AUPE host Taber rally in support of wage negotiations

Times Photo by Meg Noguchi ACTION: Members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) rallied on Thurs., Sept. 12 at the corner of 50th Avenue and 50th Street.

By Trevor Busch
Taber Times
editor@tabertimes.com

A small contingent of Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members led a rally on Sept. 12 in Taber’s Confederation Park demanding wage increases after what they argue are years of shortfalls and neglect by Edmonton. 

Along with nearly a quarter million public sector employees across all unions, more than 82,000 AUPE members are demanding change that will “bring workers up to a standard that matches the cost-of-living increases across the province.”

“What we are currently seeing is that every-day unionized workers in our province and across Canada who have entered bargaining in the last year are winning unprecedented wage increases,” said Curtis Jackson, AUPE vice-president for the South region. “Airline pilots, aircraft maintenance workers, meat packers in Calgary, Calgary beverage workers and Calgary warehouse workers have all won huge double-digit wage increases as well as stronger contract language around job security.”

Jackson was blunt about the perceived need for a cost-of-living clause in any contract negotiations.

“Alberta’s beleaguered public-sector workers and exhausted health-care workers deserve wage increases that address the out-of-control cost-of-living increases that we have seen over the past decade. In addition, AUPE members are demanding a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) that protects them from future inflationary spikes. No COLA. No contract.”

President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Nate Horner issued a Sept. 6 statement on the rallies and negotiations, asserting the government’s position is more than fair.

“The union is calling their summer gatherings and their upcoming central rallies a time for action. I would say it’s also a time for some perspective,” said Horner. “At the heart of the union’s bargaining stance is a demand for better wages. The AUPE wants a 26 per cent wage increase over the next three years for its members that are employed by the government. The average Albertan has not seen this kind of wage increase. And this government is not going to increase taxes or cut programs and services Albertans rely on to support pay increases that are far beyond market. We must remain competitive with other public sector settlements across Canada that have achieved market-based compensation. The government’s ingoing offer of 7.5 per cent over four years also aligns with the Conference Board of Canada’s findings that most working Albertans received a salary increase between two and three per cent in 2023 and 2024.”

Taber-Warner MLA Grant Hunter was equally frank in his assessment of the demands being made by AUPE, arguing that such increases will result in higher taxes for Albertans.

“Asking for 26 per cent over three years? I mean, for goodness sakes, who gets that? I’m sorry, and I know inflation’s hitting those who are working in the public service, but (it’s) hitting everybody. And nobody out there is getting a 26 per cent raise. Nobody out there is getting a 35 per cent raise over four years, like the teachers are asking for. Let’s just be clear, right? The people who are in public service need to recognize that nobody out there is getting these kinds of raises in the private sector. And for us as a government if we were to say, ‘yeah, we’ll give that to you’, first of all the taxpayer would be upset, because 70 per cent of our tax, of our government, goes to wages. And so if you see that kind of an increase, the only thing we could do is raise taxes, which nobody wants to have. And so I don’t think they’re being reasonable about this. But, you know, I tell it like it is. I cannot see how this is palatable for them to bring forward these kinds of outrageous increases that they’re asking for.”

Jackson countered that AUPE employees make a meaningful contribution to local economies, while offering some withering criticism of provincial tax policy. 

“Workers in Taber spend their money in Taber. You will see AUPE members shopping locally, spending their money in Taber’s small businesses and restaurants. The out-of-control tax breaks the Alberta government gives to the already profitable corporate sector leaves the province and the communities and does not benefit Albertans in the same way that meaningful wage increases for workers does.”

Hunter, on the other hand, feels the UCP has to place a throttle-hold on the overall growth of government in Alberta or there will be serious consequences for taxpayers down the road.

“Do the teachers work hard? Do they earn every bit of money? You betcha, they are hard workers. They’ve got to wear multiple hats. I’ve been a teacher for two years, I know full well that it’s not an easy gig. So I’m not saying that. I mean, if we could pay it, that would be great, but we can’t. There’s no way that financially we could do that. In 10 years, our government has gone from a $40 billion budget to a $70 billion budget. We’ve only increased population by 29 per cent and inflation increased by 21 per cent so that’s a 50 per cent increase, and yet our government has increased by 75 per cent so again, that’s unsustainable if you see that kind of increase. It’s unsustainable for us. We pride ourselves on Alberta being a low tax jurisdiction which allows people to come. We don’t have a PST, people come and they have more money in their pocket. And that’s because we try to be careful with the taxpayer’s money, if we aren’t careful with the taxpayer’s money, you know the reality is that the taxes would have to be raised, and I don’t think anybody is in favour of that. I know that for sure.”

Jackson asked the government to put aside the “rhetoric” and work with AUPE to ensure its workers aren’t being short-changed.

“AUPE’s members will continue to demand that the government respect Alberta’s workers and engage in meaningful discussion at the bargaining table. Failure to do so may easily end in public-sector labour withdrawals across the province. We aren’t interested in the rhetoric. We’re only interested in meaningful gains.”