EDMONTON—The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) invites Jason Copping to cancel the 11,000 health care worker firings as his first act as Alberta’s new Minister of Health.
“This would turn over a giant new leaf for the Ministry of Health,” says AUPE Vice-President Susan Slade. “AUPE wants this working relationship to start in good faith, and we would gladly work together with the new Minister to reverse these cuts.
“More than that, reversing these cuts would provide reassurance and stability to those front-line health care heroes who have served Albertans throughout the pandemic. This is the kind of action we need to see from a government that sincerely cares about restoring Albertans’ confidence.”
Former Minister of Health Tyler Shandro first announced his intention to fire 11,000 front line health care workers, about 9,000 of whom are AUPE members, in October 2020. Since then, all hospital laundry services are being contracted out—killing hundreds of jobs in rural Alberta—and AHS is currently trying to contract out hundreds of hospital retail food services jobs.
Slade says she hopes to see a new approach from Minister Copping with regards to all aspects of the health care system.
“Saving jobs and saving lives, that’s what we want to work on together with Minister Copping,” she says. “From the pandemic response to staffing levels, mental health supports to scheduling, AUPE would welcome a new and positive approach to managing the health care services Albertans count on.”
AUPE is western Canada’s largest union. Approximately half of its 90,000 members work in health care.
Vice-President Slade is available for interviews.
Please contact Alexander Delorme, Communications Officer: 780-264-9274 or a.delorme@aupe.org
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