RED DEER — More than 100 workers will lose their jobs at Red Deer Polytechnic because of the provincial government’s lack of investment and funding instability, says the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE).
Of those over 100 workers, between 35-45 are AUPE members. Those numbers are dependent on the Alberta Government approving the institution’s proposed deficit budget. If the government does not approve the plan, these numbers could double.
“Losing these jobs would be a blow to Red Deer’s economy,” says AUPE Vice-President Curtis Jackson. “It’s a blow to the workers, their families, and the community. Cuts like this could be coming across the province if the government does not give hard-working Albertans some good news in this year’s provincial budget.”
Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) President Stuart Cullum said program cuts and layoffs are planned for several reasons, including zero increases to base grant funding from the Government of Alberta and changes to the provincial allocations under the international student cap set by Ottawa.
Jackson says post-secondary education needs stable, predictable funding sources, which includes increased investment from the provincial government.
“The Alberta government has let our post-secondary institutions fall far behind,” says Jackson. “Schools like Red Deer Polytechnic are crucial for our young workforce and our future. The Government of Alberta has the ability to resume meaningful investments in post-secondary education. Doing so would directly increase the number of skilled workers in our province.”
AUPE members at Red Deer Polytechnic will meet later this month to discuss what happens if the institution goes through with its plan for job cuts. According to Jackson, it is up to members to decide how to collectively respond to the situation.
“If nothing changes, Alberta is in a lose-lose situation,” he says. “Not only are we losing jobs at post-secondary institutions, but we are also negatively impacting our ability to educate the new workers Alberta needs to strengthen the critical services Albertans depend on, like health care, education, trades, and government services.
“We know this is just the start. We know other post-secondary institutions in Alberta are struggling with the same issues. If we don’t stand up for our jobs, our communities, and well-funded post-secondary education, who will?”
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