For immediate release: Thursday, June 5, 2003

CALGARY – Elimination of four support staff jobs at Bow Valley College, like a more dramatic announcement yesterday at SAIT, graphically demonstrates the need for increased levels of funding for post-secondary education in Alberta, says the president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.

AUPE will organize a joint executive meeting of its Calgary education sector locals and representatives of other groups early next week to seek ways in the coming days and weeks to respond to the crisis in education funding, Dan MacLennan also said.

Management at Calgary’s Bow Valley College revealed to AUPE today that the four staff jobs will be eliminated in response to cuts in funding for English as a second language and academic upgrading programs.

Yesterday, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary said it would abolish the jobs of 45 staff members as it grapples with funding issues. In the past year, the University of Calgary has cut more than 85 positions, and school boards throughout Alberta have ordered layoffs of hundreds of staff and teachers.

"As AUPE has said repeatedly, the time has come to acknowledge that we are seeing a major trend driven by inadequate funding of education at all levels in Alberta," MacLennan said. "Every single job loss is a tragedy for the employee, their family and the people they serve."

"These are not just minor cost-cutting measures, but serious cuts that will have an impact on the quality of education received by students everywhere in Alberta," MacLennan said. "As a society, we need to face the fact that we are not spending enough on education and address the problem."

If Alberta does not adequately fund education, MacLennan warned, over time "we will see the Alberta Advantage slip away. This is a serious issue for all Albertans, whether or not we have children in the education system at this time."

AUPE represents support staff at Bow Valley College and SAIT. The union will ensure that employees in any positions abolished are given proper severance in accordance with their collective agreements, said AUPE Union Representative Ray Domeij.

AUPE held a conference of its education sector members in Canmore last month to discuss the funding issue and other questions. About 80 AUPE delegates and others from across Alberta took part, and had the opportunity to ask questions and express their views to government and opposition MLAs.

MacLennan is Calgary today and is available for media interviews. To arrange an interview, please call him on his cellular telephone – 780-910-8392.

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Ray Domeij, Union representative, AUPE (Calgary Regional Office), 403- 531-8613 or 403-461-1815 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)