Redford gov't screws over Provincial Employees

[ETOWNCANUCK]

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/busin...448/story.html

Controversial labour bills pass as Alberta unions fail to convince premier to create task force.


EDMONTON - A letter by major unions next in line to negotiate deals with the province failed to convince Premier Alison Redford to suspend debate on a pair of controversial bills in favour of sitting down to a task force on labour relations.

The legislature passed third reading of Bill 45 late Wednesday with a 33-8 vote. Bill 45 will significantly increase fines for unions engaged in an illegal strike. Bill 46, which eliminates binding arbitration and imposes a wage deal if the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees doesn’t negotiate a contract by Jan. 31, was also passed.

The Alberta Federation of Labour slammed the passage of the bills as anti-democratic. AFL president Gil McGowan expressed disappointment at both the content of the legislation as well as the speed at which the bills were passed.

“We’ve seen that when this government decides to go after you, you can expect anti-democratic legislation to be rammed through the legislature in a matter of days without any meaningful debate,” McGowan said. “This time they’ve taken aim at government workers. Who will be in their crosshairs next?”

AUPE president Guy Smith said he was pleased all the opposition members voted against the first bill.

“It’s a sign the government is isolated on these issues,” Smith said, adding the public doesn’t like the bills, either. “Even if they don’t support unions, they support free speech.”

Other unions also oppose the move.

“We strongly feel that bills 45 and 46 are unfair, uncalled for, unnecessarily confrontational and likely unconstitutional. As the unions ‘next in line’ for negotiations in the provincial public sector, we are concerned that these bills will cast a shadow over all current and upcoming bargaining sessions,” reads the letter signed by the presidents of the Alberta Federation of Labour, the United Nurses of Alberta, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta and the Canadian Union of Public Employees-Alberta.

Together, the UNA, HSAA and CUPE-Alberta represent roughly 86,000 workers in the province. The AFL is an umbrella organization representing 145,000 unionized workers across Alberta.

The government introduced both pieces of legislation a week ago, spurring three days of union protests at the steps of the Alberta legislature.

The first, Bill 45, also introduces penalties for strike threats, a provision that has garnered widespread condemnations from critics as an attack on free speech.

Bill 46, which only applies to the province’s negotiations with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, would eliminate the union’s ability to go to binding arbitration. Instead, the bill sets a negotiation deadline of Jan. 31, 2014, when a four-year wage deal with no increases for the first two years and one-per-cent increases in the next two years would be imposed.

“We are also concerned that, if passed, these bills will lead to a generation of poisoned labour relations in Alberta’s public sector,” reads the letter. “In an effort to avoid this obviously undesirable outcome, we would like you to consider our proposal to create a task force.”

Redford earlier this week defended the legislation as necessary to hold the line on public sector salaries, but said she would like to see AUPE come back to the bargaining table. She said she senses there’s an appreciation from public servants for her government’s efforts since the bills were introduced.

Neala Barton, Redford’s press secretary, said that the premier spoke to the AUPE leadership last week and “it was made clear to her that there was not a path forward, which is why we moved forward with the legislation.

“The reality is, there is still time to negotiate.”

The AUPE this week released documents showing the province had already agreed to binding arbitration when the bills were introduced. On Wednesday, the union appealed to Progressive Conservative MLAs to vote against the legislation.

“They can vote to support the working people in their constituency and protect free speech, or they can vote for bad-faith bargaining tactics and the attack on free speech in Bills 45 and 46,” AUPE president Guy Smith said in a written statement.

Smith said last week the union wouldn’t negotiate with the province if the bills become law.

Both pieces of legislation have moved through the legislative process quickly, as a result of a government motion that limited debate at each stage to two hours.

Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason said the government’s efforts to limit the debate interferes with the responsibility for MLAs to represent their constituents.

“They are not only trampling on the rights of their own employees but they’re trampling on the rights of elected members of the assembly,” Mason said.

Liberal MLA Laurie Blakeman said the bills are about ideology, not government finances.

“They’ve been trying to union bust for a long, long time,” Blakeman said.

With files from Jodie Sinnema

[Jack&7]

Hey Allison...

Hear that?

That is the sound of my PC membership card burning...

I have never been one to stop to smell the roses....maybe I will now. The Wildroses.

[Okotokian]

hay,,,, wait... I thought te general consensus here was that the lazy, overpaid, bloated civil service needed a good kick.

Wildrose dillema: What to do, what to do... I hate Redford but I hate civil servants too... LOL

This is a tame version of what some US states put into place (including breaking contracts) and that was praised to high heaven by many here. Remember?

Personally, I'm good with bigger fines for people who willfully break the law and impose hardship on the tax-paying public.

[260 Rem]

Only those providing essential service should ever be "forced" to work .... I'm not tearing up my card just yet, but will not be making any further donations if 45/46 come to pass. Tory blue is a bit like John Deere green, but would I buy a Kobuta -- maybe!

[Winch101]

Here in Soviet Socialist Republic of the Berta.....Workers Party
Is all powerful.....
If you wonder how the NDP will rise .....see all the unions vote for
Them. Manitoba teaches you nothing ....the commies are done there .
Any ship in a storm ....for us...
Really We...Albertans are ready for a Humiliating Spiral down the Crapper.
We can't stand success . Danielle on CBC this AM , man waffle , on the fence
I think that picket is lodged sideways . Just gave the Allison more rope ...

So 2015 .....minority for Wildrose with NDP ...12 seats.....they have
The power . Federally , Prime Minister JT....gives tax relief on Bong imports from
China....while equipping Sussex Dr. With Lava Lights....MP Rob Ford submits
Anti freedom of information act for all elected officials .
UN ...condemns Canada on all fronts ....though does give Kudos to
His eminence PM JT for putting a capital letter on the word Native in
National anthem .....As in " Our Home and Native lands "
10 million Canadian seniors claim political refugee status in Arizona in
Month of October. Another history lesson .

[Jack&7]

Originally Posted by 260 Rem

Only those providing essential service should ever be "forced" to work .... I'm not tearing up my card just yet, but will not be making any further donations if 45/46 come to pass. Tory blue is a bit like John Deere green, but would I buy a Kobuta -- maybe!

Ya...I hear ya 260. I am part of a unionized essential service. So we can't strike. And I am not in favour of illegal strikes anyway. But what really bugs my azz on this is the govt basically telling unions that if you don't like it, suck it. They are dispensing with a fair process. That is what arbtration is for: negotiating. If the two sides can't reach agreement, the arbitrator decides based on facts. The Reford machine has just trampled on that.

And I am also fully aware on the Wildrose stance on the public sector in the last election so I am not running to them with open arms either (hence why I said "maybe").

I should start my own party. A party for the disillusioned and disenfranchised...

The All Politicians Suck Party.

[ali#1]

Enjoy the decline.

[hillbillyreefer]

Loosening the unions grip on Albertan's wallets isn't a bad thing. If union guys aren't making enough money or don't like conditions go somewhere else like private sector people do. No sympathy from me.

Oh yeah, wasn't it the teachers union that got Alice in wonderland elected? ROFLMAO.

IDNVFH

[dantonsen]

I think alot of reason there is poor performance in government is the low pay compared to private sector for equaly educated and experienced individuals.

Guys like Harper and Flarherty could be pulling in millions as bankers or brass at big corporations.

[wbl170]

X2 !!

[ali#1]

Originally Posted by hillbillyreefer

Loosening the unions grip on Albertan's wallets isn't a bad thing. If union guys aren't making enough money or don't like conditions go somewhere else like private sector people do. No sympathy from me.

Oh yeah, wasn't it the teachers union that got Alice in wonderland elected? ROFLMAO.

IDNVFH

Most services are privatized already, when was the last Alberta plow you seen on a highway ?

Most public sector employees make less than private sector.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by ali#1

Enjoy the decline.

That phrase is copyrighted by another member.

[ali#1]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

That phrase is copyrighted by another member.

I know.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by dantonsen

I think alot of reason there is poor performance in government is the low pay compared to private sector for equaly educated and experienced individuals.

Guys like Harper and Flarherty could be pulling in millions as bankers or brass at big corporations.

Don't worry. The big banks will be paying Harper and Flaherty soon enough. They all go to banks or law firms when they are done.

[Redfrog]

"Most public sector employees make less than private sector."

You did factor all the benefits, pension, sick days etc. into your statement , right?

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

"Most public sector employees make less than private sector."

You did factor all the benefits, pension, sick days etc. into your statement , right?

I think it depends on the job and sector looked at. And you are right, there are some trade-offs.

[lannie]

Originally Posted by ali#1

Most services are privatized already, when was the last Alberta plow you seen on a highway ?

Most public sector employees make less than private sector.

When they privatized road maintenance it was a great day for tax paying Albertans. Roads are maintained much better in my opinion.
At a much better cost.
What did they call The department of highways back in the day?

The department of holidays.

[ali#1]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

"Most public sector employees make less than private sector."

You did factor all the benefits, pension, sick days etc. into your statement , right?

Absolutely.

We had a guy retire here 2 years ago and he makes $6 an hour more than we do.

$6 an hour in a 40 hour week is $240 a week.

You mean the pension I pay into or the benefits I pay for ? You should see the deductions I get off my cheque I would make your hair stand on end, I have to pay for parking.

[ali#1]

Originally Posted by lannie

When they privatized road maintenance it was a great day for tax paying Albertans. Roads are maintained much better in my opinion.
At a much better cost.
What did they call The department of highways back in the day?

The department of holidays.

Great now the companies make the money instead of the guys doing the work.

[ali#1]

Everybody besides me should make less.

[lannie]

Originally Posted by ali#1

Absolutely.

We had a guy retire here 2 years ago and he makes $6 an hour more than we do.

$6 an hour in a 40 hour week is $240 a week.

You mean the pension I pay into or the benefits I pay for ? You should see the deductions I get off my cheque I would make your hair stand on end, I have to pay for parking.

If its a better place to be why don't you give it a try? I do not intend for this to come across sarcastically.

[ali#1]

The illegal strike law I don't have a real problem with, the forced contracts I do. That's why it's called negotiation. Let's say you are selling a gun for $1000 an. I offer you $800, you come back at me and say il just take your wallet pull $999 out of it and call it even.

An as far as the whole cost to the taxpayers goes that's a farce too, in Edmonton about 10 years ago they wanted to completely privatize garbage removal. They started putting out contracts to private companies. The intent was to do the entire city, they found that the more control of the city got the more the companies jacked up their rates to where it was cheaper for the city to do it themselves. So now the city does half and contractors
Do half.

Calgary has almost no unions or civic employees and have farmed out most of their work and per capita it costs more to the tax payers in Calgary than Edmonton. During the recent flooding contractors were tripling their rates overnight.

[Ryry4]

Originally Posted by ali#1

Great now the companies make the money instead of the guys doing the work.

And when the gov't ran the show, no one did the work.

[ali#1]

Originally Posted by lannie

If its a better place to be why don't you give it a try? I do not intend for this to come across sarcastically.

Believe me I didn't come work for the city for the money, I came for stability and home time for a young family. If I wanted to make more money I wouldn't be here. Everybody on the outside is an expert though.

[ali#1]

Originally Posted by Ryry4

And when the gov't ran the show, no one did the work.

Did you work there ?

[Icatchfish]

good, Its about time. I don't understand why civil servants make 30% more than people in the private sector yet have better pernsion and better benefits.

going on illegal strikes and holding tax payers hostage is becoming pretty common these days

[2beornottobe]

The problem with bills 45/46 is that Heir REDford wants to limit discussion and the freedom to speech. Just like they tried to muzzle mayors and reeves with the threat of jail if they did not agree with the HITLerford Regime she is doing this to all public service employees.
I am for one not and will never be a union member but I full agree with the right to express yourself and fair play.
This government goes and tops up the pension plans to 6000 management people because they say it is the fair thing to do, in others words keep paying off your friends, but is is not the right thing to do for the front line workers, in other words, FU.. Them.
By the way 6000 managers for how many workers, do you think this government is out of control and top heavy?
As with Hilter once he was able to obtain absolute power as with what HILTERford is trying to do, people asked "what happened"? TO Late

[ali#1]

Originally Posted by Icatchfish

good, Its about time. I don't understand why civil servants make 30% more than people in the private sector yet have better pernsion and better benefits.

going on illegal strikes and holding tax payers hostage is becoming pretty common these days

I make 10-20% less where are the jobs that make more I want to apply ?

[lannie]

Originally Posted by ali#1

I make 10-20% less where are the jobs that make more I want to apply ?

You said your co worker made more privately?

[ali#1]

Originally Posted by lannie

You said your co worker made more privately?

Yes after he left public he went private and made 20g a year more.


Yes I have a pension and I pay $226 per pay cheque into it. If anybody put $226 per cheque into an rrsp they would have money when they retired too. That's $5876 a year or $205000 lifetime (35) years.