ALF V1

Instead of blaming public-sector wages, should look in the mirror

Edmonton –Premier Jim Prentice needs to stop taking unprovoked potshots at Alberta’s public workers.

At a speech to the Edmonton Rotary Club on Monday, March 2, the Premier said his new “labour strategy” will look to other provinces like British Columbia for direction on top-down negotiation mandates. The announcement came in his address that unfairly blamed Alberta’s budget woes on public-sector workers for the government’s unwillingness to fix Alberta’s finances.

“To demonize public-sector workers is inappropriate, it’s unfair, and it doesn’t actually address the situation as it is. This problem is a revenue problem,” Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said outside the premier’s press conference. “The solution is not to set unfair, command and control restrictions on negotiations before coming to the table. The solution is not to demonize public-sector workers who provide important services. The real solution is to fix the holes that the government created in our revenue system.”  

The premier unveiled plans to enact changes to the government’s approach to bargaining with public-sector unions. Prentice suggested that they will adopt a ‘co-ordinated approach’ to negotiations, which will likely be modeled on the approach taken in British Columbia with top-down “mandates” set by the Public Sector Employers’ Council Secretariat.

“What we’re talking about here is a dramatic centralization of responsibilities for bargaining with public-sector workers — and it’s going to be centralized in the hands of the premier. That’s what they do in B.C.” McGowan said. “Frankly it hasn’t been a very productive model — It’s been in place in B.C. for the past 10 years — and ever since it was introduced, it has led to a poisoning of the labour relations atmosphere.”

Over the past 20 years, successive Conservative premiers have undermined the province’s finances with tax giveaways and corporate handouts. Today, Alberta is the lowest-taxed province in Canada — if our tax rates were equivalent to any other province, the government would collect $11-billion more each year, and have no deficit regardless of the price of oil.

“Even in the good old days — you remember, seven or eight months ago — we had a government that couldn’t balance the budget and struggled to pay for middle-of-the-road services because they had given away revenue that we need to pay for those services,” McGowan said.

The Premier has suggested that there will be up to a nine per cent cut in government spending across the board in the next budget. This will mean billions of dollars less each year for the front-line services on which Albertans rely, without addressing the underlying problem with the province’s budget.

“The flat tax, which was a gift to the wealthy; slashing our corporate taxes from 15 to 10 per cent; introducing the penny on the dollar royalty for oil sands — these are the things that have deprived our government of the revenue they need to pay for public services,” McGowan said. “The solution is simple and clear: Prentice needs to repair the holes previous PC governments blew in Alberta’s revenue regime.”

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.218.4351 (cell) or via e-mail [email protected]

TFWs will be moved to another project, but it remains unclear if fired Canadians will get their jobs back

Edmonton – The company involved in a TFW scandal on Imperial Oil's Kearle Lake site has admitted that it fired Canadian iron workers and replaced them with TFWs.

In a statement released to media this afternoon, the company, Pacer-Promec Joint Ventures, said it would move the TFWs to another site and commit to hiring Canadians – but stopped short of saying they would offer the jobs to the Canadians who had been fired in the first place.

"At first blush, this looked like a clear victory for the fired Canadians workers," Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan said. "But Pacer-Promec has not contacted the union or the fired workers with an offer to come back to work. Something still smells pretty fishy here."

On Tuesday, Feb. 4, 65 Canadian workers employed by Pacer-Promec Joint Ventures were given their pink slips, and they were replaced by Temporary Foreign Workers. When the firings came to light, the ensuing public outrage forced the government to announce an investigation. Late Friday afternoon, the company issued a press release that included an apology and a promise to hire Canadians.

"The news statement from the company is certainly a step in a more positive direction, but the story should not end here," McGowan said. "The Canadian workers have still not been offered their jobs back. And, even more importantly, this is not an isolated incident. This is not a case of a rogue employer breaking the rules. The real problem is with the rules themselves. Specifically, a new stream in the TFW program allows employers in Alberta's construction industry to hire TFWs without first looking for Canadians. As long as this new stream remains in place, Canadian tradespeople will continue to face the prospect of being replaced by or passed over for TFWs."

In October, more than 300 workers at Husky Energy's Sunrise Oilsands Project were let go. In some cases, they were forced to train the Temporary Foreign Workers who were replacing them. The Alberta Federation of Labour has been a leader in bringing abuses of this program to light.

"More and more Canadians are going public, and letting the country know the extent to which the Temporary Foreign Worker program is undermining job security, undermining wages, and exploiting disadvantaged workers," McGowan said.

Even with Pacer-Promec's promise to rehire Canadian workers, McGowan says many important questions remain.

"The company says they will move the TFWs to another work site. Will these TFWs fill jobs on that site that would have otherwise been available to Canadians? Will they still be paid half the wage of Canadian workers? Perhaps most importantly, will the companies involved face any consequences? Will they be fined? Will they lose their right to bring TFWs into the country? Canadians deserve answers to these questions?"

The Harper government has made such a mess of the TFW program that experts say a full investigation by an impartial third party is warranted.

"The Harper government created this monster, they can't be trusted to tame it," McGowan said. "Canadians deserve a royal commission on the economic, social and cultural impact of this program. It morally diminishes us as a country to have a program that creates a disenfranchised underclass of non-citizen workers."

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Gil McGowan, President, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.218.9888 (cell)

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell)

or via e-mail [email protected]

Generosity for an overpaid inner circle while freezing workers' wages

Edmonton – Premier Alison Redford offered a fierce — and disingenuous — defense of high salaries for her inner circle today.

In response to questions about high salaries being paid to her chief of staff and inner circle of advisors, the Premier claimed that compensation of public sector workers in Alberta was high in general.

At the press conference in Okotoks, the premier said: "In all of our labour negotiations we continue to provide increases to public servants." A statement that is blatantly false given that just two months ago, the legislature passed Bill 46, which imposes a wage freeze on tens of thousands of government workers.

"It seems like Alison Redford is always willing to stand up for the wealthy, and is always willing to make claims that she's on the side of working people," Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said. "But the proof is in the pudding — wage freezes, gag orders, and pension cuts are the facts that frontline workers face."

The average government wage may be higher than the average wage for workers – but as Albertans have found out this week, that average is skewed by extremely high pay for people in the premier's inner circle.

"The premier tried to suggest today that the province is paying public sector workers well. But the facts show that outside of her inner circle, that isn't the case," McGowan said.

The latest reliable Census data available — a survey of more than 92,000 public-sector workers — shows that the average government workers' wages are two per cent lower than in the private sector.

Other evidence supports this. Statistics Canada's shows that Alberta's civil servants earn an average $1,283.65 a week in November 2013, down from the previous period. The wages of workers in several other sectors' are higher, such as those in construction and utilities.

"It is important to make sure that we have high quality people who can provide effective support and services to the government of Alberta and the people of Alberta and we're not going to shy away from that," the Premier said.

"Redford says that workers deserve to be compensated, but her words are in conflict with her actions," McGowan said. "Premier Redford has undermined collective bargaining with Bill 46. At the same time, she's given massive and unjustifiable wages and wage increases to her inner-circle of political staff."

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Gil McGowan, President, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.218.9888 (cell)

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell) or via e-mail [email protected]

Urgent Action

Alberta Federation of Labour Open House

On Tuesday, February 11, the Alberta Federation of Labour invites you to attend our annual open house.

The open house, which is usually held in December each year, was postponed so that we could move into our new offices, which are located at #300, 10408 – 124 Street, Edmonton.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone in the New Year in our new offices.

When:  Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m.

Where:  AFL Offices (#300, 10408 – 124 Street, Edmonton)

RSVP:   7 80-483-3021

Download the invitation here...

News

AFL and allies gearing up to fight unconstitutional anti-worker bills

Alberta's union movement is responding to a new assault on worker rights.

In early December, the province brought in laws impeding the ability of public-sector unions to negotiate with the government, and muzzling anyone who calls for those workers to strike. The unpopular new laws, which are being widely criticized by the media, will be challenged by the Alberta Federation of Labour.

"Workers in Alberta have a fight on their hands. It's not a fight of their choosing, but one forced on us by the reckless, punitive and unconstitutional anti-worker laws that Redford brought in," Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said.

The Federation of Labour, affiliated unions and unaffiliated allies will be collaborating to oppose the laws through legal action, but warn that the battle for workers' rights can't be left to the courtrooms.

"We have the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on our side, but the process of challenging these laws in court will take time. It will take years," McGowan said. "In the meantime, we're going to see several unions, and hundreds of thousands of workers facing unfair bargaining tactics and diminished rights. We will have to work together, with direct action and with effective advocacy to ensure these workers are heard."

Frequently asked questions on Bills 45 and 46

AFL press release on Bills 45 and 46 –AFL Release November 29, AFL Release December 4, AFL Release December 5

Letter from Union Leaders to the Premier

Fact Sheet 1 – Breaking a Promise and the Law: Rollbacks

Fact Sheet 2 – Breaking a Promise and Breaking the Law: Supreme Court

Fact Sheet 3 – Alberta Economy Booming

Fact Sheet 4 – Breaking a Promise and the Law: Public Sector Wages

Fact Sheet 5 – Breaking a Promise and the Law: Public Services Stretched

Fact Sheet 6 – Alberta has a Revenue Problem 

News

Labour leaders stand up for retirement security

Alberta's labour movement is opposing the scaling back of the province's pension plans, while urging that the Canadian Pension Plan be expanded.

In September, Finance Minister Doug Horner announced the government was planning to bring in sweeping changes to public service pension plans. If the changes are implemented, as Horner indicated he is determined to do, the bottom line is that Alberta public employees will have diminished pensions. Members of Alberta's public service pension plans would have to work longer to retire, and when they retire their benefits will be reduced. In addition, their retirement incomes will more rapidly fall behind inflation.

"There are currently about 300,000 people paying into the plans in question, working in health care, universities, colleges, municipalities and various departments of the provincial government. There are another 90,000 retirees currently receiving benefits from the plans," Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said. "That means that 15 percent of Alberta's workforce and about 20 percent of Alberta retirees will be potentially be affected by these changes. The retirement plans of thousands of thousands of Albertans will be affected and a majority of Alberta families will be touched in one way or another."

The real crisis in retirement is that so many Albertans have no retirement security – Only one in three Albertans has put anything into an RRSP. Canada needs to expand the highly successful Canadian Pension Plan that has helped so many seniors.

"Minister Horner has said he's disappointed that Ottawa has closed the door on CPP expansion," McGowan said. "Perhaps if he'd presented a united front with all of the other provincial finance ministers who were all calling for CPP expansion, the Federal government would have had to listen."

Read AFL release here

Did you know ...

• 1 in 4 Alberta seniors receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) because they do not have enough income.

• 2 out of every 3 working Albertans don't make RRSP contributions.

• Only 1 in 3 Albertans has an employer-sponsored pension plan of any kind.

• The average income for a woman senior citizen in Alberta is $20,000.

Events

• December 20: Day of International Solidarity

• January 13-18: AFL/CLC Winter Labour School

• February 11 & 12: AFL Executive Committee & Council

• February. 11: AFL Open House

Labour leaders confront anti-democratic legislation
with advertising and legal challenges

Edmonton – Workers in Alberta need to stand up to Alison Redford’s bullying tactics says the province’s largest labour advocacy group.

At a press conference just hours after Bills 45 and 46 were passed, leaders of several unions expressed outrage that the anti-democratic legislation had been rammed through the legislature without any real consultation or analysis.

“Alison Redford has poisoned labour relations in Alberta’s public sector, perhaps for years,” Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan said at the press conference. “If she thinks that threats, bullying and intimidation will stop workers from standing up for themselves and up against her senseless agenda of cuts and rollbacks in the midst of prosperity, she has another thing coming.”

The right to freedom of speech and the right to freedom of assembly are protected under Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Supreme Court of Canada has repeatedly ruled that Section 2(d) of the Charter inherently includes the right to bargain collectively.

Bill 45 strips some workers of their right to speak freely about labour action. Bill 46 strips some workers of their right to bargain collectively. The Federation, its affiliated unions and allied unions have made no secret of their plans to launch a legal challenge to the legislation.

“It’s clear that we will be going to court and it’s clear that the Redford government will lose,” McGowan said. “The Supreme Court of Canada has been very clear in its recent rulings in labour law: Workers have the right to associate in unions; That right is meaningless without the right to collective bargaining; And governments that use legislation to impose contracts make a mockery of collective bargaining.”

The Federation of Labour also unveiled television advertisements that accuse the premier of abandoning the coalition that helped get her elected in 2012. The advertisements call out Premier Alison Redford for bullying opponents, and encourage Albertans to remember these bills during the next election.

“Alison Redford is not a progressive, she’s a fraud. Despite her history as a human rights lawyer, she is also no defender of rights in a democracy,” McGowan said. “Real democratic leaders understand that they have to respect others and work with others. Bullies use their power to impose their will. Alison Redford is a bully.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell)
or via e-mail [email protected]

AFL and unions next in line for bargaining say a task force on public-sector labour relations is needed to rebuild trust

Edmonton – The leaders of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) and three of the unions that are next in line to negotiate with the provincial government have asked Premier Redford to suspend debate on Bills 45 and 46 in order to avoid a "generation of poisoned labour relations" in the public sector.

In a letter sent to the premier this morning, the presidents of the AFL, the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA), the Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) called on Premier Redford to reconsider Bills 45 and 46 because the unions believe they are “ill-considered, uncalled for, unnecessarily provocative and likely unconstitutional.”

The presidents suggested that, if debate on Bills 45 and 46 is suspended, a special task force on public-sector labour relations could be established to discuss issues of concerns to both sides.

“The government is concerned about controlling costs and avoiding labour disruptions,” AFL president Gil McGowan said. “We’re concerned about under-staffing, attacks on pensions and a broken revenue system that is unnecessarily impoverishing public services in an otherwise wealthy province. Surely, we can address these issues respectfully without launching a war against public sector workers.”

The presidents who signed the letter include Gil McGowan from the AFL, Heather Smith from UNA, Elisabeth Ballermann from HSAA and Marle Roberts from CUPE. They are asking for a meeting with the Premier today.

“Civilized negotiation is always preferable to confrontation,” McGowan said. “We stand ready to meet with the Premier today. But, if the government rams Bills 45 and 46 through, we’ll see that as a clear message from the premier about what kind of labour relations climate she wants to create in this province. Let’s hope that she chooses civility over confrontation.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Olav Rokne, Communications Director, Alberta Federation of Labour at 780.289.6528 (cell) or via e-mail [email protected]

Update:

Both Bill 45 and Bill 46 are up for third reading today. One of the two labour bills may pass after Question Period, before the 7:30 p.m. evening session. We expect the second bill will pass during the evening session, possibly around 10:00 p.m.

There are a number of bills on the slate to be debated today, and the government is not providing any clues on whether it will be bill 45 or 46 that is dealt with first.

Being present in the Legislature gallery this evening remains an important act of presence as government tries to bully and legislate us into silence.

For more information, please contact Ishani Weera, AFL Organizer at 780.483.3021 or [email protected]

For more information on the bills, please view our FAQ: http://www.afl.org/index.php/Reports/frequently-asked-questions-on-bills-45-and-46.html

Ltr to Redford_Bills 45 and 46 from union leaders_2013Dec 04

Issue:

Tonight will likely be our last chance to take a united stand in the legislature gallery against anti-union bills 45 and 46. Both bills passed second reading yesterday evening and will be debated in the legislature tonight.

We expect that the PC government will use its majority to force the bills through tomorrow. This is our opportunity to fill the legislature gallery and mark our presence in opposition to these bills. Seats are available on a first come, first serve basis. Please arrive at the legislature building for 7:30 p.m. and proceed to the 4^th floor gallery security desk to get your seat. 

About the Bills:

Bill 45, or the “Public Sector Services Continuation Act,” infringes on protected rights, such as the right to freely associate and free speech. Under the bill any person could be fined $500 for making a “strike threat” anywhere, any time.

Bill 46, or the “Public Service Salary Restraint Act” would impose a legislated wage freeze on Alberta’s public sector workers. An imposed “wage freeze” would actually amount to a wage rollback as public sector workers stand to lose at least 6.1 per cent of their pay cheques to inflation. This legislation is not only uncalled for and unfair, it's likely unconstitutional.

For more background information on the bills, take a look at our FAQ: http://www.afl.org/index.php/Reports/frequently-asked-questions-on-bills-45-and-46.html

For more information, please contact Ishani Weera, AFL Organizer at 780.483.3021 or [email protected]

Issue:

The Government of Alberta has introduced two deeply anti-union bills. These bills were introduced without warning and without consultation. Bills 45 and 46 target public sector wages and the right to collective bargaining and are steps toward Tea Party-Style right to work laws.

Bill 45, or the “Public Sector Services Continuation Act,” infringes on protected rights, such as the right to freely associate and free speech. Under the bill any person could be fined $500 for making a “strike threat” anywhere, any time.

Bill 46, or the “Public Service Salary Restraint Act” would impose a legislated wage freeze on Alberta’s public sector workers. An imposed “wage freeze” would amount to an unfair rollback as public sector workers stand to lose at least 6.1 per cent of their pay cheques to inflation. This legislation is not only uncalled for and unfair, it's likely unconstitutional.

For more information, please contact Ishani Weera, AFL Organizer at 780.483.3021 or [email protected]