AUPE_DirectImpact_Fall2014

Published by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees

FALL 2014

Returning to the Alberta Way Campaign spokesman Albert ready to take on politicians

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FALL 2014 CONTENTS

ON OUR WAY

DIRECT IMPACT

AUPE EXECUTIVE President Guy Smith

8

The Alberta Way, AUPE’s campaign to change the way politics is done, will pick up steam this fall.

Exec. Sec.-Treasurer Jason Heistad

Vice-President Mike Dempsey

Vice-President Erez Raz

Vice-President Carrie-Lynn Rusznak

12

Vice-President Glen Scott

After nearly five months on the picket line, locked-out caregivers at SAIL Inc. are not backing down.

Vice-President Susan Slade

15

Vice-President Karen Weiers

Weighed

Government employees’ morale is sinking. And there’s no strategy to fix the problem.

Executive Director Carl Soderstrom Editor Mark Wells Contributors Tyler Bedford Vanessa Bjerreskov Merryn Edwards Andrew Hanon Design Jon Olsen Telephone: 1-800-232-7284 Fax: 780-930-3392 Toll-free Fax: 1-888-388-2873 info@aupe.org www.aupe.org Direct Impact is published quarterly, with a circulation of more than 80,000.

BY THE NUMBERS

6

Direct Impact measures the crisis in seniors care.

From the President 4 Labour News 18 Labour Relations Briefs 24 Focus on AUPE 26 Steward Notes Pull Out

Canadian Publications Mail Agreement: 40065207 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Alberta Union of Provincial Employees 10451 - 170 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 4S7

14135

DIRECT IMPACT 3

FROM THE PRESIDENT

I hope you all enjoyed your summer and managed to find some quality time in the sun with friends and family.

Since the last issue of Direct Impact, AUPE members attended public legislature committee hearings across the province on the contentious pension Bills 9 and 10. They made eloquent and passionate presentations to government and opposition MLAs on how the proposed changes to pension plans would affect them, their families and their communities.

Bills 9 and 10 were intended to be passed last spring in the Legislature but were pulled by Finance Minister Doug Horner, who recognized that the determined and mounting opposition from AUPE, other unions, opposition parties and many employers to his proposed changes was deepening the political crisis that the government was facing.

So the bills were referred to an allparty committee to review and make recommendations based on the public and expert hearings that were held. We won’t know what the outcome of those recommendations will be for a few more weeks, but our goal has always been to prevent the proposed changes to pensions from going through. We are hopeful we will be successful.

However, this government needs to realize that our successful fight to protect pensions so far will intensify if they continue down the path of undermining the pension promise.

Because of the many struggles that we have engaged in, and gained success, over 4 DIRECT IMPACT

the past few months, the government has become clearly aware of how determined we are to protect our members, their rights, and the services they proudly provide. They can ill afford to continue in battles that they will eventually lose.

Of course the government’s biggest concern now, and for the next 18 months leading up to the provincial election, is that they may very well pay the ultimate political price – losing power. This is something that the new premier will be very aware of and AUPE will continue to address with him, particularly on how issues such as pensions, labour rights, and Michener Centre, which have so damaged the government’s credibility, will affect their prospects for re-election.

Meanwhile, AUPE is anticipating the change that may result from the current political environment. “Preparing for Change” is the theme of AUPE’s annual Convention in October, and although as a union we have helped bring about significant change through our struggles, we are well aware that the future is uncertain.

Being prepared and engaged in the political landscape leading up to the next election is essential to making sure the issues of AUPE members, and by extension those of Albertans in general, are front and centre.

Over the summer at various community events around the province, AUPE, through our “Alberta Way” campaign, reached out to Albertans, encouraging them to discuss the issues and values that matter to them. As we approach the next

election we will continue to connect with our members to help them to play a role in shaping the political landscape in their community.

Meanwhile, over the summer in Edmonton, the lockout at SAIL Inc. (which provides services to disabled adults in a housing co-operative called Artspace) continued. Our members have stayed strong on that picket line through some very challenging times. They may be a small group of AUPE members that are being exploited by their employer, but the principles they are standing up for – fairness, respect and proper working conditions – are huge.

Despite the rhetoric and misinformation bordering on hysteria generated by the employer, these members are determined to stand up for their rights. I encourage you to drop down to the picket line if you can to show your support for these brave members. Location and picket times are posted on the AUPE website.

In closing, I just want to thank you all again for your resolve and determination over the very challenging times we have faced. I believe we are coming through this stronger than ever and even better prepared for the changes, struggles and opportunities that lay ahead.

In Solidarity,

Guy Smith AUPE President

AREA COUNCIL EVENTS AUPE’s Area Councils are groups of union volunteers who organize and run family-oriented events throughout the year. You can find contact information for all AUPE’s Area Councils at www.aupe.org/contact/area-councils.

CALGARY AREA COUNCIL

Contact: Joanne MacLean, cacaupe@yahoo.com

SEPT. to NOV.

Ticket sales for Cineplex Odeon, Landmark Theatres, Theatre Calgary, Jubilations, and Ballet at the Jubilee Auditorium. Check calgaryareacouncil.weebly.com for dates and prices.

PEACE RIVER AREA COUNCIL

Contact: Audrey Randall, 780-624-8341

OCT. 20

Free Family Swim for members and the public at the Peace River Regional Pool. Please bring an item for the Food Bank!

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

NOV.

Toy and Food Bank Drive in all government buildings and health care facilities.

NOV.

Santa Claus Parades – float or walk-a-longs with AUPE banners in both the Grimshaw and Peace River parades. We supply the candy and Santa hats.

DEC.

Cinema passes from the area council! $5/ticket (limit 4 per AUPE family). Good at any Magic Lantern or Rainbow theatre across Canada. Never expires!

DEC. 15

Free Family Swim for members and the public at the Peace River Regional Pool. Please bring an item for the Food Bank!

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

JAN. to MAR.

save the date

AUPE CONVENTION 2014

OCTOBER 16, 17 & 18

Free skiing days for our members and their families at the Misery Mountain Ski Hill in Peace River. Free lift tickets and only $5.00 per person equipment rentals on selected dates.

LETHBRIDGE AREA COUNCIL

Contact: Catherine Donaldson, lethbridgeareacouncil@gmail.com

NOV. 7

Holiday Party at the Coast Hotel Lethbridge! Tickets are $10 for AUPE members, $20 for non-members. Limited tickets available.

Contact Catherine (403-317-0808) or Evina (403-892-3232).

NOV. 30

Kids’ Christmas Party! Join us at Holiday Bowl, 11:00 am to 1:30 pm, where kids will bowl and eat for free! Limited tickets available.

Contact Catherine (403-317-0808) or Evina (403-892-3232).

EDMONTON AREA COUNCIL

Contact: Rose Harrish, edmontonareacouncil.aupe.ca

NOV. 9

Galaxy Land at West Edmonton Mall with the Edmonton Area Council! Check our website at edmontonareacouncil.aupe.ca for more details!

GRANDE PRAIRIE AREA COUNCIL

Contact: Paddy Dzuba, dpdzuba@hotmail.com

NOV. 29

Christmas Dance at the Nordic Hall in Grande Prairie. Contact Paddy for details!

www.aupe.org DIRECT IMPACT 5

BY THE NUMBERS Alberta’s getting old. Our population is aging and we’re living longer. The need for more seniors care is increasing dramatically and the government is not keeping pace. In fact, the government is cutting back on seniors care by closing beds for seniors with the highest needs and replacing them with beds offering lower levels of care. It’s a crisis, and it’s only getting worse.

Albertans Over Age 80

192,900 121,200

Seniors Beds in Alberta

One concerning trend for Albertans is that despite seniors’ numbers continuing to rise the number of long-term care beds is falling. While supportive living beds are increasing, these beds do not provide the level of medical care many Albertans will need in their senior years.

Long-term care beds

Supportive living beds

(highest level of medical care)

(lower level of medical care)

2013

14,553

2013

2026

That’s a

59.2%

increase in 13 years

2014 8,479

2014

14,370

2013 7,979

Number of Albertans on a seniors care facility wait list in 2014:

1,193

And of those waiting

512

are in acute care hospital beds

The total value of government grants handed out to private sector operators for the construction of new beds from 2009 – 2013:

$424,000,000 The total number of new beds this money is supposed to produce: 6 DIRECT IMPACT

9,829

Politicians’ answers to the seniors crisis

Here’s what each of the party leaders and leadership candidates say they will do, based on their public statements or party policy.

The Gravy Train

Alberta’s hospitals and other health facilities are crumbling because the government has put off properly maintaining and repairing them. At the same time, it has been handing out hundreds of millions in grants to the private sector to build new seniors homes. Here’s a look at what’s happened in some communities.

$637 million

Total cost to repair all public health buildings in Alberta

Thomas Lukaszuk

PC leadership candidate

More funding for private sector: ethnic and cultural communities to provide services.

Ric McIver

PC leadership candidate

The Cost of Doing Business

In some of these communities the price tag for repairs to public health facilities is chump change when compared to the money given to private sector seniors homes. These are examples of the most alarming.

No policy available.

Jim Prentice

Red Deer Public Health Facilities repairs: $23.9 million (deferred) Private Sector funding: $33.2 million

PC leadership candidate

More funding for private sector: religious groups to provide services.

Raj Sherman Liberal leader

More funding for private sector: ethnic and cultural communities to provide services.

Danielle Smith Wildrose leader

Additional $50 million for home care, restore funding cut by PCs for long-term care (plus inflationary increases).

David Eggen

NDP leadership candidate

Public funding and delivery for new beds, more regulation and transparency from existing private providers.

Rachel Notley

NDP leadership candidate

Increase funding for more public beds.

Rod Loyola

NDP leadership candidate

Increase funding, provide more training, and empower front line workers.

$424 million

Total value of grants given to private sector (for-profit and not-for-profit) to build new seniors homes (2009-2013)

Lethbridge Public Health Facilities repairs: $10.4 million (deferred) Private Sector funding: $6.2 million Stettler Public Health Facilities repairs: $1.7 million (deferred) Private Sector funding: $8.8 million Olds Public Health Facilities repairs: $861,000 (deferred) Private Sector funding: $5.3 million Strathmore Public Health Facilities repairs: $735,000 (deferred) Private Sector funding: $21.8 million Peace River Public Health Facilities repairs: $465,000 (deferred) Private Sector funding: $3.7 million

Seniors Care Beds in Alberta Public beds

6,313

Private, not-for-profit beds

6,922

Private, for-profit beds

9,383

Cold Lake Public Health Facilities repairs: $150,000 (deferred) Private Sector funding: $3.7 million Spruce Grove Public Health Facilities repairs: $25,000 (deferred) Private Sector funding: $7 million

DIRECT IMPACT 7

Peace River

Lethbridge

ce River Red Deer

Grande Prairie

Deer

Edmonton

dge

airie

River

Lethbridge

Calgary Red Deer

Red Deer

Re

Edmonton 8 DIRECT IMPACT

ON OUR WAY The Alberta Way is AUPE’s campaign to change the way politics is done. Launched over the summer, it spread the message to festival goers across the province. It will pick up steam this fall.

We asked for it. And oh boy, did Albertans respond. For six weeks in July and August, AUPE representatives traveled the province to introduce the Alberta Way campaign at events and festivals. In all, The Alberta Way summer tour visited six communities – Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie and Peace River.

The tour introduced Albertans to the campaign and laid the groundwork for the next phase, which begins in the fall.

The campaign’s message is simple but powerful. Work hard, talk straight and keep your promises – that’s the Alberta Way. AUPE representatives on the tour asked event-goers, if you had a provincial government politician in front of you right now, what would you ask him or her?

Their questions were shared on Twitter and the campaign’s website, thealbertaway.com. People could also have their photos taken to be shared on Facebook.

by Merryn Edwards Communications Staff DIRECT IMPACT 9

“It was really revealing,” said AUPE Vice-President Glen Scott, who along with all members of the Executive helped staff at the booth.

President Guy Smith said, “The questions were very insightful. People are concerned with the direction the government has taken the province, and they’re very upset with politicians’ performance and conduct in recent years.”

People asked pointed questions about advanced education funding, health care, the environment and infrastructure, to name a few.

Not surprisingly, given Alison Redford’s scandal-plagued two years as premier, another common theme was integrity and honesty among politicians. One festival

“People are concerned with the direction the government has taken the province, and they’re very upset with politicians’ performance and conduct in recent years.”

AUPE President Guy Smith goer’s tongue-in-cheek question perfectly illustrated that. Directed at Redford, she asked: “My daughter and her friend want to travel with me. Will you pay for it?”

“The response from the public and AUPE members to the tour was fantastic,” said Scott. “We met thousands of people, had some great conversations and gathered some very important input for the next phase of the campaign.”

In all, tour representatives handed out approximately 20,000 pairs of The Alberta Way branded sunglasses, collected an estimated 700 questions and took approximately 1,000 photos, creating significant buzz on social media.

In addition to the tour, throughout the summer The Alberta Way was advertised on TV and on the internet. Interestingly, online advertising can be tracked every time it pops up on a viewer’s screen, and every time someone clicked on that ad.

Alberta Way online ads were seen more than 7.5 million times. Nearly 7,000 viewers clicked on those ads and were taken to thealbertaway.com.

Phase 2 This fall, AUPE launches a more intensive TV advertising campaign, featuring 10 DIRECT IMPACT

The Alberta Way’s spokesperson, Albert Howell, an Alberta-born writer and comedian who makes a living speaking truth to power through comedy.

Howell, who began his career at Loose Moose Theatre in Calgary, has a long resume that includes writing and performing on This Hour Has 22 Minutes and writing for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

He has a very personal stake in The Alberta Way. Born in Calgary, he returns twice a year to work on his parents’ farm and visit his hometown. “I eat breakfast at 1886, have a burger at Peter’s and perform at the Loose Moose Theatre,” says Howell.

“I can ride a horse, drive a tractor and fire a Winchester.”

You can view some of Albert’s videos on AUPE’s Youtube channel: youtube.com/ Albertaunion.

One of the highlights of the fall campaign will be the AUPE leaders’ forum at October’s Convention (see sidebar for details), where Howell will serve as moderator. The questions gathered over the summer will help form the discussion at the forum.

The campaign’s website presence, thealbertaway.com, will also be expanded.

“It will be the hub of the Alberta Way campaign,” explained Smith. “We want it to be a vital resource for people thinking about the provincial government and the next election.” Albertans will be able to go there and see where all the parties stand on issues like education, health and seniors care, labour issues and others.

They’ll easily be able to compare policies and get background on the leading politicians.

But what will make thealbertaway.com unique will be users’ ability to participate.

They will be able to add content, debate issues and rank them in order of importance.

It’s all about participation and engagement in politics and government.

So help spread the word—tell your families and communities to visit thealbertaway.com to ask their questions and give their input. The Alberta Way is relevant to all Albertans, and the more of us who speak up, the better. Because it’s time we had a government that believes in doing things the Alberta way: working hard, talking straight and keeping promises.

Alberta Asks During the summer Alberta Way tour, Albertans were given the opportunity to ask questions of politicians. Here is a sample of what Albertans want to know.

Why won’t you tell us how much privatization costs the public?

Why does the richest province have the poorest seniors?

How do we hold our politicians accountable for their bad decisions in between elections?

How is it benefiting Albertans by closing Michener Centre?

Will you develop pay equity legislation for Alberta?

What is your view on climate change?

Is the government still interested in making the changes to our pensions?

When will you abandon the flat tax?

What are you doing to reduce wait times for medical tests and procedures?

What are we doing in Alberta to ensure we can sustain our water for the far future?

Why doesn’t the government raise the minimum wage to a decent wage?

When is the government going to advance environmental protection programs so we can eradicate the ‘dirty oil’ tag line?

If it is money over patient safety, which will you choose?

What are we going to do about large classroom sizes?

Why do you keep changing the CEO of health care?

Why are cities underrepresented in the legislature?

Why are utilities so expensive in Alberta?

How will you help fix funding for aboriginal youth?

Political leaders coming to Convention The Alberta Way is coming to AUPE’s Convention 2014 in a big way.

As part of its two-year campaign to hold politicians more accountable, the union has invited the leaders of the four political parties currently sitting in the provincial legislature to participate in a political forum at AUPE’s annual gathering.

The event will be moderated by Alberta Way spokesman Albert Howell and will start at 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17.

The political forum will be “question and answer” format, with all participants answering each question. The questions will be prepared in advance. They will be based on input gathered throughout the summer at Alberta Way events.

“Albert will bring his unique brand of sharp political insight. He’ll make sure the politicians stay on topic and within their allotted times, but he’ll also keep things entertaining and accessible,” said VicePresident Mike Dempsey.

Convention delegates will also have the chance to submit questions for consideration prior to the forum. Audio will be livestreamed on AUPE’s website, with a full video posted after the event.

“We’re very excited about this forum,” said Dempsey. “We think it will help set the tone in the coming provincial election and help our members decide which party they want to support.”

Dempsey, who chairs the event’s sponsor committee, AUPE’s Committee On Political Action, added, “On election day, we will be able to look back at what the leaders promised at our Convention, and vote accordingly.”

All three opposition leaders – Danielle Smith of the Wildrose, Raj Sherman of the Liberals and Brian Mason of the NDP – have confirmed their attendance.

Because the Progressive Conservatives weren’t voting on a new leader until a few weeks before the forum, invitations went out to all candidates – Jim Prentice, Thomas Lukaszuk and Ric McIver – asking them to attend if they won.

At press time, the leadership vote hadn’t taken place and none had confirmed.

DIRECT IMPACT 11

weathering the

STORM As the shrill rhetoric and false accusations against them gets worse, SAIL picketers continue to stand strong.

by Tyler Bedford Communications Staff 12 DIRECT IMPACT

Lorna Hunt smiles wearily and nods to the other women bundled up in parkas against the early morning chill.

“We’re in good spirits,” she says. “I haven’t seen a day yet where any of us are really down.”

It’s early September. Lorna and her 30 fellow health care aides are into their fifth month on the picket line outside the 88-suite Artspace co-operative housing building in Edmonton. They are employees of Supports for Artspace Independent Living Inc., a company the co-op set up to administer services for physically disabled adults living in 29 of the building’s suites.

They are trying to negotiate a first collective agreement with SAIL Inc., which receives all of its funding for the HCAs from Alberta Health Services but stubbornly insists on paying much lower compensation.

On this morning, Lorna came to the picket line right after finishing a 12-hour night shift at her second job at the University Hospital.

“I’ll be here until 11 a.m. and then go home and get some sleep,” she explains.

The single mother of four has worked at SAIL Inc. for 17 years, but has always held a second job to make ends meet.

“Don’t ask me how I do it,” she says with a chuckle. “But it’s what most of us have to do.”

Her friend Yinghua Li, still in her scrubs from working the graveyard shift at another seniors facility, adds, “For a health care aide, you can’t rely on just one job. They reorganize and suddenly you’re not getting enough hours to pay the bills. You need the security of a second job.”

The protracted dispute has taken several bizarre turns over the months, but both women agree that the workers are not backing down until they receive fair treatment.

“For me,” Yinghua says simply, “when I make a commitment, I will do it.”

Lorna looks up at the apartment windows. “I’ve been loyal to these people for 17 years, and I’ve grown very attached to my clients.”

AUPE Vice President Karen Weiers said, “From the beginning of negotiations the employer showed little intention to bargain a fair collective agreement for its employees. SAIL’s bargaining positions were polluted with the anger it felt toward staff for joining AUPE. “Employer financial arguments were inconsistent, conflicting, scattered and without record. We discovered that SAIL had not audited their financial statements in seven years. Members of the SAIL board even refused to sit in the same room as AUPE representatives,” said Weiers. “It was as counter-productive as it was unusual.”

Mediation in October 2013 failed to produce an agreement and following a short eight-day strike in May 2014, which was voluntarily ended by the staff, workers found themselves physically barricaded from entering the worksite.

“That was something we’ve never seen before,” said AUPE Vice President Mike Dempsey. “A crowd of SAIL board members, residents and other supporters physically barred staff and verbally abused them when they tried to go back to work. A SAIL resident DIRECT IMPACT 13

even rammed into our members with his wheelchair.”

AUPE quickly filed an illegal lockout complaint with the Alberta Labour Relations Board. The board found SAIL guilty. The sanctioned lockout started May 19.

“It was disturbing. The lockout brought some to tears. Others were angry. All were disappointed,” said Dempsey.

first-generation Canadians, “animals,” comparing them to predators feeding on the bodies of SAIL residents described as “prey.” Residents hung anti-union signs meant to put down and provoke picketers from balconies, and incidents of vehicles hitting people on the picket line increased.

The online blog also attacked police, politicians, media and others who

“It was disturbing. The lockout brought some to tears. Others were angry. All were disappointed.”

AUPE Vice President Mike Dempsey As staff grappled with the notion that in order to achieve a fair collective agreement, they’d have to fight for it on a picket line, emotions ran high.

“That’s tough to come to terms with,” said Dempsey. “That sort of employer conduct creates an atmosphere of conflict and early reactions on the picket line came from just that.”

As the lockout endured throughout the summer months, the employer and their allies intensified their anti-union stance.

SAIL picketers and AUPE staff were named and shamed on a blog where misinformation and one-sided picket line footage was spread. Attacks on Facebook, YouTube, Google Plus and Twitter also ramped up. Emails went out degrading staff; one email even called some of the workers, who are all women and mostly 14 DIRECT IMPACT

challenged the employer’s positions. Racist and sexist comments about the staff by online commentators have also been well documented.

Through all the abuse, the SAIL workers have responded with comparative restraint.

“We’ve had media come down to Artspace, look up at the anti-union banners hanging from balconies and shake their heads. They come looking to cover the ‘nasty’ picket line the employer advocates depicted and they leave without that story because it’s simply not there,” said Weiers.

Hopes that a fair, mediated deal could be reached – one that would put an end to the lockout – grew as an independent mediator analyzed the positions of both sides in July.

On July 28, the mediator recommended terms of settlement.

In his report, the mediator describes how he “reviewed settlement trends in the health care sector both current and in the next two years.” Further, he “looked more closely at settlements in the health care sector with particular focus on smaller organizations.”

“We reviewed the mediator’s report and he did recommend some evidence-based improvements to staff ’s total compensation.

We did not get everything we asked for, but we wanted to move on. We wanted an agreement for these workers, and we wanted an end to the picket line,” said AUPE negotiator Kevin Davediuk.

On July 29, SAIL staff voted to accept the mediator’s recommendations for settlement. The labour dispute was half way to being resolved. But SAIL blew it.

On Aug. 1, the employer rejected the independent mediator’s report, extending the labour dispute indefinitely.

“We were very disappointed SAIL chose to lengthen the dispute and keep the picket line up,” said Davediuk. “I can tell you staff would much rather be back on the job, but SAIL seems content to have them remain outside the worksite. Unfortunately it’s more about SAIL exercising its anti-union attitudes than anything else.”

In August, AUPE filed a bargaining in bad faith complaint and a breach of settlement complaint against Supports for Artspace Independent Living with the Alberta Labour Relations Board over the employer’s conduct and handling of the bargaining process.

Over time, as the residents get to know the workers’ issues better, the banners are slowly being removed and the anti-union rhetoric is decreasing.

“These women are skilled, hardworking and knowledgeable. They deserve to be treated with respect and dignity by their employer,” said Dempsey. “There is a relationship between the care giver and the client, and both sides must be treated with respect.”

Tell SAIL President Roxanne Ulanicki to accept the independent recommendations for settlement and to end the lock out now: roxanne.ulanicki@shaw.ca

{

EDUCATIONAL PULL-OUT

Steward Notes VOL. 7 • ISSUE 4 • FALL 2014

}

UNION STEWARDS ARE THE FRONT LINE OF DEFENCE FOR UNION MEMBERS IN THE WORKPLACE. STEWARDS PLAY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ROLES IN THE LABOUR MOVEMENT.

Workplace Mobilization It’s easy for stewards to get focused on grievances alone, but a good steward knows that you shouldn’t wait to react to problems. Having a plan for workplace mobilization is important for bargaining, to identify and develop new activists, or when action is needed on an issue of importance to the union as whole. Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you mobilize your co-workers.

by Merryn Edwards Communications Staff

Communication is the key Most workplaces have some space set aside for posting union information. But tacking up a poster now and again is just a first step if you really want to activate your workplace. Some workers may not see the bulletin board regularly enough

and employer restrictions on accessing worksites may not make it a good way to communicate timely information.

A personal touch in a face-to-face conversation, phone call or email could engage members who would otherwise pass over the latest posting all too easily. Communication is essential in mobilizing your workplace, and regular email and phone calls ensure that you are always getting in touch with people when you need to.

Introducing yourself to new members is also a vital way to put a face to the union right from the outset. Some contracts provide for on-the-clock union orientation time for new hires, so make sure you are taking advantage of that STEWARD NOTES 1

Workplace Mobilization provision if you’ve got it. If not, be sure to make some time on a break to say hi and exchange contact information so you can follow up later.

Connect your co-workers to the broader union Even if you’re not in the thick of bargaining, there are lots of opportunities to keep in touch with your co-workers. A phone call about an upcoming Chapter BBQ or an email urging your coworkers to speak out to protect their pensions not only helps to educate and activate your co-workers, it also provides an excuse to keep in touch on a regular basis. Those conversations help build relationships and solidarity that you can draw on during tough times, and they can help make people feel comfortable about bringing forward issues that they otherwise might have kept to themselves.

Encourage your co-workers to keep in touch with union headquarters on their own as well and get the most out of membership. The AUPE website

(www.aupe.org) contains a wealth of information about the activities of the union and issues of importance to members. You can also use the website to update your contact information and ensure that you don’t miss receiving updates that affect you. Email is the best way to receive timely information, but make sure you include your personal email since your work email may carry some restrictions.

One activist for every 10 workers Especially in larger workplaces, developing activists is a key part of effective workplace mobilization. No steward can do it alone, no matter how hardworking and enthusiastic. A good rule of thumb is to aim for one activist out every ten workers. Activists can help with phone tree calling, emailing or any other time-consuming activity that a steward may need help with.

The key to developing activists is to give them achievable tasks so that they can build confidence through successes. Make sure you don’t overwhelm people with too

HAVE QUESTIONS? CONTACT YOUR MEMBER SERVICES OFFICER

CALL 1-800-232-7284 Have your local/chapter number and worksite location ready so your call can be directed quickly.

2 STEWARD NOTES

Continued much information and responsibility right off the bat. Younger workers who are just starting out in their careers may need more encouragement. But the effort you put in to mentoring activists will pay off when you need it most.

THE SKY IS THE LIMIT WHEN YOUTH GETS INVOLVED

Developing young activists Engaging younger members can sometimes be challenging. Those under 30 have unique needs, concerns and expectations in the workplace. But effectively engaging this demographic can bring forth fresh ideas and perspectives and help ensure successful union campaigns.

AUPE’s Young Activists Committee (YAC) works to build connections with AUPE members who are 30 years old and younger. YAC provides a forum to discuss issues affecting young workers, encourages their participation within AUPE and hosts engagement events that are tailored toward a younger audience. YAC events include an annual charity slowpitch tournament, a biennial conference, and worksite lunch & mingle sessions. They also present the Recognition of Activism Leadership for Youth (RALY) award at every Convention.

YAC is always looking to join Local meetings & events at various worksites to help current stewards and worksite contacts engage and mobilize your younger co-workers. Consider inviting YAC to your next event.

Email yac@aupe.ca or look for AUPE Young Activists on Facebook.

Stress, duty to accommodate and return to work plans Returning to work after an injury or illness can be stressful.

A clear return to work plan can help to proactively manage stress and prevent further problems.

We all talk about stress, but we are not always clear about exactly what it is. Stress is not a medical disorder, although it can be a factor in other medical conditions. As a result, stress on its own, and the conflicts at work that can stem from stress, are not a basis for the duty to accommodate.

Nevertheless, the guidelines can become blurred, especially when a return to work plan is put in place after an absence due to mental illness. And even if stress was not a factor in the disability that led to accommodation, returning to work after any illness or injury can be stressful.

The tripartite responsibility—shared by the employer, the employee, and the union—in the area of duty to accommodate means that each party has an obligation to help proactively manage stress that may arise.

A clear return to work plan can help to prevent and manage stress Return to work plans must be based on medically objective information. Doctors advising about the scope of duties that

can or cannot be performed should limit themselves to outlining the restrictions that are required. They should not offer opinions about what kind of return to work plan is appropriate. Comments such as “transfer to another work area may decrease stress” are too vague to hold water if challenged by the employer, even if they come from a medical professional.

Try to anticipate any aspects of the job that may create difficulties in returning to work and be sure that they are included in the medical documentation.

For example, if shift work is an issue, the documentation would have to specify the number and range of appropriate working hours.

An effective return to work plan should also clearly outline the length of time it will be in place and the date on which it will be reviewed. When the plan is reviewed, any changes made should again be based on medically objective information. Even in cases where the

by Merryn Edwards Communications Staff

disability is expected to be permanent, periodic review can help to make sure the return to work plan is appropriate and help to forestall any potential problems.

Understanding the tripartite responsibility Employers, employees and union representatives all have a role to play in ensuring a successful return to work. A good return to work plan should act as a guide to outlining those responsibilities.

Make sure that the return to work plan meets the following criteria: • It is put in writing • It is based on medically objective information • It includes the date(s) when it will be reviewed • It is realistic Once such a plan is in place, each party is responsible for upholding it. Make sure your members understand that failure to comply with their return to work plan may result in discipline.

STEWARD NOTES 3

Steward Notes is published by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees to provide information of technical interest to AUPE Union Stewards, worksite contacts and other members. Topics deal with training for union activists, worksite issues, disputes and arbitrations, health and safety, trends in labour law, bargaining and related material.

For more information, contact the editor.

President Guy Smith

Learning Changing Growing AUPE’s core course scheduling has changed to serve you better AUPE has streamlined the core course scheduling process to make getting your union education easier. Our new process makes our core courses more convenient, flexible and most importantly reliable.

Now the courses will be offered as soon as enough people are registered to take them, with the most convenient location chosen based on where the majority of registrants live.

Any member can take the Introduction to your Union and Contract Interpretation courses.

Other courses are reserved for Union Stewards and Officers.

To take your union education further: 1) Go online. www.aupe.org/memberresources/education/ 2) Choose. Find a course.

3) Register. Registration begins August 18.

Call 1-800-232-7284 and ask to speak with the course registration desk.

4) Confirm. Once a course has met the required numbers, a location will be chosen based on the postal codes of registered members and you will be contacted with the date and location.

4 STEWARD NOTES

Executive Secretary-Treasurer Jason Heistad Vice-Presidents Mike Dempsey Erez Raz Carrie-Lynn Rusznak Glen Scott Susan Slade Karen Weiers Executive Director Carl Soderstrom Editor Mark Wells m.wells@aupe.org Writer Merryn Edwards m.edwards@aupe.org Design Jon Olsen The goal of Steward Notes is to help today’s AUPE Union Stewards do their jobs effectively. To help us, we encourage readers to submit story ideas that deserve exposure among all AUPE stewards.

Story suggestions for Steward Notes may be submitted for consideration to Communications Staff Writer Tyler Bedford by e-mail at t.bedford@aupe.org or by mail. Please include names and contact information for yourself and potential story sources.

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees 10451 - 170 Street NW Edmonton, AB T5P 4S7 T: 1-800-232-7284 F: (780) 930-3392 info@aupe.org www.aupe.org

Weighed In 2008, as the world plunged into a massive economic recession, the British government under Prime Minister Gordon Brown commissioned a report to examine why the nation’s workforce was so inefficient.

Long before the sub-prime mortgage bubble burst, British authorities suspected something was terribly wrong with their national economy. For years British workers suffered what was called a “productivity deficit.” British workers’ productivity was up to 20 per cent lower than those in other G7 countries. In other words, their companies couldn’t deliver products and services as quickly and cheaply as competitors in other countries, and it was costing jobs and profits. Brown’s government was worried that as national economies shrank in the recession, Britain’s would be among the hardest hit.

One would have expected the report to blame workers and their unions as many newspaper columnists are prone to do. You’d think it would call for the usual conservative remedies: right-to-work legislation, loosened regulation and lower corporate taxes. You would think the report would argue, as Margaret Thatcher often did, that the only way to “save” Britain’s economy was to drive down wages and gut public services.

Nope.

The report, entitled “Engaging for Success: Enhancing Performance Through Employee Engagement,” said that low productivity isn’t the workers’ fault. It concluded the real guilty parties were employers, including the government itself, who treated workers with disdain, and didn’t care what they thought or whether they were happy with their jobs.

by Andrew Hanon Communications Staff

Government employees’ morale is sinking. And there’s no strategy to fix the problem.

DIRECT IMPACT 15

“Only organizations that truly engage and inspire their employees produce world class levels of innovation, productivity and performance,” wrote Peter Mandelson, the government’s secretary of state for business, innovation and skills, in the report. “The lessons that flow from that evidence can and should shape the way leaders and managers in both the private and public sectors think about the people who work for them. They should also shape the way employees approach their jobs and careers.”

The report demonstrated that “engaged” workers – those who felt valued and appreciated, were competitively compensated and genuinely enjoyed going to work – were more productive, more innovative and more likely to stick around for a long time. Are you reading this, Government of Alberta?

were “somewhat” or “highly” engaged in the jobs, a drop of nine per cent.

The number of respondents who said they were “not” engaged climbed nine per cent to 34. In other words, one third of all government employees are not engaged in their careers.

“These numbers are disheartening, but they’re not surprising,” said AUPE VicePresident Erez Raz. “Just look at what the government has put our members through in the past two years.”

At AUPE’s 2012 Convention, new premier Alison Redford stood in front of delegates and told them how much she valued them. She promised to protect public services and that she wouldn’t make budget decisions based solely on numbers on a page. She told them that front-line workers were the experts in the best use of government resources and that they would have input in decision-making.

“These numbers are disheartening, but they’re not surprising. Just look at what the government has put our members through in the past two years.”

AUPE Vice President Erez Raz

GoA morale keeps slipping

A few years ago, the Government of Alberta began conducting regular “employee engagement” surveys. It would ask workers in every department whether they were satisfied with their jobs, if they felt supported by their bosses and whether they’d recommend their workplace to others. The results have been very revealing.

In 2013, only 48 per cent of government workers said they “overall, feel valued as a GoA employee,” a seven per cent drop from the previous survey in 2012.

Only 53 per cent said they would stay in their job if offered similar employment elsewhere, a 10-per-cent drop from 2012.

Most telling, barely half of respondents, 54 per cent, said they would recommend the Government of Alberta as a great place to work, down a startling 12 per cent from 2012.

When asked to assess their own level of engagement, only 43 per cent said they 16 DIRECT IMPACT

We all know what happened after that: unilateral budget cuts forcing job losses, secret plans to legislate a wage freeze and plans to slash pension plans without any real consultation.

“Redford’s government did everything it promised it wouldn’t do,” said Raz. “It was devastating to morale.”

One of the first signs of trouble came in April 2013, when corrections workers at the newly opened Edmonton Remand Centre walked off the job in a wildcat strike. They had been warning for years of design flaws and safety deficiencies that would put staff and prisoners at risk. In March 2013 AUPE asked Solicitor General Jonathan Denis to delay ERC’s opening until the problems were addressed. Their pleas were ignored. Within weeks of the new jail opening, staff walked off the job in frustration.

Also that spring, it was learned that the government planned to shutter Red Deer’s

Michener Centre, a home for more than 100 adults with developmental disabilities, and move the residents into group homes.

Michener staff had no warning; the government had previously promised the residents’ families that they would never be evicted.

The next major blow to government workers’ morale came late in 2013 when the government introduced legislation designed to eviscerate their right to collective bargaining.

For decades, government employees haven’t had the right to strike, but they had they had the right to binding arbitration if they were unable to negotiate a new contract with their employer. In November 2013, the Redford Tories introduced Bill 46, which took away arbitration and set a deadline for bargaining between AUPE and the government. If a deal wasn’t reached by Jan. 31, 2014, a four-year contract with a two-year wage freeze would be imposed on them.

“It was one of the most demoralizing moves we have ever seen,” recalled AUPE President Guy Smith. “First, they take away our only dispute-resolution mechanism. Then they set an arbitrary deadline for bargaining. How can you call that bargaining when one side has all the power to simply impose a settlement?”

But the biggest slap in AUPE members’ faces was the government’s plan to unilaterally cut pension benefits to hundreds of thousands of members of the Local Authorities Pension Plan and Public Service Pension Plan.

Adding insult to injury were the constant spending scandals among senior managers and their political masters.

From taxpayer funded “sky palaces” and luxurious global jaunts that would make jet-setting Eurotrash blush, rock-star executive compensation and right on down to car washes billed to the public purse, it seemed clear to AUPE members that there are two classes of public servant.

It seemed almost medieval.

“It makes one wonder why they even do these engagement surveys,” said Raz. “Politicians and senior management don’t appear to care at all what our members think. It’s like a case study in how not to manage people.”

The Costco case

Alberta’s government could take a lesson from, of all places, Costco, which was recently described by Bloomberg Businessweek as “the cheapest, happiest company in the world.”

“As long as you continue to take care of the customer, take care of employees, and keep your expenses in line, good things are going to happen to you,” Costco CEO Craig Jelinek recently told Bloomberg.

That philosophy has made Costco the second largest retailer in the U.S., right behind notoriously anti-labour skinflint Walmart.

Costco doesn’t just pay lip service to employee engagement. It’s an integral part of its business strategy.

On average, Costco employees are paid 60 per cent higher than Wal-Mart employees. Nearly 90 per cent have health benefits, an unheard of rate in the U.S. retail sector.

According to Bloomberg, last year Jelinek petitioned the Obama government to raise the federal minimum wage, because “we know it’s a lot more profitable in the long term to minimize employee turnover and maximize employee productivity, commitment and loyalty,” he wrote.

Unlike most retail giants, Costco’s not interested in union-busting. Bloomberg reports that 15 per cent of their U.S. employees are Teamsters, and quotes a union representative who describes the employer as “philosophically, much better than anyone else I have worked with.”

And here’s the thing. By treating its workers with respect and paying them a dignified wage, Costco didn’t just weather the recession, it flourished. While other big box stores went out of business despite huge staffing cutbacks and pay cuts, Costco was giving its staff raises and investing in its workforce. As a result, between 2009 and 2013, the company’s sales grew 39 per cent and its stock price doubled.

Around the world, corporations and governments are realizing that simple truth of the importance of a fulfilled, appreciated and engaged workforce.

“The Government of Alberta has data that clearly show the depths of its problems with engagement,” said Raz. “Now it has to take the next step. Do something about it.”

The Survey says…

Respondents were asked if they agreed with the following statements.

Overall, you feel valued as a GoA employee.

55%

2012 2013

48% (-7%)

You would prefer to stay with the GoA, even if offered a similar job elsewhere.

63%

2012

53%

2013

(-10%)

You have confidence in senior leadership of your ministry or department.

54%

2012 2013

48% (-6%)

Your organization helps you keep informed about any changes to your job or work environment.

61%

2012

55%

2013

(-6%)

You have opportunities for career growth within the GoA.

54%

2012 2013

50% (-4%)

You would recommend the GoA as a great place to work.

66%

2012 2013

54%

(-12%) DIRECT IMPACT 17

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There’s an app for that: AUPE launches iPhone and Android app There are apps that entertain you, apps that help you socialize, apps that make you more productive, apps that can name that tune, and apps that can help you get healthier. Now there’s also an app that can connect you to your union.

Over the summer, AUPE launched an app for both iPhone and Android. The app is available for free on both platforms, and will run on iOS version 7.0 and up and Android version 4.1 and up.

“AUPE members are more techsavvy than ever, and it shows in the ways they’re interacting with the union online,” said Mark Wells, AUPE’s Supervisor of Research, Education and Communications. “When we looked at our website traffic statistics, we knew we needed to give members a better way to get information about the union on their mobile devices.”

In the first quarter of 2011, only three per cent of the visits to AUPE’s website were made from a mobile device. Three years later, the number had jumped to 30 per cent from both mobile and tablets, and 21 per cent of those visits came from a cellular phone.

“We’ve taken the parts of our website that members access most, and packaged them in a way that makes it easy to get the information you need,” said Wells. “The most important information members need from the union is, of course, their collective agreement.”

By setting your local and chapter in the preferences of the app, you can quickly and easily access the most current version of your collective agreement. As well, the app is designed to handle more than one AUPE-represented employer.

Members can also quickly email AUPE’s Member Resource Centre with a 18 DIRECT IMPACT

question or concern about their worksite.

The form within the app collects the information the MRC needs to efficiently deal with the inquiry, and then sends it via the email account set up on the device.

AUPE’s member discounts are also part of the app, and members can map the discounters closest to them by category.

A news feed, events calendar, and AUPE contact information round out the features of the app.

“We’re very excited to have members try out the app and let us know what they think,” said Wells. “Just like the internet, mobile apps constantly evolve, and we’ll be taking all feedback into consideration for the AUPE app 2.0.”

Cuts and layoffs exacerbate Alberta’s legal aid crisis Government stands idle as Legal Aid Alberta continues to grapple with a funding crisis After the latest round of cutbacks at Alberta Legal Aid, calls for action from Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis are mounting in a crisis that has been escalating for years.

Legal Aid Alberta closed six offices across the province in July and laid off additional staff in Calgary. It plans to centralize services at its Edmonton call centre where people needing legal advice will be served over the telephone.

The cuts affected AUPE members in Calgary and Whitecourt. Although their collective agreement provides some protections for these members, their jobs and the services they provide to Albertans who otherwise cannot afford a lawyer are leaving the community.

The Calgary staff reductions are the most dramatic, where the number of legal services workers has been reduced from 17 to 5, on top of other cuts to administrative and legal staff.

The issue made headlines again in July when a provincial court judge ordered Legal Aid to provide representation for three people or he would stay the charges against them. The trio had previously been ruled ineligible for assistance, even though they lived on AISH. Earlier, Legal Aid had been forced to tighten up eligibility rules in order to save money.

“Our members who have been laid off and the skeleton staff that remains at the Calgary office are raising similar concerns to those expressed by lawyers and judges,” said AUPE Vice President Carrie-Lynn Rusznak. “How can legal aid clients be served adequately over the telephone?

The few remaining Calgary staff are still expected to meet face-to-face with people in detention.

“Key public services like Legal Aid shouldn’t be tied to the performance of financial markets. That’s not the Alberta way,” said Rusznak. “A bad year on Bay Street shouldn’t make our legal system less accessible to Albertans.”

In most other provinces, legal aid is provided through a independent foundation,

Alberta Justice Minister Jonathan Denis is under pressure to rethink the cuts to Legal Aid. And the blowback from his decision may be having an effect. An Aug. 29 Calgary Herald story said Denis would consider restoring some funding in the next budget.

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“Key public services like Legal Aid shouldn’t be tied to the performance of financial markets.

That’s not the Alberta way.”

AUPE Vice President Carrie-Lynn Rusznak

regulated by law. However, in Alberta, legal aid falls under a governance agreement between Legal Aid Alberta, the law society, and the provincial justice minister.

Even though he’s ultimately responsible, Justice Minister Jonathan Denis argues that additional funding should come from the federal government, which has not increased its contribution since 2005.

Provincial funding has also been static since 2011 except for a one-time grant last year, despite significant population growth in Alberta.

Denis came under fire for his stance in the summer after Judge Larry Anderson warned he would stay charges in three criminal cases unless Legal Aid provided lawyers to the defendants. In his decision, Judge Anderson stated, “providing access to justice is the obligation of the government,” and called the current funding for Legal Aid “clearly inadequate.”

A few days after the case made headlines, Alberta Justice agreed to pay the legal bills. A spokesperson said the government would review cases like this individually, rather than simply increase funding to Legal Aid. In 2010, the funding crisis forced Legal Aid Alberta to lower the income thresholds to qualify for legal aid assistance by approximately 30 per cent, well below the poverty line. Even those who qualify may still not be able to afford legal aid since they must repay the cost of the assistance they receive in monthly installments.

“Everyone except the minister responsible is acknowledging that this situation has gone too far,” said Rusznak. “Now we have a situation where criminal charges may be stayed because of the crisis. When will Minister Denis acknowledge his responsibility to deal with this crisis?”

AgeCare Sagewood joins AUPE It’s a small measure of justice. In August, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees welcomed a new bargaining unit into the union. Nearly 130 nursing staff at Agecare’s Sagewood seniors facility in Strathmore, just minutes east of Calgary, became the newest chapter in the province’s largest health care union.

“It is always cause for celebration when new members vote to join AUPE,” said

A deal was struck with the residents’ families, in which they would be charged the same fees at Agecare that they had paid at Strathmore Hospital. No such promises were made for new residents at Agecare.

The staff in the hospital’s LTC, all AUPE members, were told that they would be laid off, but they could apply for lower-wage jobs at the new, non-union care centre.

AUPE applied to the Alberta Labour Relations Board for successorship, arguing that since its members’ jobs were essentially being transferred to the new facility the union should continue to represent them. The application was rejected by the ALRB. Undeterred, AUPE launched an organizing drive this year. The union and its new members are now preparing to negotiate their first collective agreement.

“The Strathmore case is a classic example of what’s going wrong with

“The government is offloading its responsibilities through privatization, while trying to get the elderly and the workers who care for them to bear the burdens of higher fees and lower wages. AUPE is going to do everything in its power to bring greater accountability and transparency to the system.

AUPE Vice President Glen Scott Vice President Glen Scott. “But what makes this case especially significant is what happened just last year at the Strathmore General Hospital.”

In 2013, Alberta Health Services announced plans to shut down the hospital’s long-term care unit and move its residents to Sagewood.

Strathmore residents were furious, and for good reason. For years the provincial government had been promising to expand long term care in the hospital, the only public facility in the community of 12,000 with a dire shortage of seniors beds. Instead, the government had been quietly subsidizing Agecare, a private, for-profit corporation, to build Sagewood, just down the street from the Strathmore General Hospital.

seniors care in Alberta,” said Scott.

“The government is offloading its responsibilities through privatization, while trying to get the elderly and the workers who care for them to bear the burdens of higher fees and lower wages.

AUPE is going to do everything in its power to bring greater accountability and transparency to the system. We will continue to advocate for seniors and their care givers in Strathmore.”

The Strathmore battle will feature prominently in AUPE’s next documentary video, coming out this fall. The documentary, entitled Numbers On A Page, looks at AHS’s arbitrary closures of two long-term care facilities in Southern Alberta, and serves as a warning to other small communities that their facility may be next.

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Charles Camsell Hospital

Condemned?

After years of neglect and deferred maintenance, will the Misericordia Community Hospital share the same fate as the Charles Camsell Hospital?

A

nyone who lived in Calgary in the late 1990s will remember the demolition of the General Hospital in 1998. The closure and subsequent implosion of the building left Calgary without a downtown emergency department. In Edmonton, the Charles Camsell Hospital has been sitting empty and decaying for almost two decades in the neighbourhood of Inglewood. In the richest province in Canada, we like to think that these are anomalies, but recent revelations about deferred maintenance projects at health care facilities across the province indicate that we are facing a serious crisis.

In July, the Alberta Liberal Party released information it obtained through a Freedom of Information request about deferred maintenance at Alberta health care facilities. The numbers told a stark picture of repairs and upgrades delayed 20 DIRECT IMPACT

so long, the costs are staggering and the impact on care disturbing.

“Of all the areas in the province, Edmonton seemed the most hard-hit by this situation,” said AUPE Vice President Karen Weiers. “Of the $637 million total, Edmonton facilities accounted for a full forty per cent of it. The delayed maintenance costs for Edmonton acute-care hospitals alone were almost $163 million.”

Edmonton’s Misericordia Hospital, a Covenant Health facility on the west end, has received media attention after persistent infrastructure problems led

one doctor who worked there to call the conditions ‘third-world.’ The Miz has been hit by two serious floods in the last two years – the most recent due to a cracked drain pipe during a rainstorm that caused flooding, leading to the cancellation of 126 day surgeries – and this has only added to the already staggering $43-million deferred maintenance budget it already had.

“The staff at these facilities provide the best care that they can, but when pipes are bursting, elevators aren’t working, and no one is stepping in to fix the problems, care is going to suffer,” said Weiers.

“The staff at these facilities provide the best care that they can, but when pipes are bursting, elevators aren’t working, and no one is stepping in to fix the problems,

care is going to suffer.”

AUPE Vice President Karen Weiers

“Charles Camsell Hospital Edmonton” by Darren Kirby . Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution

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The province has committed to funding about one-third of the deferred maintenance projects across the province this year, but even Alberta Infrastructure spokespeople admitted to journalists that they were playing “catch-up” with repairs to health facilities.

“Certainly, there are some issues that need to be dealt with and part of that is due to decisions that were made many years ago,” said Parker Hogan, spokesman for Infrastructure Minister Wayne Drysdale, in an interview with the Edmonton Journal on July 15. “We’re doing the best we can to catch up – that’s with Infrastructure, Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services working together to identify the priority lists and then we fund what we can fund.”

“We need to do better than catch up,” said Weiers. “A home owner doesn’t ignore the water stain growing on the ceiling and hope it goes away. He fixes his roof to keep the damage from spreading and costing more in the long run. That is what we need to do in our health care facilities today.”

The Black List The most neglected hospitals in each region of Alberta, and cost to fix them: South Medicine Hat Regional Hospital $19.9 million Calgary Foothills Medical Centre $80.9 million Central Red Deer Regional Hospital $23.8 million Edmonton Misericordia Community Hospital $43.2 million North Northern Lights Regional Health Centre (Ft. McMurray) $11.4 million

Exposing the govt’s numbers game More than one year after Alberta Health Services closed Little Bow Care Centre in Carmangay, a small community close to two hours south east of Calgary, the town’s Mayor Kym Nichol still fights back tears over the memory of losing her village’s biggest employer.

Einar Davison remembers the dread that swept over him when he thought he’d have to physically block the eviction of his frail, dying mother from the Stathmore General Hospital’s long-term care unit.

AUPE’s latest documentary, Numbers On A Page, revisits two high-profile struggles against AHS’s attempts to shut down public seniors care in small southern Alberta communities. The film seeks to warn other communities across Alberta that their public facilities could suffer the same fate as those in Carmangay and Strathmore.

“It’s something that got a lot of attention a couple years ago, but the threat remains,” says AUPE Vice President Karen Weiers.

“But Carmangay and Strathmore earned headlines because of the insensitive way Alberta Health Services handled the closures. It doesn’t mean AHS still doesn’t want to shut down more public long-term care facilities.”

Weiers chairs AUPE’s Anti-Privatization Committee, which plans to use Numbers On A Page to mobilize communities to protect their public facilities.

The film also features experts who warn of a looming crisis in seniors care as the population ages and the number of seniors care spaces to take care of elderly Albertans falls further and further behind.

To date, the government’s answer has been to hand hundreds of millions of public tax dollars over to private corporations and non-profit organizations to build new spaces. At the same time, AHS is slowly trying to get out of the business of seniors care, especially in small communities.

The film examines the flaws in this plan, the risks it poses to seniors and the implications for workers in the field.

Watch for Numbers On A Page to debut this fall.

STAY INFORMED SAVE PAPER UPDATE YOUR EMAIL TODAY UPDATE YOUR INFO AT www.aupe.org/update-me

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Exclusive deals for AUPE members

AUPE members save on everything from fuel to fitness classes to financial products. www.aupe.org/discounts DIRECT IMPACT 21

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Members mobilize to protect pensions The PC government was caught off-guard by the groundswell of resistance to its attacks on pensions AUPE members have spoken.

When the PC government abruptly announced plans to slash public sector pension plans, they flooded MLAs’ offices to voice their objections. They wrote letters by the hundreds, rallied and sent a clear message to government politicians: continue down this dark path and there will be dire consequences in the next election.

Members’ phone calls, emails and meetings with MLAs, their spirited demonstrations and rallies, and their impassioned and intelligent presentations have forced the government to take a step back and, in its own words, “hit the pause button” on pension cuts.

On May 5, in the face of this resistance and an opposition filibuster, the government referred Bills 9 and 10 to the Standing Committee on Alberta’s Economic Future, giving Albertans a chance to voice their concerns about the bills. People packed the committee’s hearings across the province in June, giving presentations that overwhelmingly spoke out against the changes.

AUPE members presented at each of the hearings in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Calgary, and Lethbridge, putting a human face on what the changes would mean for their retirement security.

In July and August, the groundswell continued, as many more took the time

to prepare written submissions to the committee before the Aug. 15 deadline.

AUPE received more than 50 copies of members’ written submissions.

“We’re certain that many more wrote in,” said AUPE Executive SecretaryTreasurer Jason Heistad. “It shows how much power people have over political decisions when they exercise it.”

A web survey on pensions and retirement security conducted by AUPE in July painted a picture of an extremely engaged and informed citizenry ready to make their voices heard at the ballot box. Over 78 per cent indicated that their pensions had influenced their decisions to take or stay in their jobs, and over 95 per cent had believed those benefits were guaranteed. The survey also returned percentages in the mid to

“Together with our brothers and sisters in other unions, we forced one of the longest serving governments in the western world back on its heels. They had no choice but to back away from some of the most egregious attacks on workers’ rights we’ve ever seen in this province.

We took back a lot of power this year.”

AUPE Executive Secretary-Treasurer Jason Heistad

22 DIRECT IMPACT

high 90s on questions about awareness of the pension bills and the belief that it was inappropriate for the government to unilaterally change pensions. Over 78 per cent answered that reductions to pensions would influence their choice of party in the next election.

At a time when it has become commonplace to talk about how people are more and more disconnected from the political process, the action that AUPE members and many other Albertans have shown on the pension issue stands out.

Politicians would do well to tread carefully on this bread and butter issue.

AUPE members and Albertans of all stripes have taken action to protect the savings of lifetime public sector workers, to care for the future of young workers, to prevent labour shortages and disputes, and to maintain the checks and balances necessary to keep our governments accountable to the people they serve.

Said Heistad: “I think the spring of 2014 could be a turning point in Alberta politics. Together with our brothers and sisters in other unions, we forced one of the longest serving governments in the western world back on its heels. They had no choice but to back away from some of the most egregious attacks on workers’ rights we’ve ever seen in this province. We took back a lot of power this year.”

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Democracy in action: AUPE Convention Unions are democratic organizations that involve their members much more directly than simply voting for elected representatives every few years. In contrast to elected politicians who are empowered to make wide-ranging decisions on behalf of tens of thousands of constituents for several years at a time, elected AUPE Convention delegates set the union’s direction yearly and in detail.

AUPE’s annual Convention is the highest governing body of the union.

Convention delegates are involved in the detailed procedures of the union, including reviewing and approving the budget.

The only prerequisite to be an AUPE Convention delegate is a desire to be more involved in the union. At Convention, there is one delegate for every 100 members.

For first-time delegates, Convention can be overwhelming with more than 800 people on the floor. But every delegate is there for the same reasons: to represent their coworkers, be more involved in their

union, and to learn from and contribute to Convention.

Delegates vote on reports, resolutions, motions and the budget. General resolutions require a simple majority of 50 per cent plus one. Constitutional amendments, which can fundamentally change the operation of the union, require a two-thirds majority.

Delegates also vote to elect the executive committee. Elections are held in odd numbered years to choose the president, executive secretary-treasurer, and six vice presidents.

AUPE’s budget is usually the last order of business at Convention. If resolutions have been presented that have a financial component, those changes must be reflected in the year’s coming budget.

Convention is hard work for everyone.

Days start early and business can go on

until late in the evening, especially in election years. Nevertheless, there is a great sense of solidarity on the Convention floor.

“It’s an amazing thing to be a part of,” said Vice-President Susan Slade. “You have a front-row seat to watch union history being made. It’s also a chance for committed labour activists to come together, share experiences and inspire one another. Then you bring all that excitement back to your Local and worksite.”

Convention 2014 runs Oct. 16 – 18 in Edmonton. If you’ve missed out on the opportunity to take part in Convention this year, plan on getting involved next year. The first step is to start attending your Local and Chapter meetings to learn about the issues in your workplace, and tell your executive that you’re interested in attending Convention.

“It’s an amazing thing to be a part of. You have a front-row seat to watching

union history being made.”

AUPE Vice President Susan Slade

www.AUPEConvention.org Built for your smartphone During Convention, check out all the action on our mobile-friendly Convention website. All the Convention news and information you need is now in your hand.

OCTOBER 16, 17 & 18 SHAW CONVENTION CENTRE

www.aupe.org DIRECT IMPACT 23

LABOUR RELATIONS BRIEFS News on Local Bargaining

June 2 - August 25, 2014

LOCALS: 042/007, 047/007, 050, 060, 071/001/002/004/005/006, 118/009/022/023

Local 071/006 ACAD: Agreement ratified Support staff members at the Alberta College of Art and Design have a new collective agreement following a worksite vote on Aug. 26. A tentative agreement was reached through negotiations on July 8.

Highlights of the three-year agreement, which will expire on June 30, 2017, include: increases of two per cent, 2.25 per cent, and 2.5 per cent in the three years of the contract, improvements to the health spending account, paid Christmas closures and improvements to vacation entitlements.

ACAD is located in Calgary and offers post-secondary programs in fine art, design, and new media. AUPE represents over 160 support staff employed by the College.

Local 071/002 Olds College: Agreement ratified Members at Olds College ratified the tentative agreement reached with their employer on July 29 in a worksite vote on Aug. 21.

Highlights of the four-year agreement, which will expire June 30, 2017, include: a lump-sum payment of $1,350 in the first year, increases of two per cent, 2.25 per cent, and 2.5 per cent in the remaining three years of the contract, a flex spending account, and improvements to vacation entitlements.

Olds College is Alberta’s agricultural college, with programs related to horticulture and animal husbandry. AUPE represents over 160 support staff employed by the College. Olds is located approximately 100 kilometres north of Calgary.

Local 050 Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission: Agreement reached Members of Local 050 were voting on a tentative agreement throughout the month of August, with the votes to be counted Sept. 4, after press time.

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The tentative agreement was reached Aug. 7 with the help of a mediator, and closely resembles the deal reached with the Government of Alberta, with Christmas closure, changes to special leave (personal days), improvements to vacation, a lump sum of $1,850 in the first year, and wage increases of two per cent, 2.25 per cent, and 2.5 per cent in the remaining three years of the four-year contract.

Local 050 represents over 600 members across the province.

Local 071/005

Medicine Hat College: Application for mediation The bargaining team for members at Medicine Hat College applied for mediation with the employer Aug. 7.

While it was a very productive round of bargaining with most issues being signed off in two days of bargaining, the health spending account remains the sticking point. The bargaining committee hopes that mediation, which will occur in September, will bring both parties to agreement on the issue.

Medicine Hat College offers postsecondary education and trades training in southern Alberta. AUPE represents over 160 support staff employed by the College.

Local 047/007

Revera Churchill: Agreement ratified Despite a tumultuous round of bargaining that included a strike vote, employees at Revera Churchill ratified their new agreement on Aug. 7.

Highlights of the three-year agreement, ending Dec. 31, 2016, include three-percent wage increase in each year of the contract, and retirement savings benefits of up to one per cent of earnings in 2015 and two per cent of earnings in 2016.

The Churchill is a seniors’ assisted living apartment building located in downtown

Edmonton. AUPE represents over 60 staff in both GSS and ANC roles.

Local 071/001

Lethbridge College: Application for mediation The bargaining committee for Lethbridge College support staff applied for mediation on July 25 after bargaining with their employer reached an impasse.

The employer demanded wage freezes and refused to table any other offers, causing bargaining to break down after only two days of meetings.

Lethbridge College offers postsecondary education and trades training in southern Alberta. AUPE represents over 300 support staff at the College.

Local 118/009

Strathcona County: Application for mediation Despite some progress in negotiations, which began in January, the Strathcona County bargaining committee applied for mediation with the employer on July 15.

The major outstanding issue remaining relates to the monetary package. The bargaining committee hopes the mediator will help bring the parties together with an agreement that follows the market trends for municipalities.

AUPE represents over 150 municipal employees of Strathcona County, which includes the city of Sherwood Park east of Edmonton.

Local 042/007

Good Sam PDD: Agreement ratified Members who work with persons with developmental disabilities through the Good Samaritan Foundation ratified a mediator’s recommendations on June 23, which gave them a new contract.

The one-year deal includes salary increases for some classifications based on grant funding.

The Good Samaritan Society runs supportive living facilities across Alberta for persons with developmental disabilities. AUPE represents over 100 staff members in those facilities.

Local 071/004

Lakeland College: Agreement ratified Bargaining for Lakeland College members ratified their new collective agreement on June 25, after bargaining with their

Local 047/013 Canterbury Foundation bargaining committee Members of the Local 047/013 Canterbury Foundation bargaining committee met at AUPE Headquarters on July 25.

employer led to a tentative agreement on June 19.

The agreement closely resembles the Government of Alberta agreement.

Highlights include: a lump-sum payment of $1,350 in the first year, increases of two per cent, 2.25 per cent, and 2.5 per cent in the remaining three years of the contract, improvements to health benefits, and a flexible health spending account.

Lakeland College offers post-secondary education and university transfer courses through campuses in Vermilion and Lloydminster. AUPE represents over 250 support staff employed by the College.

Local 060

Alberta Innovates: Agreement ratified Employees of Alberta Innovates Technology Futures ratified a new collective agreement on June 18.

Highlights of the agreement include: a lump sum payment of $1,980 (pro-rated for part-time employees), increases of 2.5 per cent in 2014 (retroactive to April 1) and 2015 and 3 per cent in 2016 and 2017, and a flex spending account of $780 per year.

Alberta Innovates Technology Futures

supports research in the growth and development of Alberta’s technologybased sectors and businesses. AUPE represents almost 300 employees of the agency across the province.

Local 118/022, 023 Alberta Innovates: Agreement ratified Members at Alberta Innovates Energy and Environment Solutions and Alberta Innovates Bio Solutions ratified a new collective agreement on June 17.

The agreement closely resembles the Government of Alberta agreement.

Highlights include: a lump-sum payment of $1,850 in the first year, a two-per-cent increase on Sept. 1, 2014, a 2.25-per-cent increase on Sept. 1, 2015, a 2.5-per-cent increase on Sept. 1, 2016, paid Christmas closures and improvements to vacation entitlements.

Bio Solutions supports research in Alberta’s agriculture, food and forestry sectors, while Energy and Environment Solutions focuses on energy and environmental research. AUPE represents over 30 employees at the agencies.

Myth of the bitumen bubble bursts Last year Finance Minister Doug Horner warned of the return of the “bitumen bubble.”

Yet on Aug. 27, in his firstquarter update, Horner changed his tune, touting the province’s enviable financial situation as “the best in North America.” Key economic assumptions have had to be revised. Subsequently, inflation is now estimated at 2.7% rather than the budgeted 2.2%. Escalating costs will likely begin pressuring real wage gains in negotiated settlements.

In addition, the government now estimates its operational surplus is so large that it won’t have to borrow so much money for badly-needed infrastructure — down from a projected $4.8 billion to $2.1 billion.

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S FO CUP ON AU E

The Keep Michener Open team was out in full force during Red Deer’s annual Westerner Days parade in July. The crew of around 30, which included AUPE Secretary Treasurer Jason Heistad, Wildrose MLA Kerry Towle, Friends of Michener President Bill Lough and AUPE President Guy Smith, marched to cheers from the 30,000 plus crowd.

An information picket outside Bethany College Side in Red Deer on July 31 brought awareness about the wideranging rollbacks proposed by their employer. Bethany Care Society employees at sites across the province are currently in bargaining.

The Local 001 executive brou ght pizza and information ab ou members in Sl t AUPE to share with Local 00 ave Lake on Ju ly 24. The exec 1 members used utive the meeting to di and concerns, mobilize membe scuss issues rs information ab , and share out AUPE as a whole.

The Young Activists Commit tee gathers at their annual slowpitch tournament. YAC pro vides a forum to discuss issu es affecting young workers and encourages their participat ion in the union. Consider invitin g YAC to your local meetings and events to help develop new young activists!

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Social Workers: Advocating for Albertans Across Alberta, Registered Social Workers can be found helping others.

Often, you will find us advocating for those who are not able to speak for themselves.

As social workers, we are on the front lines, urging government to repair major cracks in our social infrastructure and to adopt social polices that look after the needs of vulnerable Albertans.

Alberta’s income disparity gap is a good example. A growing gap between the haves and have nots has resulted in more homelessness, more working poor, an affordable housing crisis and many other social problems.

Access to resources to meet basic human needs is every person’s right. Alberta’s 6000 Registered Social Workers are advocates for fairness and social justice.

Advocacy is a fundamental aspect of our professional ethics and at the heart of what we do.

Registered Social Workers (RSW): The professional standard in social work

R U O B A L A T R E B L A E H T E T U T I T S N I Y R O T S I H OUR PAST TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE OM

LEARNING FR OM

We would like to thank AUPE for its support of our June 2014 Labour History Conference – Uniting in the Struggle – particularly all those AUPE activists and leaders whose participation made the conference such a remarkable success.

The Alberta college of Social Workers regulates social work practice in Alberta. Its primary focus is to serve and protect the public interest by promoting skilled and ethical social work. www.acsw.ab.ca

Support Social Justice Education in Our Schools The Aspen Foundation brings community values of social justice and a respect for fairness and equality to the classroom. The Foundation for Labour Education works to educate youth to allow them to work, live, and participate fully in a democratic society.

AFLE encourages the use of materials, resources, and speakers in our schools that reflect the best traditions in community values and democratic principles of our society.

How can I contribute?

Please mail your charitable donation to: Aspen Foundation for Labour Education 11 Bonin Place, Leduc AB T9E 6H6 Charitable donations can be made online: www.canadahelps.org “Supporting Labour and Social Justice Education in our Schools”

For more information: Phone: 780-986-1745 Email: afle@telus.net Website: www.afle.ca The Aspen Foundation for Labour Education is now a recognized charity by Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (BN 881720510RR0001). You can support labour and social justice education in our schools with your charitable donation.

MEMBER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (MAP) Confidential Counselling Services for AUPE General Service Members and Their Families What is MAP? MAP is an AUPE sponsored program of confidential counselling, designed to help members and their families resolve their personal and professional issues, stresses, and traumas and thus improve their overall health, well-being, and job performance.

Counselling services covered by this program

To arrange counselling or receive more information contact CMR Canada at: 1-800-567-9953 or by e-mail: cmr@cmrcanada.ca or find us on the web at www.cmrcanada.ca/AUPEmap.htm All arrangements will be made for you.

Your confidentiality is guaranteed.

CMR Canada

• Aging Parents • Anger Management • Bereavement • Career Issues • Emotional Problems • Family Problems • Fatigue • Harassment • Health Concerns • Marriage Preparation • Marital Problems • Physical or Sexual Abuse • Relationship Issues • Single Parenting • Stress • Substance Abuse/Addiction • Trauma

www.aupe.org Publications Mail Agreement: 40065207 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO ALBERTA UNION OF PROVINCIAL EMPLOYEES, 10451 170 St. NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 4S7