Premier, Ministers urged to halt privatization plans
September 1, 2020
EDMONTON - The campaign to Protect Disability Services has picked up more support today, with the union locals representing over 10,000 staff at Edmonton Public School Boards sending a joint letter to Premier Kenney, and Ministers Sawhney, LaGrange, and Schulz urging them to stop any plans to privatize services for disabled Albertans and leave them under public operation. This follows a similar letter sent from the Edmonton Public School Board itself to LaGrange and Sawhney just recently.
“Educational assistants in our Local provide important support for the education of children at the Rosecrest home,” says Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 3550 President Carol Thompson. “We’re worried about the impacts privatization could have on the health of these kids, and their education too. The government didn’t even reach out to us when they started to ‘explore alternative service delivery’, and they haven’t consulted with us about our work there.”
Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members and guardians of disabled Albertans were given 90 day notice of exploration of “alternative service delivery” on June 10. This includes all government operated homes for persons with developmental disabilities in Edmonton and Calgary including Scenic Bow in Calgary, as well as the Rosecrest home for children, and adult group homes and respite centres in Edmonton.
“Teachers at Scott Robertson School working in partnership with the provincial government have been educating children at Rosecrest for years,” says Edmonton Public Schools Local 37 President Heather Quinn. “It’s such a valuable program. These children are medically fragile and transportation can be difficult, so the teachers and educational assistants go to them. We don’t know if a private provider will even continue operating at Rosecrest which is right near the school.”
“The workers at Rosecrest really value the relationship with the Edmonton Public School staff,” says AUPE Vice-President Kevin Barry. “Having those links between support workers, educational staff, and the kids at Rosecrest is really important. Not knowing whether this educational program will continue is another blow for our members. Our 90 day ‘consultation’ period is almost over and we still have more questions than answers.”
“We also know that the public sector is an option for the Rosecrest children after they turn 18, so the public adult group homes should also stay open to provide that continuity of support and care,” added Thompson. “We hope Premier Kenney, Minister Sawhney and the rest of the UCP government listen to guardians, front line disability workers, and education staff and put a stop to this privatization.”