Union holds town hall meeting in Claresholm

By Rob Vogt
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees held a town hall meeting in Claresholm last week to update members as negotiations with the Government of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, and several more employers reach a critical stage.
Curtis Jackson, Alberta Union of Provincial Employees vice-president, south region, was at the Claresholm Community Centre on Wednesday, June 19, hosting the meeting.
He said Claresholm is a town with a lot of union members.
About 56 per cent of the community’s population is working and, of that, 13 per cent belong to his union, which equates to about 300 members.
The intent of the town-hall meetings is to update members the union is in negotiations and update them on what is being asked for.
“We’re telling members they’re worth it,” Jackson said, adding that means increased wages, support and mental health support.
He noted that benefits the entire community.
Currently, the government is locked into a 7.5 percent wage increase over four years. Broken down, that is two per cent in the first year; two per cent in the second year; 1.75 per cent in the third year; nd 1.75 per cent in the fourth year.
Jackson emphasized inflation is about five per cent, and government workers are now 22 percent behind.
“People have less take home cash at the end of the day,” Jackson said.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees has four key points in their negotiations.
Proper wage increases is the first point.
The second point is job security.
Jackson noted the provincial government is restructuring health care and that will affect Claresholm. There is a fear of the privatization of jobs.
The third point is increased supports, especially mental health supports. This has become an even bigger concern since the pandemic.
The fourth point is working short and workload problems.
That means less people working, putting more stress on those who are working.
“We’re facing a recruitment and retention problem,” Jackson said.
Beyond that, there are concerns over the way workers are being treated.
“They’re not feeling the respect they deserve,” he said.
Jackson pointed out during the pandemic front-line health-care workers were lauded as heroes, but that gratitude has evaporated.
He pointed to workers in the union’s general support services unit who are barely making minimum wage. Others are homeless while working full time, or living in their vehicles or couch surfing.
“It comes down to a lack of paying a living wage,” Jackson said.
“It’s shameful,” he continued. “Our government refuses to pay public sector workers more than a living wage in this province.”
Jackson often hears the concern that wage increases will mean an increase in taxes paid by every-day Albertans.
He counters the government does not have to raise taxes, but re-allocate resources. After all, there have been two year’s of budget surpluses.
Jackson said it really comes down to investing in the community.
He added if the provincial government is really interested in making life more affordable for Albertans, then increase wages for their workers.
“That’s how communities thrive,” he said.
The meeting in Claresholm was one of 52 being held around Alberta, with others held in places such as Bow Island, Brooks, Medicine Hat, Oyen, Lethbridge, Pincher Creek, Taber and Cardston.