Several Alberta unions, including Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) and United Nurses of Alberta (UNA), unveiled a campaign against the premier on Wednesday.
“The premier wants to frame opposition to his government as a battle with so-called ‘union bosses,’” AFL president Gil McGowan said. “But the truth is that the UCP has launched attacks on many things that Albertans hold dear.
“So it’s not Kenney against unions; it’s Kenney against health care; Kenney against education; Kenney against parks, AISH, and the environment. It’s even Kenney against a responsible response to COVID-19.
“The health-care workers who walked off the job [Monday] showed us what’s possible. But they can’t do it alone. The fight back has to be bigger and it has to be sustained,” McGowan said.
Read more:
Hospital and health-care staff in Alberta return to work Tuesday after wildcat strikes
“That’s why we’ll be asking all Albertans to join us in building towards something big. And they can do that by indicating their willingness to stand up to Kenney.”
The Health Sciences Association of Alberta (HSAA), Canadian Union of Public Employees Alberta (CUPE) and the University of Alberta Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA) also took part in the launch of the “Stand up to Kenney” campaign.
‘We have to stand for our rights’: AHS worker explains why he joined province-wide walkout
The campaign asks Albertans to visit the website www.standuptokenney.ca and sign a pledge indicating they’re ready to take part in province-wide rallies or protests that may include job action or strikes in the future.
McGowan said a committee will create a list of all its allies and urge the United Conservative government to sit down with representatives and address their concerns.
“If the government doesn’t respond to our concerns, we’ll begin a series of virtual, regional, and province-wide protests that could include work stoppages,” he said.
READ MORE: Health-care workers walk off the job in wildcat strikes across Alberta: AUPE
“These actions will be separate from individual contract-related actions organized by individual public sector and private sector unions in the context of their contract negotiations but they will be mutually supportive and they may coincide.
“Mass in-person protest action will not begin until it can be done safety in the context of the pandemic,” McGowan said Wednesday. “But we’re urging people to sign up now so we can move quickly and decisively when it is safe to do so.”
Alberta legislature reacts to health-care workers walking off the job across the province
On Monday, general support services workers in Alberta’s health-care sector and auxiliary nursing care staff walked off the job as part of wildcat strikes across parts of the province.
Picketing took place outside the Royal Alexandra Hospital and University of Alberta in Edmonton, Foothills Hospital and the South Health Campus in Calgary, as well as at many other facilities across Alberta.
In a news release, Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) president Guy Smith said members were trying to defend jobs and protect Alberta’s public health-care system.
“Anger has been building among members for months,” he said.
“The recent announcement by Health Minister Tyler Shandro of 11,000 jobs being cut in the middle of a global deadly pandemic was the last straw for them.
“This government is pushing our members to the breaking point exactly when Albertans need them most.”
The health-care workers were ordered back to work Monday night after the Alberta Labour Relations Board found the job action to be illegal under s.71 of the Labour Relations Code.
READ MORE: Labour board calls Alberta hospital staff walkout illegal, orders picketers back to work
Earlier this month, Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced the United Conservative government would be cutting up to 11,000 health jobs to save money during the pandemic, but he said nurses and front-line clinical staff would not be affected.
Finance Minister Travis Toews stressed that 99 per cent of unionized employees showed up for their shifts as scheduled on Monday, but added Alberta Health Services is conducting a review of what took place and employees who took part “in the illegal action” will be held accountable.
“Those repercussions can range from suspensions to fines to even termination,” he said.
Toews said union leaders will also be looked at.
“There was a high degree of possibility that union leaders were instrumental in the activities yesterday. The labour relations board will be conducting a review to understand the impact that union leaders had on the illegal walkout action.”
Representatives with Alberta Federation of Labour, United Nurses of Alberta, Health Sciences Association of Alberta, Canadian Union of Public Employees Alberta and U of A Non-Academic Staff Association launch a protest website against the UCP government on Oct. 28, 2020.
Nicole Stillger, Global News
— With files from Canadian Press