AUPE members at SAIT wear ribbons to support co-workers in food services
CALGARY – Unionized employees of the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology are wearing burgundy ribbons this week in support of their co-workers in the post-secondary institution’s food service’s department who face the threat of having their jobs contracted out.
SAIT managers have informed employees that they are looking for private-sector bids for food services, said AUPE Union Representative Brenda Williams. SAIT will consider the bids in mid-March.
A decision to privatize SAIT’s food services could affect about 85 employees’ jobs, she said.
“AUPE members at SAIT are wearing the ribbons to show the administration that they support their co-workers and do not approve of privatization of the jobs of hard-working employees who have dedicated their working lives to this institution,” Williams said.
“It’s particularly disturbing that an institution that trains food services workers would consider replacing its own employees in the same field with low-paid, poorly trained contract workers,” she said, noting that such contracting-out schemes seldom save money when all costs are properly accounted for.
AUPE will decide on an appropriate further response if SAIT proceeds with the idea, Williams added.
AUPE Local 039 represents approximately 600 non-academic employees of SAIT.
For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, AUPE, 780-930-3301 or 780-232-8392 (cellular phone)
Brenda Williams, Union Representative, AUPE (Calgary Regional Office), 403-531-8605 or 403-620-7842 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)