For immediate release: Tuesday, June 3, 2003

EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees and its locals will proudly serve Alberta beef at a series of about 20 barbecues the union plans throughout the province this month.

"We know that this is a difficult time for Alberta’s beef producers, and we wanted to use this opportunity to show our solidarity and support for them," AUPE Dan MacLennan said today.

"A significant percentage of our members in rural areas are members of families that derive a part of their income, often a large part, from the farm sector," MacLennan noted. "We’re all Albertans and we’re all in this together and this is a small thing that we can do to show that."

The Alberta beef industry was hit hard after the U.S. border was closed to Canadian beef shipments when a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered in a cow in northern Alberta.

The barbecues are part of a campaign by AUPE and its locals to win votes as the union to represent employees in health regions throughout Alberta. The votes have been called by the Alberta Labour Relations Board as a result of Bill 27, the bill passed by the Legislature in March to consolidate health region bargaining units into large region-wide locals.

As a consequence, in several regions votes will take place this month and next in which members of smaller locals will have to choose which union will represent them in the much-larger region-wide bargaining units.

"In AUPE, health region employees can vote for a union that is totally focused on Alberta law and Alberta labour relations," MacLennan said. "We take our role as Alberta’s largest union very seriously, with fully staffed offices to service members in every region of the province."

AUPE has approximately 53,000 members province wide, about 21,000 of them in front-line health care jobs.

AUPE also represents provincial meat inspectors who help keep Alberta’s food supply safe.

Media can get the times and locations of an AUPE barbecue in their area by contacting AUPE.

For more information contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Ron Glazer, Alberta Beef Producers, 403-275-4400
David Climenhaga, Communication Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)