AUPE Education Sector Conference opens tomorrow in Canmore
CANMORE – About 90 members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees and other labour organizations, faculty associations and student groups will attend the union’s 2009 Education Sector Conference starting tomorrow evening in Canmore.
High-profile labour arbitrator and mediator Andrew Sims will give the keynote address tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at the Quality Resort Chateau Canmore. He will speak on factors that influence interest arbitration awards in Alberta.
The conference will also deal with a variety of other timely topics of interest to members and others concerned about the future of public education in Alberta, said AUPE Union Representative Steve Nimchuk, who is responsible for organizing the annual event.
On Friday, said Nimchuk, participants will hear from a quartet of high-profile speakers:
- Erika Shaker of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives will speak at 9 a.m. on the harmful impact of the growing corporate presence on Canadian post-secondary campuses.
- Dr. Harvey Weingarten, outgoing president of the University of Calgary, will speak at 10 a.m. on the importance of education and innovation to Canada’s prosperity.
- David Eggen, executive director of Alberta Friends of Medicare, will comment at 11:15 a.m. on the latest political development to affecting health care in Alberta, and trends in public health care in the United States and Europe.
- Alberta Opposition leader Dr. David Swann will speak at 1 p.m. on the cost of a healthy public policy to foster strong and sustainable communities.
The conference continues Friday with a panel discussion of the “interest-based model” of collective bargaining and a talk in the afternoon by economic consultant Marilyn Chilsolm on Western Canada’s sub-par educational performance with respect to dropouts, graduation and post-secondary participation.
The conference closes Saturday after discussions on arbitration involving education sector employers, co-ordinated bargaining and building AUPE’s brand through strategic communications.
AUPE’s Education Sector represents more than 8,500 support employees at 14 post-secondary institutions and three school boards.
AUPE Education Sector Worksites
- Alberta College of Art and Design, Calgary – Athabasca University, Athabasca – Bow Valley College, Calgary – Edmonton Catholic Separate School District, Edmonton – Evergreen Catholic Separate School Division, Hinton – Lakeland College, Vermilion, Lloydminster – Lethbridge College, Lethbridge – Living Waters Catholic School Division No. 42, Whitecourt, Edson – Medicine Hat College, Medicine Hat – NorQuest College, Edmonton – Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), Edmonton – Northern Lakes College, Slave Lake – Olds College, Olds – Portage College, Lac La Biche – Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Calgary – University of Calgary, Calgary – University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge
30
For more information, contact:
Steve Nimchuk, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3341 or 780-919-4831 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)