Duties of the Committee on Political Action
AUPE’s Constitution sets out the duties of the Committee on Political Action as follows:
The Committee on Political Action shall:
- review the social and political practices and interests of the Union and promote the education and social action of the members as they relate to the interests of the Union on matters of political concern;
- promote the union related political education of the membership;
- encourage and promote the social action and political participation of members in order to further the interests of the Union;
- act on behalf of members in matters of concern to them relating to the political process;
- recommend priorities from time to time for the Union’s activities in the area of political education; and
- shall actively pursue election reform to achieve a fair system of proportional representation for Alberta voters.
Bargaining and the government - the tip of the iceberg
The Alberta government has made bargaining difficult in recent years. Attacks on striking workers and new laws are just the tip of the iceberg - and if we don't fight back when the government chips away at our rights, there might not be much left.
Our Right to Strike
On September 17, 2024, the Alberta Government used a Ministerial Order to stop education workers from striking.
CUPE members who work for Fort McMurray’s Public and Catholic school divisions voted 95% in favour to go on strike September 17. Their employer refused to offer new collective agreements that addressed the understaffing, burnout, and low wages burdening their employees.
After voting to strike, the UCP Government ordered immediate anti-union action: a Ministerial Order to instate a Dispute Inquiry Board (DIB) to force the parties back to the bargaining table. The DIB mandate denied the workers' right to strike, interfered with lawful bargaining, and delayed meaningful dispute resolution.
AUPE members should be aware that the UCP could use this as a way to try to divide our membership, but if they do, we can use the delay to spend more time building our power and solidarity.
The government digs itself into bargaining
The Government of Alberta has issued secret bargaining orders to public-sector employers. This means most AUPE members' employers are only allowed to offer what the government wants at the bargaining table.
This slows down bargaining and forces AUPE members across the province to fight harder for what they deserve.
The government says workers are negotiating with their respective employers, but the employers are really only allowed to offer what the government wants. This frustrates everyone in the bargaining process and poisons our relationships with our employers.
The secret mandates are one of the tools the government uses to weaken worker power, perhaps with the end game of union busting. The secret mandates appear to be targeting and limiting many rights that union members have fought for and won over time, including rights that improve life for union members and non-members alike.
For more information about the government's bargaining orders, check out the Parkland Institute report "A Thumb on the Scale."
The Critical Infrastructure Jackhammer
The Alberta government’s Critical Infrastructure Defense Act could make it harder to strike. It violates our right to freedom of assembly, including in public areas like sidewalk.
Using the act would create fear for anyone protesting or on strike. This would severely impact our ability to form and maintain picket lines at our places of work like hospitals, correctional facilities, and government offices.
For more information about the Act and its associated risks, check out this information from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.
COPA at Alberta's Legislature
Contact COPA
For urgent COPA-related inquiries, please contact COPA Chair James Gault directly.
James Gault
Vice-President
James Gault is one of the six (6) Vice-Presidents for the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE).