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EDMONTON - The AFL will commemorate December 6th by holding an annual workshop to strategize concrete actions to eliminate violence against women.

This year will mark the 11th anniversary of the massacre of 14 women at L'ecole Polytechnique in Montreal. The women, all engineering students, were killed by a gunman on December 6, 1989.

"It is important that we honor these young women. Their deaths now symbolize the experience of so many women whose lives have been shattered by gender-based violence," says AFL President, Audrey Cormack.

"Each year, this day serves as a reminder that we need to resolve to end violence against women," says Cormack.

Cormack adds, "when 51% of Canadian women are victims of violence, it sends a clear message that there is still a lot of work to be done."

Since 1990, the Alberta Federation of Labour's Women's Committee has made a commitment to holding annual workshops to develop practical strategies that address the problem of violence against women. This year's workshop, "Action and Healing: It Starts With You" will be held on December 7th in Calgary.

"By bringing men and women together in these workshops to look at ways to end this violence, we are creating change. We are, in effect, giving people the tools they need to actively fight violence against women," says Cormack.

"It is through education, activism and collective action that we can begin to make some inroads - for the prevention and elimination of all forms of violence against women," says Cormack.

For further information contact:

Audrey M. Cormack, President   @   499-6530 (cell) / 483-3021 (wk) / 428-9367 (hm)

EDMONTON - On a day dedicated to our nation's children, Audrey Cormack, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour is asking the Klein government, "where is the money in the provincial budget that is dedicated to developing the province's most valuable resource - its children?"

"With 16 percent of children under the age of 18 living in poverty in this province, it seems pretty clear that there is not enough being done by this government," says Cormack.

"These children are being trapped in a cycle of poverty and violence, which lends itself to an array of other risks, delays and problems.  Kids in these environments will probably face the same bleak reality as their parents - marginal employability and disempowerment," says Cormack.

A Report released in August 2000 by the Department of Children's Services shows child welfare caseloads have increased by 82% from 1992-1993 caseload rates.  The report recommended that families with dependent children who are on welfare should have enough income to provide their children with life opportunities similar to those of other children in their communities.

"What this increase says to me is that there are even more children not being able to experience the so-called 'Alberta Advantage.'  Instead, they are having to rely on a child welfare system that is stretched to the limit," says Cormack. "And we know children are poor because their parents are poor. That means Alberta should increase its minimum wage, for a start, and take a serious look at how Alberta families are coping in our province."

"Children are still bearing the burden of Klein's cuts.  With all the money that has been poured into other resource areas lately, I urge this government to step up and put money into children. Child welfare, education and core funding for organizations that serve children, all need to become substantial parts of this government's spending."

National Child Day was created in 1993 by the Federal government to commemorate the United Nations' adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.  Rights covered under this convention include children's rights to education, healthcare and protection from harm.

President Cormack says, "I would hope that Mr. Klein would use this day to realize that our resources are not limited to oil and gas; Albertans need to be recognized.  By putting money back into children, we take a step to ensuring the rights of children are met.  They are too valuable a resource to disregard."

For further information contact:

Audrey M. Cormack, President (cell) 499-6530 / (hm) 428-9367 / (wk) 471-5525

Statistics Canada, Low Income Persons, 1980 to 1997(Catalogue 13-569-XIB)
The report "Child Welfare Caseload Growth in Alberta" (August 31, 2000) can be obtained from the Deputy Minister's Office, Childrens' Services, Government of Alberta.

EDMONTON - Politicians like Ralph Klein and Jean Chretien should dust off their history books tomorrow and learn some valuable lessons from the past, says AFL president Audrey Cormack.

Tomorrow is the 70th anniversary of the famous "Persons Case" in which Canadian women were finally recognized as "persons" under law.

"Our leaders today could learn a lot from the women who fought for recognition in the Persons Case," says Cormack. "They demonstrated the kind of commitment to the public good that is sorely lacking in our leaders today."

The Persons Case was launched by five women in 1928 after the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously decided that women were not "persons" under law and, therefore, were ineligible to hold public office as Canadian Senators.

The five women - now known as the "Famous Five" - appealed the decision to the British Privy Council, which at the time was the highest court in the Commonwealth. In 1929, the Privy Council reversed the Supreme Court decision, calling the exclusion of women from public office "a relic of days more hazardous than ours."

Cormack says the Persons Case was a great victory for women and Canadian society in general, adding that the women involved - including Albertans Henrietta Muir Edwards, Mary Parlby, Emily Murphy and Louise McKinney - were role models that politicians today should pattern themselves on.

"They started out fighting for women's rights and that always remained their focus," says Cormack. "They also committed themselves to the struggle for public health care, quality education, workplace safety and decent wages. The same things that we continue to fight for today."

Persons Day comes on the heels of the World March of Women 2000 in which women from over 154 countries marched, rallied and lobbied around the issues of violence against women and the eradication of poverty. "To see 50,000 women on Parliament Hill on a Sunday afternoon cannot be ignored. The determination and resilience of the "Famous Five" is alive and well thirty years after the monumental case. It's time the federal and provincial leaders stop speaking in circles when it comes to issues affecting women," says Cormack.

"Through their efforts Canada became a better, more caring place. In our current era of privatization and bottom-line politics, we need people like McKinney, Murphy and the others more than ever. I urge all of our leaders to consider the example set by the Persons Case. I urge them to embrace the progressive spirit and the political will of the 'Famous Five'," says Cormack.

For more information call:

Audrey M. Cormack, President  @ 499-6530 (cell) or 428-9367 (hm)

Activists concerned about sweatshop labour will stage rallies outside two popular sporting goods shops in Edmonton and Calgary over the weekend.

Both rallies will be held on Saturday, August 26 starting at 11 a.m. The Edmonton rally will be held outside Sportchek at Mayfair Common (Mayfield Rd. and Stony Plain Road). The Calgary rally will be held outside Forzani's, located at 2415-4th Street S.W.

At both rallies, leaflets will be distributed to shoppers explaining the sweatshop conditions under which many sporting good are manufactured. Customers will also be urged to shop ethically.

AFL President Audrey Cormack is calling on activists to lobby the Federal Justice Minister, Anne McLellan to demand Leonard Peltier's release.

A rally in support of clemency for the American Indian Movement activist and political prisoner will be held in EDMONTON on MONDAY, JUNE 26TH outside McLellan's constituency office (12304 -107 Avenue) at 4:30 p.m.

"It's time to increase pressure on the Justice Department. Leonard Peltier has been wrongfully imprisoned for almost 25 years, and it's time the federal government stop dragging their heels in this matter," says Alberta Federation of Labour President, Audrey Cormack.

"We are asking that the Canadian government file an official protest to the U.S. President, Bill Clinton, recommend that Leonard Peltier receive Executive Clemency, or that he receive a new trial."

On November 26, 1975, Leonard Peltier, along with three others were charged with the murder of two FBI agents during an altercation at Jumping Bull Ranch between members of the American Indian Movement and FBI agents. The charges against one of the accused were dropped. On July 16, 1976, two were acquitted in a trial in Iowa, where the defense was allowed to use the argument of self-defense.

Peltier, fearing for his life, fled to Canada. On December 18, 1976, Peltier was extradited back to the United States on the basis of affidavits, which were later shown to be false. His trial was moved to Fargo, North Dakota, where the trial judge refused to hear arguments of self-defense. Evidence supporting the defense was withheld. Peltier was convicted to two consecutive life sentences.

"The only honorable option the federal government has is to push the U.S. to grant Leonard Peltier clemency. I urge the Honorable Minister to act on this case and allow the truth to prevail. It's time for justice," says Cormack.

For further information contact:

Audrey M. Cormack, President     @     483-3021 wk/ 499-6530 cell/ 428-9367 hm

EDMONTON - The changes to Alberta's Employment Standards regulations announced yesterday prove that the Klein government is more interested in catering to the whims of employers than protecting the rights of working people, says a spokesman for Alberta's largest labour organization.

Les Steel, Secretary Treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour, says the new regulations unveiled yesterday afternoon by a government regulatory review committee amount to a "betrayal of working people" - especially the thousands of people working in the oilfield servicing industry.

Under the new rules, employers will finally be required to pay domestic workers such as nannies at least the minimum wage. Ambulance attendants will also be given a break - they will be guaranteed at least four days free from on-call duties each month.

But that's where the good news for workers ends. Once the new regulations are implemented on July 1, people working in oilfield servicing and fish farming will be denied all protection under the Employment Standards Code - which sets out rules for things like maximum hours of work, overtime pay, vacations and the minimum wage.

Oilfield workers will be particularly hard hit. Under the old rules, there was a 12-hour limit on the length of time these people could be required to work in a given day. Now that limit has been removed entirely - opening the door for 14, 16 or even 18-hour shifts.

"The government review committee said their goal was to 'update and streamline' this province's basic workplace rules," says Steel. "But - with a few small exceptions - the committee is actually moving labour law in Alberta backward not forward. The exemption of oilfield service workers is particularly serious - it's an accident waiting to happen. If people are forced to work too long, injuries and deaths will increase, it's as simple as that."

Steel says the big problem with Alberta's Employment Standards law is that it exempts whole industries and categories of workers - leaving thousands of workers without even the minimum protections guaranteed by the Code.

For example, all agricultural workers and many salespeople are exempt from the Code. Other workers are exempt from certain sections of the Code. Domestic workers for example are still not entitled to over-time pay.

"The position of the AFL is that there should be no exemptions to the basic floor of rights established by the Employment Standards Code," says Steel. "Every exemption granted weakens that floor of rights not just for the workers involved but for the entire Alberta workforce."

Steel says the latest regulatory changes prove that the current Alberta government will always put the interests of employers ahead of the interest of workers - especially when the employers are from the influential oil and gas industry.

"What good are workplace rules like the Employment Standards Code if the government is willing to set them aside every time an industry asks for special treatment?" asks Steel. "We think the time has come for all employers in this province to follow the same basic rules - with no exceptions. These latest changes are clearly a step in the wrong direction."

For more information call:

Les Steel, Secretary Treasurer @ 483-3021 (wk)

or

Gil McGowan, Director of Communications @ 483-3021 (wk)

EDMONTON - On the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Racism, the president of Alberta's largest labour organization is calling on leaders from government, business and labour to join forces in the battle against intolerance.

"Racism and discrimination continue to be serious problems in Alberta and across the country," says AFL president Audrey Cormack. "Progress has been made - that's clear. But much more needs to be done in order to combat racism in the workplace and in the broader community."

The United Nations has chosen March 21 as the International Day for the Elimination of Racism in memory of the infamous "Sharpeville Massacre." On this day in 1960, South African police fired into a crowd of peaceful demonstrators in Sharpeville Township, killing sixty-nine people. Since then, March 21 has been set aside as a day to remember the suffering caused by racism and to celebrate successes in the battle for racial tolerance.

Cormack says that much has been accomplished since 1960. For example, the brutal system of Apartheid that caused the Sharpeville massacre has been overthrown. And many countries, including Canada, have introduced laws aimed at discouraging discrimination. But Cormack says the battle against racism is far from over.

"The brutal reality is that immigrants, first nations people and people of colour still face racism discrimination and intolerance on a daily basis. Systemic racism continues to exist in our schools, our courts, our communities, our workplaces and even in our unions. In fact a recent poll published in the Globe and Mail suggests that intolerance against immigrants is actually on the rise. This sends a clear message that more needs to be done in order to promote tolerance."

Cormack says that unions have a long, proud history of working to overturn racist and discriminatory policies in government and in the workplace. As part of the the AFL's on-going commitment to ending racism and discrimination, she says she and other Alberta labour leaders will continue to: 1) speak out against racism in Canada and throughout the world, and 2) support anti-racism programs and legislation aimed at breaking down systemic barriers in all institutions.

"We in the labour movement will continue to do all we can to make Canadian labour organizations more tolerant, more inclusive and more welcoming for people of colour. For example, we will be working with the Canadian Labour Congress to implement the recommendations of the CLC's recent Anti-Racism Task Force, which outlines an action plan for promoting tolerance in unions and the workplace," says Cormack.

"But we can't eradicate racism alone. That's why we are challenging other groups and individuals to play a part. We challenge individuals to actively join the fight against racism. We challenge businesses to adopt anti-discrimination policies and sponsor educational programs to combat racism in the workplace. And we challenge governments to make the fight against racism in Canada and around the world a much higher priority. By working together, I am convinced we can promote tolerance and stamp out the black cancer of racism that has been eating away at our community and our workplaces."

For more information call:

Audrey M. Cormack, President  @  (780) 499-6530 (cell) /483-3021 (wk) 428-9367 (hm)

EDMONTON - The Alberta government's new marriage law sends a clear message of intolerance against gays and lesbians, says the president of Alberta's largest labour organization.

Audrey Cormack, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, says the Marriage Amendment Act violates the human rights of gay and lesbian couples by denying them equal treatment under the law. She also says the law promotes intolerance against gays and lesbians by suggesting that their relationships are somehow illegitimate and "unnatural."

"Other governments in this country are moving forward in terms of recognizing the rights of gay and lesbian Canadians," says Cormack. "But, once again, the Alberta government is taking us back to a darker, less tolerant time. It's shocking to see a government using its power to promote intolerance against an identifiable group - but that's exactly what's happening with this law."

The Marriage Amendment Act was debated and passed yesterday, despite strong objections from both opposition parties. The new law in effect bans gay and lesbian marriages and goes on to say that Alberta will make use of the constitution's notwithstanding clause if the federal government ever decides to allow such unions.

Cormack says she finds the law "deeply disturbing" because it shows the Alberta government is willing to trample on the human rights of some of its citizens in order to pander to a vocal minority of ultra-conservative Albertans who feel threatened by "non-traditional" relationships.

Cormack points out that the Alberta government's new marriage law flies in the face of recent Supreme Court decisions that guarantee protection under the law in cases involving discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. She also says the Alberta law runs counter to the spirit of a new law currently being considered by the federal government that will guarantee gay and lesbian couples access to the same kind of spousal benefits already available to heterosexual couples.

"The government knows that the rules regarding marriage are under federal jurisdiction - and they know that this law will probably be struck down by the courts as unconstitutional. But they've decided to go ahead with it anyway," says Cormack. "It's a cheap political stunt designed to pander to the lowest and most backward political instincts."

For more information call:

Audrey M. Cormack, President  @  (780) 499-6530 (cell) /483-3021 (wk) 428-9367 (hm)

EDMONTON -The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) will be holding its fourth annual workshop dealing with violence against women on December 6, 1999 - the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

"Each year the Alberta Federation of Labour strives to bring the terrible social consequences of violence against women to the forefront of Albertans' minds," says AFL President Audrey Cormack. "Only by continuing our efforts to end violence against women can we truly commemorate the National Day of Remembrance and Action."

This year, the AFL is sponsoring a workshop that examines the workplace consequences of domestic violence. Delegates to the workshop will be presented with a panel discussion on various aspects of domestic violence. Panelists will include Sylvia Hawkins, Vice-President of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women (NAC); Heather Richards, Director of the Strathcona Shelter Society; and Glenda Malina, Staff Sergeant with the Edmonton Police Service.

"Our delegates will learn about different types and cycles of violence," says Cormack, "They will examine the legal ramifications of domestic violence, and they will learn how to identify and assist co-workers who are experiencing abuse at home."

The delegates will also participate in the unveiling of the new Edmonton Women's Monument at 12:00 noon on December 6, 1999. The monument, entitled A Vision of Hope, is located in Mary Burlie Park, 97 Street & 104 Avenue in Edmonton.

"I'm very proud of the role labour has played in making this monument a reality," says Cormack. "The Alberta Federation of Labour and its Womens' Committee, the Canadian Auto Workers Union, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union, the Edmonton & District Labour Council and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union all contributed to the monument."

But, Cormack warned that we still have a very long way to go as a society. "When you consider that 51% of women over the age of sixteen in Canada have experienced at least one incident of violence as defined in the Criminal Code, it is evident that we in labour and all Canadians must continue to educate and agitate and organize to put an end to domestic violence," she concluded. "We need to be active - not just on December 6th, but on every single day of the year."

For more information call:

Audrey Cormack, President     @     499-6530(cell)/483-3021(wk)/428-9367(hm)

EDMONTON - The federal government has finally acted in an appropriate manner in its pay equity dispute with its own employees, says Audrey Cormack, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

Cormack says the agreement announced today between the Public Service Alliance and the Treasury Board will finally provide some justice for the 200,000 current and former employees who have been consistently underpaid in the past.

"I applaud the Federal government for deciding to finally abide by the original Canadian Human Rights Tribunal decision," says Cormack. "Any further judicial appeals against the decision would have been grossly unfair to these women  - and a total waste of taxpayers money."

However, it is the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) that deserves all of the credit for this victory for working people, according to Cormack. "The PSAC has been fighting this battle for the past fifteen years - and they deserve heartfelt thanks from working women, trade unionists and social justice advocates across Canada," says Cormack.

Women workers under federal jurisdiction in the private sector should now expect some action to address their pay inequities, according to Cormack. "Now that the federal government has finally set a standard, I believe that private sector employers under federal jurisdiction must act promptly to meet those same standards with their own employees," says Cormack.

The labour leader also believes that this settlement should convince the Alberta government to reconsider its opposition to pay equity.

"The Alberta government has consistently refused to address the inequity of its own pay structures," says Cormack. "But, they are now clearly lagging behind the mainstream of Canadian society in the area of women's pay. I urge them to take this settlement as a sign that it is time to correct their own unjust treatment of women workers - and to pass pay equity legislation that will create fairness for women working for other private and public employees in Alberta."

For more information call:

Audrey Cormack, President:   780-483-3021 (wk) / 780-499-6530 (cell) / 780-428-9367 (hm)