EDMONTON – Members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) are in crisis mode and waiting for the province to take urgent action to support workers and residents in Alberta’s continuing care system.
Instead, the Alberta government spent about a half an hour talking about their new name, logo and technology instead of the very real crisis senior, chronically ill and disabled Albertans are in.
AUPE Vice-President Sandra Azocar said AUPE members are still waiting for the government to balance the health care needs of seniors not just ‘wrap around’ services.
“It's an absolute mockery of the crisis frontline workers and residents are dealing with on a daily basis,” Azocar said. “Staffing is at crisis levels. Workloads are not sustainable. Cuts in funding are driving down the quality care Alberta’s seniors expect and deserve. These problems are only getting worse as the population grows and Albertans age.”
The government also announced an online survey for consultations and yet another transition committee, which is comprised mostly of for-profit care operators.
Azocar said the government has been chipping away at support and protection for vulnerable Albertans by removing public accountability as to how many hours of care people will be receiving and ignoring the need for recruitment and retention in the sector.
“We’re out here struggling to provide Albertans with the most basic of supports, yet there have been no meaningful steps taken to improve immediate concerns since the government announced they are breaking up our public health care system almost exactly a year ago.”
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AUPE Vice President Sandra Azocar will be available to media for additional comment.