Latest news with #AUPE
Edmonton Journal
23-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Alberta government warns work stoppage coming without AUPE negotiation progress
The union disputes the government's characterization of events, saying the parties will return to the table on June 2 for more negotiations Members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) rallied on Monday, July 22, 2024 in Edmonton. Greg Southam-Postmedia The Alberta government is warning a continued lack of progress in negotiation with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) could result in either a strike by workers or a government-led lockout. In a news release Friday, the province accused the union of demanding too much and misleading members. 'Union leadership has not been forthright with its members and sold the idea that a successful strike vote would provide more leverage at the bargaining table,' it reads. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors 'If AUPE leadership continues to be unreasonable and unrealistic, the situation could escalate to a strike by government workers or a government-initiated lockout. Neither option is desirable.' The statement says the union is seeking a 29 per cent wage increase over four years, a figure disputed by AUPE president Guy Smith. 'It's really unfortunate that the minister feels the need to go public with the state of our bargaining and not only that include misinformation and be disingenuous,' he said, adding the union's most recent offer was a 24 per cent wage increase over four years, a figure he compared to the roughly 20 per cent raise over the same time frame nurses agreed to last month. Smith also challenged the government's assertion that AUPE had walked away from the bargaining table and asked the mediator to withdraw, stating the parties are scheduled to resume bargaining on June 2 and that the mediator has remained in contact with both sides. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'What you're seeing, not just in Alberta but practically around the world, is that unionized workers are actually standing up to regain some of what was lost during the high inflation years.' AUPE has nearly 100,000 members. Earlier this month, approximately 23,000 of those members who are directly employed by the province voted 90 per cent in favour of strike action, with 80 per cent turnout. About a quarter of those workers are deemed to be providing essential services and are exempted from taking strike action, including correctional officers and sheriffs. 'The reason we took a strike vote was to give us that leverage, because if necessary, and we're really hoping it's not necessary, but if it is necessary, our members are prepared to strike and we're prepared to support them,' Smith said, adding he remains optimistic an agreement can be reached. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There will be a deal at the end of the day.' Finance Minister Nate Horner has agreed to speak to Postmedia Friday afternoon. Read More — with files from Jackie Carmichael mblack@ Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun. Politics News Cult of Hockey Crime Letters
CTV News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘It feels very disrespectful': AUPE VP says Alberta divesting from post-secondary education
Bobby-Joe Borodey, a vice-president with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, talks about 18 programs being reviewed and potentially cut at NAIT. Bobby-Joe Borodey, a vice-president with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, talks about 18 programs being reviewed and potentially cut at NAIT, union members voting in favour of a strike and the government securing a lockout licence. Bobby-Joe Borodey, AUPE VP, discusses post-secondary education funding and contract negotiations with Alberta Primetime host Michael Higgins. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. Michael Higgins: Let's touch first on that point about the NAIT situation. There 18 programs potentially on the chopping block. What do you take from the dialogue around the decision making process there? Bobby-Joe Borodey: Unfortunately, it comes as no surprise when the government announces that there will be zero increases to base grant funding, institutions first look to cut programs and people. So again, it's unfortunate, but doesn't come as a surprise. MH: Enrollment being down, rising costs, even the impact of tariffs — How do you weigh that against the level of funding that's coming from the province? BJB: We have to recognize that the decrease in enrollment is primarily due to the limitations placed around institutions being able to accept international students. Ten, 12 years ago, institutions were told to prepare for a decrease in the demographic in post-secondary education and to prepare to take on international students, and so many institutions pivoted to do that, only to now be limited in the number that they can enroll. That's why we're seeing the results that we're seeing here today. MH: What's the impact of that at the ground level? BJB: If you are cutting programs, it would likely stand to reason then that there is less work, and so we will see a direct impact to job security with respect to the workers in those post-secondary institutions. Essentially, we see a province that's divesting in the post-secondary education system in this province. MH: We're talking about NAIT. AUPE members are employed at a number of post-secondary institutions across the province outside of NAIT. What are your observations? What's happening at other schools? BJB: It's a similar pattern, or a common thread, for sure. All of our institutions we represent, 16 in the province, are engaged in collective bargaining right now, and while they are all different employees, they are experiencing pretty much the same. They are being told that positions are likely to be cut, and in some institutions, we've already seen those cuts to positions. Programs will be decreased, and essentially with respect to bargaining, we're seeing very low in wage increase proposals from each of those employers. MH: How significant are the employee cuts? BJB: They are very significant. Specifically, Red Deer Polytechnic just recently laid off 33 members within their institution, 17 of which were AUPE members, and so those are big cuts. MH: Okay, so members are in the bargaining process where post-secondary is concerned. What does that bargaining look like? Where does it stand? BJB: For the most part, it's at a standstill. For those who have been engaged a little bit longer in the process, we are seeing positive results on non-monetary asks. However, immediately once we move to monetary decisions and bargaining, we're either seeing a stall or incredibly low offers with no appetite to move off of those offers. MH: What does that say to you? BJB: It tells me that policy wise, they're looking to save money on the backs of their workers. Initially, it feels very disrespectful, and it really just impedes the ability to negotiate fairly for fair collective wages. MH: What does that say to you about the future of post-secondary education then in our province? BJB: It may be an overstatement, but I do believe it is decimation to what used to be a very robust system. Students will leave the province, and we know that if they leave the province to pursue education elsewhere, the likelihood of them coming back to Alberta is slim. Obviously, that has economic ripples in every facet of our economy. MH: We have a growing population, it was just this week we learned that Alberta touched that 5 million mark. Would it not go the other direction? BJB: Not likely, especially on the heels of these program cuts because if students are not able to access the programs that they want to pursue for their future careers, they have no choice but to go elsewhere. Or they're faced with a situation whereby they have to travel great distances within their own province just to access those programs, and it's very likely that they'll be concerned about whether or not the program will be there for them to complete. If it's a diploma or a degree, for example, if it's suspended in the middle of that programming, they're typically left trying to trying to find an alternative solution to achieve their degree or their diploma. MH: Your union drawing lots of attention in the past number of days after members directly employed by the province voted 90 per cent in favour of strike action. You've been at the bargaining table with the government in that regard for more than a year. Why no mediated settlement? What's holding that up? BJB: The parties are just too far apart at this particular point in time. So again, we were able to come to consensus on non-monetary issues, but we went in with an ask that we felt was fair, they came in with a very low offer and there was very little wiggle room. So at this particular time, the two groups were just too far apart to even really get value from a mediator. MH: Yet, I understand you had 80 per cent turnout for that vote to reach that 90 per cent figure of voting for strike action. What does that say, then, about the willingness of AUPE members to actually walk off the job? BJB: Well, it sends a very clear message, and it says that accepting nothing or little for so long is no longer an option, and that our members truly can't afford not to go on strike if their employer is not prepared to offer them wages that will allow them to live, feed their families and not have to pick up second jobs just to make ends meet. MH: How worrisome is it the government has secured a lockout license as a potential response? BJB: Not too worrisome. We recognize that it is typically a tactic in a situation such as this. We're hopeful that we can come to an agreement, especially after the mandate results. The fact that we have the strong strike mandate behind us will hopefully be one of the levers we can pull to get negotiations going again. But as far as the lockout, we're not overly concerned at this particular time.
Calgary Herald
13-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Willing to strike: Huge turnout in unprecedented AUPE vote while province claims market woes
Some 23,000 members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees who are directly employed by the province showed unprecedented turnout and support in last week's strike vote. Article content Article content For the subset of the larger 100,000-member AUPE, it was the first major test of union laws compelled by Canada's Supreme Court a decade ago that acknowledged the constitutional right of workers to full collective bargaining rights and strikes. Article content Article content With an 80 per cent turnout of members eligible to vote, and 90 per cent voting in favour of strike action if necessary, Western Canada's largest union showed 'huge engagement,' said AUPE president Guy Smith. Article content Article content 'We've never, ever had a strike vote this large before. It's the first time we've done this in our 106-year history, hold such a large strike vote. And you know, you're never quite sure how it's going to go until you put it in the hands of the members. The members are always right, but I'm so proud that they are engaged and aware of what's going on.' Article content Strike action is somewhat restricted by essential service agreements declaring certain critical services must be provided during a strike. Of the estimated 23,000 members, about 25 per cent are deemed 'essential services' and exempted from taking strike action, including members who are correctional officers and sheriffs who uphold the operation of law and order, and some in social services. Article content Finance Minister Nate Horner started Tuesday's news conference with the day's market price of oil, at US$63.85 — a changing figure much touted as central to Alberta revenues and corresponding fiscal planning. Article content Article content Noting the 'novel situation' the government finds itself in, Horner said his focus is ensuring 'a fair deal looking at the market evidence.' Article content Article content 'What I've been saying is that a strike or a lockout won't change the market data,' he said. Article content Government pressure with talk of economic woes is nothing new to the negotiation process, Smith said. Article content 'Always the price of oil comes up, and it's always, 'The government fiscal situation' that really is a barrier to overcome. However, we've seen some recent collective agreements negotiated in this province that we believe fully do recognize and respect the contribution that those workers make,' Smith said. Article content 'Like every Albertan — every worker in this province — they were absolutely devastated by the high inflation of the past few years, and now they're trying to play catch up. And as a union, it's our role and responsibility to our dues-paying members to support them in doing that.'
Edmonton Journal
13-05-2025
- Business
- Edmonton Journal
Willing to strike: Huge turnout in unprecedented AUPE vote while province claims market woes
With an 80 per cent turnout of members eligible to vote, and a 90 per cent voting in favour of strike action if necessary, Western Canada's largest union showed 'huge engagement." AUPE members held an information picket on 106 Street in Edmonton on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, to protest and spread awareness of what they say is a staffing crisis in the Family Support for Children with Disabilities and the Persons with Developmental Disabilities programs that is causing vulnerable Albertans to wait more than 18 months to access the support they need. The union said the government hired 30-40 people in 2024 to address case overloads but are now ending those contracts. Photo by Shaughn Butts / Postmedia Some 23,000 members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees who are directly employed by the province showed unprecedented turnout and support in last week's strike vote. For the subset of the larger 100,000-member AUPE, it was the first major test of union laws compelled by Canada's Supreme Court a decade ago that acknowledged the constitutional right of workers to full collective bargaining rights and strikes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors With an 80 per cent turnout of members eligible to vote, and 90 per cent voting in favour of strike action if necessary, Western Canada's largest union showed 'huge engagement,' said AUPE president Guy Smith. 'We've never, ever had a strike vote this large before. It's the first time we've done this in our 106-year history, hold such a large strike vote. And you know, you're never quite sure how it's going to go until you put it in the hands of the members. The members are always right, but I'm so proud that they are engaged and aware of what's going on.' Strike action is somewhat restricted by essential service agreements declaring certain critical services must be provided during a strike. Of the estimated 23,000 members, about 25 per cent are deemed 'essential services' and exempted from taking strike action, including members who are correctional officers and sheriffs who uphold the operation of law and order, and some in social services. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Finance Minister Nate Horner started Tuesday's news conference with the day's market price of oil, at US$63.85 — a changing figure much touted as central to Alberta revenues and corresponding fiscal planning. Noting the 'novel situation' the government finds itself in, Horner said his focus is ensuring 'a fair deal looking at the market evidence.' 'What I've been saying is that a strike or a lockout won't change the market data,' he said. Government pressure with talk of economic woes is nothing new to the negotiation process, Smith said. 'Always the price of oil comes up, and it's always, 'The government fiscal situation' that really is a barrier to overcome. However, we've seen some recent collective agreements negotiated in this province that we believe fully do recognize and respect the contribution that those workers make,' Smith said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Like every Albertan — every worker in this province — they were absolutely devastated by the high inflation of the past few years, and now they're trying to play catch up. And as a union, it's our role and responsibility to our dues-paying members to support them in doing that.' If anything, the turnout for the strike vote should tell the Government of Alberta of the strike-readiness and frustration its workers are feeling, he said. AUPE's direct provincial employees have been at the bargaining table with government for more than one year without reaching a mediated settlement. In that time, the union has come down to a 24 per cent wage increase over four years. That's not coming down enough, said Horner. 'When they walked away from the table, they were still asking for twice as much as the nurses got. So there's a big, big gap,' Horner said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'You can't be that far apart and walk away from the table.' The province has secured the corresponding lockout licence, calling it an option, but no decisions have been made as yet amid AUPE claims of wanting to come back to the table, Horner said. 'They've got 120 days to strike a deal before that time. I'm confident that I have no intention of letting this play out that long. If they're serious about coming back to the table, we'll be there,' he said. While more than 100 settlements remain unresolved, Horner said the province has settled 49 out of 164 negotiations. 'We'll see where it goes. Nobody wants to see this kind of disruption, but we have contingency plans. 'I never thought it'd be this tough to give the biggest wage increases people have seen in multiple decades, but here we are, and we'll continue the work,' Horner said. Over the past decade, AUPE's direct provincial employees have had two rounds of negotiations, neither of which ended up going to a strike vote. Both were settled at the table, with the last round of bargaining in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic that limited travel and interaction with members, Smith said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'During COVID, we were most concerned about everyone's health and safety and making sure of the services our members provided to Albertans during a very scary and critical time,' he said, citing new strength shown in recent strike actions by postal workers and Alberta education support staff. 'Public sector workers are starting to stand up and fight back. I think what you're seeing is that workers are finding their voice and they're finding their strength, and it is our responsibility as a union to make sure that that voice is heard,' Smith said, anticipating more labor disruptions, with dozens of collective agreements still at the bargaining table among AUPE's total membership of 100,000 members — among them employees with Alberta Health Service, Covenant Health, post-secondary institutions, ATB, AGLC and others — with fellow union member support expected at the bargaining table and on the picket lines if necessary. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'It's a huge amount of support that they're showing each other. We're calling the government back to the table to negotiate seriously so we can get this done and avoid any disruption.' jcarmichael@ Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters . You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun Politics Cult of Hockey Cult of Hockey Sports Edmonton Oilers
CBC
13-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Alberta public sector workers vote in favour of strike action following failed negotiations
Thousands of workers employed by the Alberta government have voted in favour of a strike, after labour negotiations reached a standstill last month. In a statement Tuesday, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, which represents more than 23,000 provincial employees, delivered a 90.1 per cent strike mandate. Of the eight union locals participating in the vote, 80 per cent of eligible employees cast a ballot, the AUPE said. Results have been provided to the Alberta Labour Relations Board for formal confirmation and verification, the union said. "This mandate underscores the urgent need for fair wages, improved working conditions, and genuine job security for the future," the union said in a statement Tuesday. "Historically, strong strike mandates are a powerful tool to bring most employers back to the bargaining table." Members participated in the vote from Thursday to Monday, including workers across a wide range of government services, including health, law enforcement and social services. AUPE members include a broad range of public sector employees such as corrections officers, hospital staff, social workers and parks employees. CBC News has reached out to the Alberta government for comment. A 'good deal' Despite the results, a strike is not a certainty. The strike vote is valid for 120 days but the union said it's bargaining committee is focused on reaching a "good deal" through continued negotiations. Within the 120-day window, workers can walk off the job with 72-hours notice. Wages have been at the centre of the labour dispute. According to the union, it asked for wage increases of 24 per cent over four years, while the province offered 11.5 per cent. On April 16, the union told members negotiations had reached an impasse and that it was preparing to hold a strike vote following a formal cooling off period if mediation efforts failed to reach a deal. The union says it continues to push for wages that reflect "real inflation and fair compensation for its members." The Alberta government, meanwhile, has since applied for lockout, a measure employers can use to apply pressure to negotiations.
