AUPE asks Conservative leadership candidates to state their positions on continuing-care staffing law
EDMONTON – Candidates for the leadership of the Alberta Conservative Party need to make it absolutely clear they support enforceable legislation to ensure adequate staffing levels in Alberta’s continuing-care facilities, says the president of Alberta’s largest union.
Health critics for the two main opposition parties have already stated their parties’ support for strong legislation that would address ongoing understaffing at continuing care facilities, said Alberta Union of Provincial Employees President Dan MacLennan.
Last week, MacLennan joined a delegation of more than 30 front-line health care workers from long-term care facilities throughout Alberta to the provincial Legislature, where they were addressed by Alberta Liberal Health Critic Bridget Pastoor and New Democrat Health Critic David Eggen.
“Investment in the continuing-care system should be a major priority for the government of Alberta, and a key part of that investment is providing the funding for adequate and appropriate staffing levels in these facilities,” MacLennan said.
“Albertans support proper care for the elderly and others who can’t take care of themselves, and the two opposition parties have already expressed their support for this popular view,” he added. “Now is the time for candidates for the Conservative leadership to get on board and make this the priority it should be.”
MacLennan said that members of the AUPE delegation to the Legislature were disappointed to hear Seniors and Community Supports Minister Yvonne Fritz say during Question Period that any legislation dealing with this issue would not be ready before the spring of 2007.
“We recognize that legislation takes time to draft and prepare, but we strongly urge the government to make proper staffing levels in continuing-care facilities a legislative priority as soon as possible,” he said.
“Realistically, this will require the support and encouragement of the next premier, so we feel it is important that candidates for that job to state their position clearly on this important question as soon as possible,” he concluded.
MacLennan noted that it was almost a year ago that Alberta Auditor General Fred Dunn issued a report on seniors’ care and programs that illustrated serious shortfalls in the quality of care received by some of the province’s most vulnerable citizens.
According to that May 2005 report, many facilities examined by the Auditor General were then falling seriously short of the existing provincial standards for care.
As a union representing thousands of members at continuing-care facilities, MacLennan said, AUPE is aware that staffing levels are too low to deliver the level of care that residents require and deserve.
For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-232-8392 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)