For immediate release: Mar. 12, 2003

EDMONTON – The president of Alberta’s largest union says it is essential for the Alberta government to consult AUPE and other unions when it develops regulations allowed under Bill 27, the health sector bargaining act introduced in the Legislature yesterday.

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees is not opposed in principle to the idea of functional bargaining units in the health sector, AUPE President Dan MacLennan stated.

He noted that AUPE advocated just such an arrangement in a position paper on functional bargaining units in health care presented to the Alberta Labour Relations Board in May 2002.

"The problem is that when this legislation was brought forward, there was no consultation, and when that happens serious and unexpected problems arise, as we have already seen in the reactions of several unions to parts of this bill," MacLennan said.

"Since so much of this bill is going to be in the regulations, the government has an opportunity to fix some of the problems in the bill," MacLennan said. "But to do that, they’re going to have to consult the unions involved in a meaningful way."

MacLennan noted that health care unions have forcefully expressed the view that extending a blanket ban on strikes in the health sector will in fact make illegal strikes more likely because employees rightly distrust the compulsory arbitration process now used in Alberta.

"Legislation that limits the rights of working people to strike without addressing the problem of compulsory arbitration that is biased against employees and unions will do nothing to enhance labour stability in Alberta," MacLennan said.

MacLennan also said the Alberta government set a dangerous precedent by using the health care legislation to try to break a legal contract with employees of the Alberta Mental Health Board.

"This agreement was negotiated in good faith between AUPE and the Alberta Mental Health Board, with significant input from the government. It is a legal contract like any other," he said. "To use legislation to break a legally binding contract is a betrayal of trust.

"Trying to emphasize ‘fairness’ to Albertans to excuse breaking a contract as the government did yesterday simply does not make the grade," MacLennan added.

"Breaking this contract raises serious questions among union members about the respect the government and health sector employers have in terms of negotiating in good faith and abiding by legal contracts they’ve signed," he warned.

"AUPE will do whatever it can to oppose this action," MacLennan said.

The willingness of the government to use legislation to break legal contracts should be of concern to anyone planning to do business in Alberta, MacLennan said. "It will harm the positive relationship AUPE has worked hard to nurture between public sector employees and employers."

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