worked in," said His Worship Mayor Stephen Mandel as he proclaimed this week to be "Alberta Federation of Labour Centennial Celebration Week" in Edmonton. He paid tribute to the "tremendous efforts and sacrifices" made by members of the labour movement to create the "rights and freedoms that are so important today, things we take for granted."

President Gil McGowan said the AFL was delighted that the City of Edmonton had agreed to honour the contribution of workers by making the proclamation as the federation, which represents 145,000 workers, celebrates its centennial.

"It's important for us to remember the contributions that workers and unions have made to this province in the last 100 years – and the obstacles they overcame and the attacks they endured. Unions have led the fight for fair wages, safe workplaces and an end to discrimination on the basis of race, creed, gender and orientation," he said.

"Unions have been instrumental in creating a strong working class and middle class, where people get a fair wage for their hard work and are able to provide homes for their families and give their children a good education."

However, McGowan stressed the work of unions was not finished, with workers' rights under attack across the country. "The struggle continues as we see moves to drive down wages under the federal government's Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, to restrict Employment Insurance (EI) payments to laid-off workers and to keep people in the workplace until the age of 67 under proposed changes to Old Age Security (OAS) rules," he said.

"If the Harper government continues down this path, all workers will be worse off, our communities will be worse off as their economies shrink in line with falling wages, and local businesses will be worse off as people stop spending. The only winners will be Harper's big-business backers," said McGowan.

"The Harper government is hell-bent on attacking unions in the same way he is going after charities and environmental groups. Anyone who speaks up, anyone who argues against Tory ideology, has become a target. They will be met with vigorous resistance. We've been here for 100 years – and we're not going away now, when people need us."

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CONTACT: Gil McGowan, AFL president, 780-218-9888

Photo: AFL president Gil McGowan, left, receives a framed proclamation and congratulations from His Worship Mayor Stephen Mandel at Edmonton City Hall on Monday, June 11

Changes will depress all workers' wages, union boss says

Accelerated approvals for temporary foreign workers and provisions that allow employers to pay them up to 15 per cent less than Albertans will depress wages for oilsands workers, says the province's labour federation.

Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, presented a torn-up paycheque to staff at federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's office in Calgary Friday to protest changes he says will rip off an estimated 100,000 workers building and operating heavy oil facilities.

"Construction companies have convinced the Harper government that costs are out of control and that desperate measures are need," said McGowan, "but these changes will just make it tougher for ordinary people to get their fair share of the resource pie."

But the head of the association that represents non-union construction firms said the federal initiative is essential to shortening the nine-month wait his members currently face in getting approvals for foreign workers to fill vacant positions.

Steven Kushner, president of the Merit Contractors Association, said paying foreign workers less is fair given they often don't have the experience of Alberta tradesmen and because companies often spend over $10,000 in finder's fees and other expenses to get them into the country.

"We will still be looking to fill those jobs first with Canadians rather than undergoing the cost and delay of getting in a foreign worker," Kushner said.

Under the new rules for the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, employers of construction trades with a clean record can get approval to hire offshore within 10 days.

Where in the past foreign workers had to be paid the average wage for that occupation in the region, they can now be offered 15 per cent less, provided there are Canadians on the payroll who are working for the same rate.

Daniel Maher, an electrician and new father who has worked much of his 15-year career in the oilsands, is worried the new measures will lower wages and impact his ability to provide for his family.

"There's honestly a shortage of trades," said Maher, "but if they're going to bring people in, they should be paid the same."

Edmonton Journal, Sat Jun 9 2012
Byline: Matt McClure

Workers who have helped build this province now under attack, says AFL

A century of contributions by working Albertans will be honoured by the Mayor of Edmonton in a special ceremony on Monday, June 11.

Mayor Stephen Mandel will proclaim the week of June 11-17 to be "Alberta Federation of Labour Centennial Celebration Week" in Edmonton.

"The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) is delighted that the City of Edmonton has agreed to honour the contribution of workers by making this proclamation," says Gil McGowan, president of the federation, which represents 145,000 workers.

"The AFL was created in 1912 by workers and farmers who saw the need for an organization that would protect their common interests and make their communities stronger. It's important, 100 years later, to remember the role unions played in building this province – and that Alberta was at the forefront of the national struggle for workers' rights," he says.

"That struggle continues as we see moves to drive down wages under the federal government's Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, to restrict Employment Insurance (EI) payments to laid-off workers and to keep people in the workplace until the age of 67 under proposed changes to Old Age Security (OAS) rules."

The proclamation is one of many events being held around the province this year to celebrate the AFL centennial.

The highlight will be a full day of activities at Fort Edmonton Park on Saturday, June 16, which is expected to draw a crowd of thousands.

TIME: 1:30 p.m., Monday, June 11.

LOCATION: Foyer of Edmonton City Hall. The proclamation will be made in front of a labour-history display celebrating the contributions workers have made to life in Alberta.

ATTENDING: Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel, AFL president Gil McGowan and union members.

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For more information:

Media Contact: Gil McGowan, President @ 780-218-9888 (cell) or 780-483-3021 (office)

Oil-sands workers to bear brunt of wage cuts, reveals AFL analysis of Temporary Foreign Worker Program changes

Calgary – Alberta workers presented a torn-up paycheque to federal Immigration Minister Jason Kenney's Calgary office today to protest the way his Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) Program is ripping off working people.

"Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that allow employers to pay foreign workers 15 per cent less than the prevailing wage in the area are specifically designed to drive down wages for all workers – especially workers in the oil sands," says Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour which represents 145,000 workers. "We are presenting this torn paycheque to symbolize Kenney's rip-off of Albertans."

"The Conservative changes are a gift to employers, especially non-union construction companies operating in the oil sands, but it will hit Alberta families straight in the pocketbook and be reflected in their paycheques," says McGowan. To support his point, McGowan released a technical background document on temporary foreign workers today. The analysis shows the policy is explicitly aimed at taking down high-wage, high-skilled trades occupations in Alberta.

"Harper's new rules let non-union construction firms bring in temporary foreign workers by the thousands and pay them 15 per cent less than the going rate in the construction trades," says McGowan.

The AFL analysis shows the TFW program "is being used as a hammer to beat unionized construction workers out of oil-sands construction jobs," says McGowan.

"The Harper government is giving advantage to their friends in the non-union construction sector, such as Merit Contractors," says McGowan.

Oil-sands construction companies and low-wage lobby groups including the Canadian Federation of Independent Business have been pushing for an expanded TFW program to address a shortage of workers in select high-skilled occupations, alleging labour costs are what is driving overall oil-sands construction costs. McGowan also released figures today showing labour costs were not responsible for cost overruns on oil-sands construction projects.

McGowan adds that the wild-west pace of development in Alberta's oil sands is squarely to blame for any inflation, any labour shortages and cost overruns in the sector.

"The wild-west stampede to the oil sands is what is really to blame here. The Harper government – and its right-wing, anti-union, Tea-Party-style friends like Merit Contractors and the Canadian Federation of Business – would have us use Alberta's construction workers as scapegoats. But the real labour shortage culprit is a breakneck pace of oil-sands development," says McGowan.

"Pacing development, and putting Alberta families' interests before oil company profits, is the conversation Stephen Harper and his friends in the non-union construction sector don't want to have," concludes McGowan.

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MEDIA:

For more information call: Gil McGowan, President @ 780-218-9888 (cell) or 780-483-3021 (office)

WASHINGTON — As a laboratory of democracy, the battle to recall Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin had all of the messy pieces: a clash of armies on the ground, the influence of a vast amount of money and the broader context of an improving but still sagging economy.

Republicans harnessed it all to Mr. Walker's advantage, tapping into the public's queasiness about the wisdom of a recall and its divided opinions about union benefits to deliver a blunt warning to President Obama and Democrats about what they might face in November.

Mr. Walker's victory was helped by political crosscurrents unique to Wisconsin, where the historic union-led attempt to remove the governor halfway through his four-year term was the culmination of red-hot anger over his push to end collective bargaining for public workers. But the outcome also provided a kind of election-year exercise that put on full display the financial, economic and organizational forces that are already shaping the presidential contest between Mr. Obama and Mitt Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee.

"Wisconsin was a microcosm of the national race," said Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, chairman of the Republican Governors Association. "The issues that Scott Walker campaigned and ran on are the same issues that are going to divide Mitt Romney and Barack Obama."

But whether Mr. Romney can produce the same result as Mr. Walker is unclear. Exit polls showed that 17 percent of the same voters who opposed the recall of their Republican governor also said they preferred Mr. Obama. Many also said Mr. Obama would do a better job on the economy and for the middle class than would Mr. Romney. And swing states, including Wisconsin, are generally doing better economically than the country as a whole.

Ed Gillespie, a senior adviser to Mr. Romney's campaign, said the Wisconsin vote underscores the power of the broader Republican argument in the presidential race about the size and role of government. But he noted that Wisconsin does not automatically lean Republican.

"I don't think we should assume that because there was a victory yesterday, there will be a victory in November in Wisconsin," Mr. Gillespie told reporters on Wednesday at a Bloomberg News breakfast. "I do think it's in play, and that's telling."

Although Mr. Obama kept his distance from the state in the final weeks of the union-led recall effort, his party, his campaign team and his labor allies exerted an enormous joint effort there that proved to be mismatched for the organized and well-financed Republican apparatus.

The corporate interests and billionaires who are pouring cash into Mr. Romney's "super PACs" gave millions to Mr. Walker. To combat those resources, Mr. Obama's campaign, aided by union allies, constructed a turnout machine in Wisconsin that they said will be a model for other battleground states.

More than 40 offices run by the Democratic National Committee and Mr. Obama's campaign deployed more than 100 paid staff members alongside union and state volunteers for months in what amounts to the first real test of the president's ground game before November's election.

Before Tuesday's vote, Democratic leaders had bragged about what they predicted would be their superior on-the-ground turnout efforts. In an interview late last month, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, called the Wisconsin recall a "dry run" for the party and for Mr. Obama's campaign.

"All of the Obama for America and state-party resources, our grass-roots network, is fully engaged," Ms. Schultz said.

But the Democratic effort on the ground — so successful in a state that Mr. Obama won by 14 points in the 2008 presidential race — failed to turn out enough voters for the Democrat, Mayor Tom Barrett of Milwaukee. Turnout was up by about 400,000 from 2010, but many of those voters cast ballots to keep Mr. Walker in office.

The outcome prompted top Democrats to warn on Wednesday that the party — and the president — can't count on organizational superiority to trump the hundreds of millions of dollars in television advertising that is likely to come from outside groups in the coming months.

"The Wisconsin results should serve as a wake-up call for Democrats: on-the-ground organizing is critically important, but it must be coupled with an aggressive air campaign," Representative Steve Israel, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement. "Without robust air cover, the voice of the middle class will be silenced."

Yet the deluge of television advertising and activity may have had little effect, given the strength of feelings on the issue. Nearly 9 in 10 voters said they made up their minds a month ago.

Mr. Walker and Mr. Obama may have each benefited from incumbency, earning some credit for the improving economy in Wisconsin even as the two parties point fingers at each other for slowing down the recovery.

Graphic: Shifts in Wisconsin Voters

Graphic: Millions Spent on Wisconsin Recall Election

Graphic: Wisconsin Recall Exit Polls: How Different Groups Voted

Related

Talk of Higher Office Swirls Around Wisconsin Governor in the Spotlight (June 7, 2012)

Unions, at Center of Wisconsin Recall Vote, Suffer a New Setback in Its Outcome (June 7, 2012)

Related in Opinion

Editorial: The Message From Wisconsin (June 7, 2012)

Brooks, Collins: Recall of the Wild (June 6, 2012)

.Taking Note: Over-Interpreting Wisconsin (June 6, 2012)

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.But five months before the general election, the biggest political lesson from Wisconsin may be that the overwhelming dominance of money on the Republican side will continue to haunt Democrats.

The biggest contributors to Mr. Walker included investments from Bob Perry, the Houston homebuilder whose family has spent more than $8 million this election cycle; Foster Friess, the entrepreneur who was the leading benefactor to Rick Santorum; Sheldon Adelson, the casino magnate who provided millions to Newt Gingrich; and Charles and David Koch, whose group helped finance millions in advertisements.

"The fact that you've got a handful of self-interested billionaires who are trying to leverage their money across the country," said David Axelrod, Mr. Obama's senior campaign strategist, said in an interview. "Does that concern me? Of course that concerns me."

State law allowed unlimited contributions to Mr. Walker's campaign, mirroring the free flow of money into presidential campaigns via federal super PACs that were allowed under the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision.

Steven Law, the president of American Crossroads, a Republican super PAC that did not provide money to Mr. Walker, said that conservative donors were motivated by fears of huge spending by labor unions to oust the Republican governor.

"The expectation that unions will spend aggressively in the fall is continuing to galvanize donors," Mr. Law said.

Richard Trumka, the president of the A.F.L.-C.I.O., told reporters on Wednesday that the results in Wisconsin underscores the union's concern about letting unlimited money into politics.

"Let's be clear," he said, "Citizens United has ushered in a new era of elections, and it's not a pretty picture."

But Mr. Axelrod said he was confident that the president's campaign would be in a better position to respond aggressively than was Mr. Barrett.

"We start off in a better place, and we're not going to get outspent eight to one," Mr. Axelrod said. "We are not going to have just a month to run our campaign. You cannot draw that parallel here. We're in an entirely different situation."

Democrats on Wednesday sought to portray the vote in Wisconsin as a special case featuring two local candidates and issues — like Mr. Walker's push to restrict collective bargaining rights — that limit the parallels that can be drawn with Mr. Obama's race against Mr. Romney.

Party officials said the support for Mr. Obama among voters leaving polling places suggests Wisconsin residents were uncomfortable ousting a sitting governor but are supportive of the president's policies and are not inclined to vote for Mr. Romney in the fall.

At a fund-raiser in San Antonio, Texas, on Wednesday, Mr. Romney characterized the outcome of the recall election as "another signal — and it will echo throughout the country."

New York Times, Wed Jun 6 2012
Byline: Jeff Zeleny

Construction leaders in Canada have mixed views about what impact federal government Employment Insurance reforms will have on seasonal workers and the industry as a whole.

"It's hard to make an informed decision if the impact of these Employment Insurance reforms will be positive, negative or neutral," said Canadian Construction Association president Michael Atkinson.

"The measures are not nearly as negative for seasonal workers as people had speculated. So, the reforms are not anywhere near the type of draconian measures that some expected. The big fear was that these measures would force people to move to a different region of the country."

Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Diane Finley announced on May 24 that the federal government is making changes to the Employment Insurance (EI) system that will help connect Canadians with available jobs.

Under new regulations expected to be in place by early 2013, the new definition of suitable employment will be based on six criteria: personal circumstances, working conditions, hours of work, commuting time, type of work and hourly wage.

In terms of commuting time the workplace should be within a one hour commute.

But, this could be higher depending on the applicant's previous commuting history and the community's average commuting time.

"When you look at the frequent user category and seasonal workers, the biggest fear employers have is that workers will go away and not come back in the spring," said Atkinson. >

"The only thing that is impacted is that they may have to take a salary at a reduced rate. But, even if they do accept a job at a reduced salary, why wouldn't they come back to their employer?"

The government is creating three different types of EI recipients including frequent users, occasional claimants and long-tenured workers.

Seasonal workers, which includes people in the construction industry, will fall into the frequent-user category. This is defined as those people who used EI at least three times for a total of 60 weeks in five years.

These people will be given six weeks to look for work in their field.

After this period, these applicants will be expected to find another job they are qualified for which pays at least 70 per cent of their last salary.

Christopher Smillie, spokesperson for the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO, Canadian Office, agrees that the federal government needs to provide a clear explanation about how EI reforms will impact the unionized construction industry.

"Union members have different rules that apply to them as far as eligibility. We have inquired with the minister's office and are waiting to find out what impact this will have on hiring halls across the country."

According to Smillie, union members are currently exempt from showing they are looking for work, because the hiring hall is responsible for finding them employment.

"It is not clear where our members fit into these categories," he said. "We will have to see how it all shakes out. Everyone is waiting for clarification."

The president of the Alberta Federation of Labour said the changes to EI are part of the Harper government's low-wage agenda, "These changes radically alter labour market pressures in favour of employers offering low wage jobs to Canadians," said Gill McGowan.

"When the labour market functions as it should, employers strengthen and increase wages to attract workers. These new changes allow employers to simply sit back, wait, and keep wages low for Canadians. Eventually, an unemployed worker will be bullied into a low paying job.

The 2012 federal budget outlines measures to strengthen work incentives, which includes clarifying the definition of suitable employment and what is a reasonable job search.

Journal of Commerce, Wed Jun 6 2012
Byline: Richard Gilbert

Centennial of Alberta Federation of Labour marked with great day at Fort Edmonton Park

Finding a fun event for the whole family just got a whole lot easier, thanks to the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) and Alberta unions.

The AFL is celebrating its centennial, and the highlight of a year of events around the province will be a full day of activities for all Albertans to enjoy at Fort Edmonton Park on June 16.

"We've spent 100 years building a better life for working Albertans and building a better province. We figured it's time to party – that's why we have planned the Party of the Century at the park," says Gil McGowan, president of the AFL, which represents 145,000 workers.

Fort Edmonton Park offers visitors experience a taste of life in Alberta between 1846 and 1929, with costumed interpreters telling stories, answering questions and bringing history alive. Visitors can also take a ride on steam train or visit the Midway for rides, games and more fun.

To mark the centennial of the AFL, a number of extra activities are also planned, including a series of concerts by award-winning singers and musicians, as well as lots of activities for kids. All of these activities are included in the cost of admission to the park. The AFL and the City of Edmonton are making 4,000 park admission tickets available to members and invited guests at a reduced price of only $5. These are available by contacting the AFL at 1-800-661-3995 or at [email protected].

Musical performers include:

• Maria Dunn, a storyteller through song who has been nominated for Juno and Canadian Folk Music Awards. She'll perform a special show called Troublemakers, which documents the history of working people in Alberta from 1900 to 1950, depicting the resilience and hope that carried them through experiences of immigration, internment, exploitation and the Great Depression;

• Souljah Fyah, a Juno-nominated Edmonton reggae band that has been honoured with a Western Canada Music Award, Canadian Reggae Music Awards and Reggae Music Achievement Awards;

• Audio/Rocketry, an acoustic, folk/punk group that has been described as "combining a DIY punk ethos and a love for roots music";

• The Rault Brothers Band, led by Lionel Rault, who has been one of Alberta's favourite folk-roots musicians for 30 years and has shared the stage with performers including John Hiatt, Taj Mahal, J.J. Cale, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, the Staple Singers and more.

• Terry Morrison, whose music spans the range from jazzy folk to country. She has toured extensively throughout Canada and the U.S. and has performed at many Canadian folk fests including Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto's Mariposa Festival, Vancouver Island Music Fest, Frostbite in the Yukon and both the North and South Country Fairs of Alberta; and

• Notre Dame des Bananes: Often called "Edmonton's most dangerous choir," the Notre Dame des Bananes has brought together trade unionists, social activists, socialists and social democrats since it was formed in 1979. Since then, it has been delighting crowds with songs (many written by choir members) of protest, social justice and trade struggles, victories, heroes and villains.

Events for children include:

• Face painters;

• Balloon makers;

• Pony races;

• Plinko game;

• Sack races; and

• Crafts.

"Albertans have always worked hard, but we know how to have a good time, too," says McGowan. "I can't imagine a better way for families to learn about what we have achieved and have a great time than attending our Party of the Century!"

TIME: 10:30 a.m. – midnight, Saturday, June 16

LOCATION: Fort Edmonton Park

EVENT: Party of the Century! AFL celebrates centennial with full day of events for the whole family to enjoy.

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CONTACT: Gil McGowan, AFL president, 780-218-9888

A century of fighting for workers' rights is explored in a display that opening today at Edmonton City Hall.

"The labour movement has been a vital player in shaping the city of Edmonton and the province of Alberta. This display will show some of the important work done by unions," says Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL), which celebrates its centennial this year.

"The AFL was created in 1912 by workers and farmers who saw the need for an organization that would protect their common interests and make their communities stronger. It's important, 100 years later, to remember the role unions played in building this city and this province – and that Alberta was at the forefront of the national struggle for workers' rights," he says.

"That struggle continues as we see moves to drive down wages under the federal government's Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, to restrict Employment Insurance (EI) payments to laid-off workers and to keep people in the workplace until the age of 67 under proposed changes to Old Age Security (OAS) rules."

The display at opens today (Friday, June 1) and runs until June 12. It includes a display of 12 separate panels, each focusing on a separate theme in Alberta labour history.

It is one of a number of displays being staged around the province in conjunction with the centennial of the AFL, which today represents 145,000 workers. The site of other displays include the Royal Alberta Museum, Fort McMurray Library, Hinton Municipal Library, the Provincial Archives, the Aviation Hall of Fame (Wetaskiwin), the Wetaskiwin & District Heritage Museum, the Canmore Museum & Geoscience Centre, the Red Deer Museum & Archives, the Olds Library, the Glenbow Institute, the Crowsnest Museum, the Galt Museum, the Medicine Hat Esplanade, the Medalta Museum in Medicine Hat (Clayworks Society) and the Bonnyville & District Museum.

The displays are part of a year-long, province-wide celebration of the AFL centennial. Juno-nominated folksinger Maria Dunn is part way through an extensive concert tour of the province, singing songs about labour and Alberta. A labour history conference is being organized by the Alberta Labour History Institute from June 13-15.

The highlight of the celebrations will be a Celebration in the Park on June 16, when thousands are expected to attend Fort Edmonton Park for a full day of events for adults and children. The day's events will also include an AFL convention.

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CONTACT: Gil McGowan, AFL president, 780-218-9888

High resolution photos from the display available for download:

Photo 1: Navvies lay railway track in southern Alberta during the First World War. Photo courtesy of the Alberta Labour History Institute.

Photo 2: A woman works at the Medalta Potteries in Medicine Hat in the 1950s. Photo courtesy of Medalta History Clay District.

Photo 3: Jo-Ann Kolmes, a member of the Alberta Labour History Insitute, sets up the labour-history display running at Edmonton City Hall from June 1-12, 2012.

Photo 4:  Winston Gereluk, of the Alberta Federation of Labour, sets up the labour-history display running at Edmonton City Hall from June 1-12, 2012.

Photo 5: The labour-history display at Edmonton City Hall is a big hit with visitors. The display runs June1-12, 2012.

EDMONTON - Alberta is to raise its general minimum wage to $9.75 per hour on Sept. 1.

The 35-cent increase will mean the province will have the second lowest rate in Canada.

The minimum wage for people who serve liquor will remain at $9.05.

The Alberta government is trying to put its minimum wage in a positive light, saying when you factor in the province's tax rates, it is the second highest rate in Canada.

But the Alberta Federation of Labour says that statement is twisting the truth, noting the province has one of the highest cost of living in the country.

Nunavut's general minimum wage of $11.00 per hour is the highest in Canada, while Saskatchewan's rate of $9.50 is the lowest.

660news, Thurs May 31 2012