“Administrative professionals are truly the backbone of many worksites across the province, ” said AUPE Vice-President Karen Weiers. “For all the responsibility that lands on their shoulders, they’re not recognized nearly enough.”
Often associated with "women’s work," administrative positions tend to be undervalued and underpaid. The National Secretaries Association (now the International Association of Administrative Professionals) inaugurated the celebration of Administrative Professionals Week in 1952, when it was known as National Secretaries Day. The organization was founded during World War II to help revolutionize the workplace on the home front as women increasingly took on paid work but weren't treated equal to their male counterparts.
“Most workplaces would not be able to operate properly without administrative professionals,” adds Weiers. “They’re information gatherers, internal communicators, organizers, accounting and more; they keep their finger on the pulse of the worksite at all times, and that takes real dedication and professionalism.”
AUPE proudly represents more than 15,000 administrative professionals serving Albertans in provincial government services, education, health care and boards, agencies and municipal governments.
We thank all administrative professionals within AUPE and across the province for the hard work they do throughout the year.
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