Member Update: Monday, Sept. 27, 2004

CALGARY — The Alberta Workers Health Centre’s national conference in October has been moved to Calgary from Banff to support the picket lines of striking Parks Canada employees.

The conference, called “A Global Workplace: Challenges and Strategies for Occupational Health and Safety,” is scheduled to take place from Oct. 7 to 10, said Kevin Flaherty, Executive Director of the Edmonton-based centre.

The conference will now be held in the Palliser Hotel in downtown Calgary, Flaherty said.

“We believe that it is a critical time for the occupational health and safety community in Canada to assess what we have won and lost in the past few decades, to re-invigorate health and safety activism and share and develop effective strategies for the future,” Flaherty said. “Despite the change in venue, this conference will give participants that opportunity.”

AUPE helps fund the Workers Health Centre. AUPE Union Representative Sophie Parsons serves as the union’s representative on the AWHC Board.

While the conference date is close, it is not too late to register for the event now, Flaherty said.

More information is available by phone at 780-486-9009 or on the Internet — at

http://www.workershealthcentre.ca/conference

The conference is designed for unions and their allies, Flaherty said. It will bring together health and safety activists, researchers, experts and rank and file union members.

“They will look at the current state of occupational health and safety in Canada and strategize on how we move forward to ensure safe and health workplaces,’ Flaherty said.

The conference will feature:

• Speakers and resource people from Canada and other countries.
• Plenaries focusing on broad OH&S issues including historical perspectives, global context and workers’ control.
• About 20 smaller issue groups to deal with a range of related topics.
• Strategy sessions.

The conference fee is $400 per delegate, Flaherty said.