By Maureen Mariampillai, Communications Staff
“Grab your coats, pack some snacks, I'll see you in the streets.”
Surely, you’ve heard AUPE Vice-President Bobby-Joe Borodey use that phrase once or twice. Well, this summer, that’s exactly what we plan to do. But maybe you can swap the coat for some sunscreen instead.
Over the past few weeks, thousands of AUPE members have attended the Time for Action bargaining town halls to discuss our collective fight for better wages, job security and working conditions.
Thank you for making the time to get involved, engage in crucial conversations, and pledge to do your part to grow our momentum in the coming weeks and months.
You are the union, and our power comes from the collective actions' workers take every single day. Momentum is not a single event. It is built over time and requires consistent and persistent action to be an effective catalyst for change.
That’s what over 82,000 AUPE members are bargaining for this year. Change is long overdue and the only way to get employers to give us the respect we deserve is to demand it.
"Joining a rally is an excellent way to start doing something about it."
The Time for Action Rallies are being organized across the province over the summer to continue building the momentum of the town halls and to keep the pressure on the employer.
Borodey says the one of the key ways to hold the employer’s feet to the fire is by supporting our negotiating teams at the bargaining table. How we do that is by making sure that we are organized and ready to mobilize at a moment’s notice.
“If we want more than what our employers are offering, then we will have to do something about it. Joining a rally is an excellent way to start doing something about it,” says Borodey.
The rallies will be held starting July and go right to Sept. 7 with the goal to hit a critical mass of support and participation from as many members as possible in Calgary and Edmonton!
AUPE members will be receiving emails over the next few months with details for rallies being organized near you. Please make sure your contact details are up to date by completing this form: https://www.aupe.org/update-info
When you get an email with the rally details, make sure to print out the rally poster attached and post it to your union board at your worksites.
Let’s get the word out, stand together in solidarity, and prepare to make history this summer!