For immediate release: Thursday, March 25, 2004

EDMONTON — The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees video A Union Made for Alberta has been nominated by an Alberta motion picture industry group for a “Rosie” Award.

The video, produced for AUPE by Vicom Media Productions of Edmonton, was named as a Rosie nominee at a news conference yesterday by the Alberta Motion Picture Industries Association (AMPIA).

The video, which was produced for use by AUPE organizers during the Bill 27 union-representation elections last summer, is competing in AMPIA’s “Best Motivational Video” category.

“This video was an important and effective part of AUPE’s campaign for the votes of health regional general support service employees in six Alberta health regions last summer,” said AUPE President Dan MacLennan.

“Ultimately, we believe the employees in all six regions chose AUPE because they recognized that it offered the best and most effective representation,” MacLennan said. “A Union Made for Alberta was a key part of getting that important message to the members.”

The winner of the Rosie Award will be announced at an awards ceremony on April 24 at Edmonton’s Shaw Conference Centre.

Vicom General Manager Larry Haas praised AUPE for allowing his company the scope to create videos that are potential prizewinners.

“There is very stiff competition for these awards,” Haas said. “So it’s a great honour for both AUPE and Vicom just to receive a nomination.”

Bill 27, passed by the provincial Legislature in March 2003, mandated a major reorganization of labour relations in Alberta’s nine health regions. As a consequence of the law, runoff votes were held over the summer of 2003 between AUPE and another union affecting more than 13,000 health region general support service employees throughout Alberta.

In the votes, a majority of general support service workers in all six regions where AUPE was on the ballot voted to be represented by AUPE. As a result, AUPE grew by approximately 6,800 members in the fall of 2003.

AUPE is Alberta’s largest union, with current membership of approximately 58,000.

Click here to view A Union Made for Alberta.

For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-232-8392 (cellular phone)
Larry Haas, General Manager, Vicom Media Productions, 780-452-4082
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)