Message to Health Minister Shandro: Tell the truth and do your job
As an Albertan, I am fed up that Minister Shandro is saying in Question Period that other people are to blame for his failure.
To say publicly that Albertans on the front lines of a public health battle can’t get a small $2 pay bump promised two months ago because of union grievances is untrue and unacceptable.
Here is the truth: AUPE filed 51 grievances with employers between June 8 and June 12 relating to pandemic pay. These actions are paying off. Since we filed these grievances, nine have prompted the employer to sign on to Letters Understanding.
This progress is slow, and Albertans deserve their $2 top up in the meantime. It’s not fair and the only thing stopping health-care heroes from getting paid is the political will on the part of government to make it happen.
I want the minister to stop the blame game, and do his job. It's not just HCAs who need a pay increase, there's a lot of people, including LPNs and General support staff that have to get the same kind of increase. Making excuse out of a union doing its due diligence is bold. But hopefully Albertans see through this.