By Maureen Mariampillai, Communications Staff
Taking job action is not an easy decision to make. There are a lot of factors to consider, but it really just boils down to what are you willing to do for you and your family?
1. The system is in crisis
You play a critical role in society. You keep us moving, healthy, safe and secure.
Yet, year after year the public sector is being treated like a political football.
Wage freezes. Budget cuts. Privatize and sell off for parts.
This is especially true in Alberta where the crisis has reached a whole new low.
On one hand we have crumbling infrastructure and on the other we have staffing shortages. Then let’s add the highest inflation rates in Canada and massive population growth to the mix.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know the solution here: invest in recruiting staff, retain workers with better wages, and invest in training programs for the future.
But apparently math is hard.
The government crunched some numbers and chose to underfund public services by almost $1 billion in 2025-26 alone and more than $3 billion between 2024 and 2027.
If you’re thinking well money doesn’t grow on trees. Well, you’re right but when you have lemons, Alberta’s surplus of $5.8 billion is what one might call lemonade.
2. You’re not just public sector workers, we’re Albertans too.
You’re a frontline hero – but even heroes get sick sometimes.
As an AUPE member, you know how waiting for programs, services or care can take days, months, or sometimes years. Whether it’s for legal aid, surgery, or to see a social worker – wait times, backlogs and delays are being experienced across all government sectors.
You are in a unique situation. Many AUPE members are employed by the government or an organization directly funded by the government. But you’re also a taxpayer. That means your voice holds more weight when you use it. As a worker, and a voter, you bring credibility to the problem and have the power to solve it.
“A strike line takes on a life of its own, so it’s vital that we set up the conditions to build trust, respect and camaraderie right from the start.”
3. It’s your right to strike.
This is one of the tools in a union's toolbox - and arguably the most powerful. Don't be afraid of exercising your rights and standing up for yourself.
In Canada, the right to strike is constitutionally protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
As an AUPE member, it’s important to use your voice every chance you get. A strong strike vote result is sometimes enough to make the employer back off. Members must create a MyAUPE account on AUPE.org to participate in a strike vote.
But if that doesn’t resolve the impasse—we need to be ready to walk off the job.
4. It works.
What is solidarity if not power? What is power if not action? Workers who strike win.
History has shown us that there is power in numbers. Civil rights, labour rights, human rights – we've come as far as we have in society because people had the courage to stand up and fight.
AUPE Vice President Darren Graham says solidarity on the picket line can make or break a strike.
“A strike line takes on a life of its own, so it’s vital that we set up the conditions to build trust, respect and camaraderie right from the start,” says Graham. “One of the worst ways to break down morale and weaken a strike is to cross a picket line.”
It’s important that we have Strike Captains ready to maintain order on the line and foster the solidarity and strength needed for success. If you’re interested in becoming a Strike Captain, register here: https://aupe.geniussis.com/memberlogin.aspx
“One of the worst ways to break down morale and weaken a strike is to cross a picket line.”
5. It didn’t need to be this way.
Collective bargaining doesn’t always end in a strike. There are countless meetings, conversations and mechanisms in place to exhaust all options before turning to a strike or lockout.
Employers will almost certainly choose themselves over your wellbeing. It’s business to them. Profit, shareholder dividends, and political capital – that's their bottom line.
But it’s more than a job to you. It’s food on the table, dental care, dance class, car repairs, the list goes on. It’s pride in your job and the people you help day in and day out.
Employers will pull out every trick in the book to divide us, break us down and try to control us. Just take a look at Alberta Health Services' latest stunt.
But you are not just part of a union, you ARE the union. What is done to one is done to all. Our movement is only as strong as we make it so get involved, share your fears, get support and get ready.
There is protection in solidarity just as much as power so let’s lean on each other and get the job done.
