Susan Slade (centre) with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees leads a rally at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital on October 28, 2019. - Photo by Ross Lavigne

By Charles Lefebvre

AUPE Responds

AUPE members not happy with proposed wage cuts from province

Oct 30, 2019 | 4:37 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The union that represents more than 90,000 workers in Alberta say they are angry about proposed cuts to wages for public sector employees.

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Travis Toews announced the government is asking public sector employees to take a two per cent pay cut when arbitration talks resume on Thursday.

In a statement, Toews said public sector wages make up over half of the province’s annual expenses, and notes Alberta public sector workers are compensated at a higher level than comparable provinces.

“We have the highest respect and admiration for Alberta’s public-sector workers, whose dedication helps deliver so many of the vital services Albertans rely on,” the statement from Toews reads. “But we were elected to be responsible stewards of the public’s tax dollars and to get our province’s finances under control.”

Susan Slade, vice-president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) says Tuesday’s announcement “added more fuel to the fire” for members.

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“It’s been nothing but anger (and) hurt at the disrespect that is happening from this government from the people who make sure this province runs smoothly,” she said over the phone from Edmonton. “These are the people who take care of Albertans, whether it’s in the government of Alberta, or health care, or education or anywhere. Taking further money out of their pockets hurts everyone. It doesn’t just hurt those who are directly affected by it.”

Slade says union members have been dealing with wage freezes and not having jobs filled in recent years, and add wage cuts would have a negative impact on the workers and their performance.

“They’re expecting people to do more with less all of the time, and at some point, that breaks,” she said. “At some point that system isn’t sustainable.

“Our members are already overworked, they’re already working short. So, is that really providing quality services that Albertans should be expecting, or have come to expect?”

At the AUPE’s convention last week, Slade says the organization passed a motion, saying they would fully support any group of members that decided to take direct action against their employer