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RED DEER – Participants in the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees’ May 2-5 Education Sector Conference have returned to their worksites with new ideas about how to create a positive future for post-secondary education in Alberta, says AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

"AUPE has approximately 6,000 members in the education sector working at colleges, universities and technical institutes in all parts of Alberta," MacLennan said. "This was an opportunity for them to discuss a range of ways that they can improve their own wages and job security and at the same time improve the long-term outlook of the sector that employs them.

"They’re going back to their homes with a range of ideas that can contribute to a secure future both for members and the institutions for which they work," he said.

About 50 AUPE members, representatives from unions at other post-secondary institutions, AUPE staff and speakers attended the conference.

Union Representative Steve Nimchuk, who organized the conference, said the feedback he’s received from conference participants has been very positive.

"This won’t change the way contracts are negotiated, but over the long term it may contribute to a situation in which the funding for post-secondary institutions takes into account the true needs of the institutions, their employees and their students," Nimchuk said.

"One of the objectives of this conference was to help our members in the sector establish co-operative links with others who share many of the same concerns so that we can influence policy makers to foster a properly funded higher education system," he added.

"So we did the unusual and asked the presidents of three post-secondary institutions and a government MLA to take part in our deliberations," Nimchuk said. "We had a very fruitful session, and I think we all realized that we have a lot more in common than we have keeping us apart."

Nimchuk observed that everyone in the post-secondary education community shares the same challenges when it comes to funding programs and employing people needed to keep the institutions running smoothly.

NAIT President Dr. Sam Shaw, NorQuest College President Dr. Wayne Shillington and Athabasca University President Dr. Dominique Abrioux all took part in the panel discussion on issues facing post-secondary education on May 2. Red Deer North MLA Mary Ann Jablonski addressed the conference on May 3.

AUPE represents more than 48,000 members in government, health care, education and boards and agencies throughout Alberta.

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Steve Nimchuk, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3341 or 780-919-4831 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)

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