FAQ: What will a UCP government mean for AUPE members?
On April 16, Albertans elected a majority United Conservative Party government.
Since then, AUPE has received a number of questions from members in all sectors asking what the change in leadership could mean for them, their colleagues and their jobs.
While we are still in the early days of a new government, your union is dedicated to communicating with members on issues important to them. Here is a breakdown of answers to the most frequently asked questions we’ve received so far.
FAQ: What does a UCP majority government mean for my job and the jobs of my fellow AUPE members?
Premier Jason Kenney and his cabinet were sworn-in on April 30. These are the politicians who shape laws and policies that govern the work you do.
During the election campaign, Kenney mentioned plans for changes in several areas that could directly affect members.
Two of the most explicit were public hospital laundry services and acute lab services in Edmonton, which have become targets for further privatization, job cuts and contracting out. This would affect thousands of AUPE members. Based on election promises, it’s safe to anticipate a push by the province to make major changes in the way these services are delivered. AUPE members are prepared for these challenges and will meet them head on.
The clearest signal of how deep cuts to services AUPE members provide could be will be seen in the UCP’s first budget. This budget will likely be presented this fall. Your union will comb through those details once available and will report back to members.
We’ve been down the road of cuts, privatization and contracting out before, mostly in the 1990s under Premier Klein. It took solidarity and determination to fight back then, and it will take all of us working together again to push back against any threats we may soon face.
FAQ: What does this mean for contract negotiations?
It depends on where members are currently at in the bargaining process:
• If you’re preparing to bargain, please talk to your chapter or local executive to see how they plan to get input from members
• If you’re actively bargaining, please speak with your bargaining committee
• If you’re currently involved in wage reopener talks:
- GOA members have arbitration dates scheduled for June 11, 17, 20 and 21 in Edmonton;
- Arbitration dates for other tables, like AHS Nursing Care and GSS, have yet to be scheduled; keep an eye on the website for updates.
FAQ: Where can I find information on the UCP government’s platforms and policies?
UCP policy platforms are publicly available here, and an analysis of what they mean for AUPE members can be found here.
Throughout the campaign, the UCP promised to make cuts to revenues that contribute greatly to the province’s finances.
After adding up UCP tax give-aways, along with the cuts they would make to the provincial budget, we’ve found that the UPC plans to make $11 Billion in cuts.
FAQ: What does the UCP win mean for overtime pay?
During the campaign, the UCP said it will change the rules for Albertans without a union contract so that banked overtime will be taken as straight time off, instead of at 1.5.
This is bad news for Alberta families, and the take home pay of people without a union contract in our members’ households. But these changes impact us all and could encourage employers to push for lower overtime language during bargaining.
FAQ: What can we do now to plan, strategize and coordinate across the union?
Shortly after election day, your union held a series of five call-in town hall meetings. Members in public and private health care, government services, education and boards, agencies and municipal government joined AUPE executive and management to coordinate and discuss strategies moving forward.
Your union will use this feedback as we support members in planning and executing the actions they decide to take.
You can receive a copy of the recording of your sector’s telephone town hall by contacting your local chair.
In the meantime, join AUPE’s Facebook page and keep an eye on AUPE’s website for updates. If you hear rumours on your worksite that make you think your employer is considering privatization or contracting out, let your MSO know by calling the Member Resource Centre at: 1-800-232-7284.
FAQ: Won’t job security language AUPE members negotiated in their contracts protect from job cuts in health care and government?
Albertans working for Alberta Health Services and directly for the government of Alberta negotiated strong job security language in their contracts. Those contracts expire March 2020. It’s going to be crucial that we all stand in solidarity with these members. Their contracts impact the standards for wages and benefits for other AUPE members and all Albertans with or without union protection.
FAQ: What kind of legislation will the new government introduce first?
The UCP government’s first bill (Bill 1) will concern the carbon tax, and their second bill (Bill 2) will be what it calls an ‘Open For Business Act’ that focuses on labour laws and corporate tax breaks. Experts agree this second bill will have perks for employers and be bad news for union and non-union workers.
FAQ: What’s in the UCP’s “Open for Business” Law and what will it mean for workers?
The UCP’s Bill 2 will:
- Rollback the minimum wage for servers and young workers (from $15 to $13 dollars)
- Make it harder for Albertans to win when they vote to unionize
- End the ban on “replacement workers” in the public sector (translation: letting bosses use scabs to undermine job action and make strikes and lockouts last longer)
- Appoint an “expert panel” to look at rolling back the minimum wages for the hospitality sector (translation: Albertans who serve alcohol as part of their jobs)
The ‘Open for Business’ Act also has a very American-style approach to union members’ ability to advocate for rights, by suggesting that unions shouldn’t be free to speak out on worker rights and good jobs in the public arena. This kind of silencing of unions would mean employers would be free to dominate the public conversation of politics and public policy.
The new premier and his cabinet will sit in legislature on May 21. The UCP will have to table Bill 2 in the legislature and we’ll be sure to communicate information on it with members when this happens.
AUPE will also keep a close eye on any government decisions that impact members jobs and any of the three core values members say matter: protecting public services, public health care, and retirement security for all Albertans.
FAQ: How will we work with the new government and the new opposition?
AUPE will work respectfully with this government like it has with 15 other governments since our inception as a union in 1919. Your union welcomes a conversation with the new premier at any time.
As AUPE’s done with the last government, any time it made decisions that impact our members’ jobs, the public purse or the public services they deliver, we’ll hold them accountable.
For now, AUPE is still waiting on the UCP to respond to the byelection questionnaire about their policy platform we sent before the election.
We also invited the party to attend the union’s 2018 convention and the invitation was declined. We will extend another invite for our 2019 convention this fall.