Alberta government unfair to provincial civil servants

[Anonymous]

http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/11/27/unions-storm-the-alberta-legislature-over-bad-faith-bills">http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/11/27/un ... aith-bills">http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/11/27/unions-storm-the-alberta-legislature-over-bad-faith-bills

Provincial union members stormed the Alberta Legislature Wednesday to cry foul on new legislation that forces wage freezes on unionized public servants and introduces greater penalties for illegal strike action.



Roughly 150 unionized protesters stomped and shouted inside the legislature rotunda, just one floor above the media room where Finance Minister Doug Horner and Progressive Conservative House Leader Dave Hancock briefed reporters on the two contentious bills.



Bill 46, the Public Service Salary Restrainment Act, will force the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) to return to the bargaining table or accept a 0% wage increase for their 21,642 members in 2013-14 "to help the government reach a balanced budget."



If a new deal isn't reached by January 31, 2014, the legislation will automatically introduce a four-year wage settlement with AUPE of 0% for the next two years and 1% for the two years after with a $875 lump-sum payment to eligible members in year two.



"We've been abundantly clear with the public sector unions — including the AUPE — that we need to hold the line on salaries," said Horner. "We want to negotiate a long-term agreement that continues to be fair to our workers and allows us to live within our means, just like we did with our doctors and our teachers."



Horner said negotiations with the AUPE started when the collective agreement expired in March, but stalled after 12 days when the AUPE applied for binding arbitration, a step not taken by the AUPE for more than 30 years.



Bill 46 ends the arbitration process where a independent third party would forge a deal between the government and the AUPE, and instead legislates its own terms for an agreement.



Bill 45, The Public Sector Services Continuation Act, proposes stiffer penalties for unions involved in illegal strikes to the tune of $1 million per day of strike action.



"It's not the type of bill that either Doug or I or the government want to bring forward," Hancock said.



"We don't take any glee in sponsoring bills of these natures but it became very apparent throughout the course of the fall that we weren't going to get movement (from AUPE)."



AUPE President Guy Smith said the government is "dismantling" Alberta's system of free collective bargaining to impose a settlement.



"There's two routes for resolving bargaining issues, one is strike action — whether it's legal or not — and the other is arbitration and they've taken both away," said Smith, noting they negotiated for wage increases of 3% each year, for two years.



"Now there's a gun to our head about what's contained in that negotiation and if we can't reach an agreement, they'll force it down our throats anyway."



Wildrose critic Rob Anderson said the government is intentionally ramming the bills through with limited debate in the final days of the legislative session.



"This is what gong show government looks like," he said.



"A Wildrose government would never act in this way. Just because your negotiation isn't going well, you don't take away people's arbitration rights that are in the contract that was signed. That's not how you govern. That's not good faith."



NDP Leader Brian Mason agreed, calling the move a "colossal act of bad faith".



"They're short-circuiting the arbitration process," said Mason. "I cannot understand why the government expects working people to take a step backwards in their standard of living when the economy is doing as well as it is."



While it's always been illegal for public sector employees to strike, Bill 45 would also see union dues suspended three months for the first day of a strike and an additional month for each day after that. Unions will now also face civil liabilities for a strike's cost to employers.



Currently, the maximum fine for an illegal strike or lockout is $1,000 for each day of the strike. Bill 45 will see that number jump to over $250,000 in fines plus $50 for every member on the picket line.

[Anonymous]

This bill bullies AUPE members to accept the government's offer or no increase at all in the next contract..



This is not how collective bargaining is supposed to take place..



None of my brothers and sisters in the AUPE should have an agreement forced on them that has a 2% wage increase over four years.

[Obvious Li]

Fash.....you are soooo pushing all my buttons....trolllly trol trol... :mrgreen:

[Anonymous]

This bill bullies AUPE members to accept the government's offer or no increase at all in the next contract..



This is not how collective bargaining is supposed to take place..



None of my brothers and sisters in the AUPE should have an agreement forced on them that has a 2% wage increase over four years.

Too fucking bad isn't it. I see little Doug Horner is now saying the provincial deficit for this year is magically gone, but somehow he forgot the $5 billion for capital projects that our socialist premier dangled in front of voters to get elected. Well guess fucking what, she lied to all of us.



We cannot keep handing deficits and debt off to future generations. The province cannot go down the road of cities and states in the USA due to overpriced snivel serpents. You might think you are ENTITLED to a bigger raise, but it comes from higher fees and taxes. What you gain with one hand you are shelling out with the other.



BTW, Gil McGowan is slime. :x

[Anonymous]

Fash.....you are soooo pushing all my buttons....trolllly trol trol... :mrgreen:

What's with all this leftist shit from her lately? Has she been brainwashed by Libby Davies/Vesna? :x

[Romero]

Provincial union members stormed the Alberta Legislature Wednesday to cry foul on new legislation that forces wage freezes on unionized public servants and introduces greater penalties for illegal strike action.



Wildrose critic Rob Anderson said the government is intentionally ramming the bills through with limited debate in the final days of the legislative session.



"A Wildrose government would never act in this way. Just because your negotiation isn't going well, you don't take away people's arbitration rights that are in the contract that was signed. That's not how you govern. That's not good faith."

http://www.oncoffeemakers.com/images/brewing-coffee.jpg">http://www.savinglots.com/pimages/4820.jpg">





How intriguing. Wildrose supporters must not be believing what they're seeing. First gay rights and climate change, and now sticking up for unions.



Rightfully so! I support you and AUPE 100%, Fash! No 0% here.



We could argue that there's a budget deficit and hard times, but the deficit has been caused by low oil sands royalties. Not provincial employees. Where's the oil wealth? Are foreign oil companies more important than Alberta families?



We could argue that a wage freeze is no big deal, but we've seen that story before. 0% one time, 0% demanded every time.



Hurting Alberta families isn't going to balance the budget. A cost of living increase isn't too much to ask for.



It is bullying. "Agree to this or you get nothing" is not negotiation.

[Anonymous]

Wait a minute Romero, Rob Anderson and Danielle Smith never said they would not hold provincial service wages at or below the rate of inflation. From their website, the Wildrose Financial Recovery Plan proposal offers prudent, responsible spending that eliminates government waste, trims the bureaucracy and management, holds the line on wages.Doesn't sound like Widlrose is going to play Santa to Fash and her greedy snivel serpent friends.



On AGW, Greenhouse gases have become the lightning rod of the climate change debate, which has led to a host of politically motivated CO2 policies that have done little in the way of actual reduction. No policy change there either.



Gay Rights, they never were going to take away a charter right even if they could.



The AUPE has got to put Albertans ahead of their own fatcat leaders. We spend too much on our civil service compared to other provinces.



Alberta, $83,000 per employee



Ontario, $71,000 per employee



B.C., $61,000 per employee



Quebec, $56,000 per employee

[Romero]

Nobody's expecting Wildrose to play Santa. Wildrose believes the government should negotiate in good faith. They just said so. I agree.



And they also believe in reducing greenhouse gases and climate change!

[Anonymous]

Nobody's expecting Wildrose to play Santa. Wildrose believes the government should negotiate in good faith. They just said so. I agree.



And they also believe in reducing greenhouse gases and climate change!

They believe in negotiating in good faith while they slash unnecessary positions and hold wages to eliminate the deficit which is just about their main priority. Ralphie did it in the 90's and Wildrose will do it in if they win the next election.



They believe in man made climate change and gay rights so much they haven't made a single substantive policy change on either since the last election. That is the way I like it too, tell people you care about their cause and do nothing about it. Worked for the federal liberals for 13 years.



I am no fan of Allison Redtory, but bills 45 and 46 are very fair to Albertans. Bottom line for Fash is she and all her snivel serpent friends are in for a real shock no matter who the government is. We spend too much on them and it makes all Albertans poorer because of it.

[Obvious Li]

Fash.....you are soooo pushing all my buttons....trolllly trol trol... :mrgreen:

What's with all this leftist shit from her lately? Has she been brainwashed by Libby Davies/Vesna? :x

was thinking the same thing...too much time on VF talking with her new friends....lololol.....shes even defending the queens......what is next......four queens ???  :ugeek:

[Anonymous]

Fash.....you are soooo pushing all my buttons....trolllly trol trol... :mrgreen:

What's with all this leftist shit from her lately? Has she been brainwashed by Libby Davies/Vesna? :x

was thinking the same thing...too much time on VF talking with her new friends....lololol.....shes even defending the queens......what is next......four queens ???  :ugeek:

I apologize for appearing overly political Mr. Obvious Li..



My interests are my family and my relationship with God through Jesus Christ...I am apolitical..



I like Ms, evs, Ms. mimi and Ms. ghost very much, but we are all very different people with different interests..



There seems to be mutual respect among the four of us and that is all I could ever ask for.

[Odinson]

NO!!! The stupid queens of VF are all evil!



One is a annoying little troll and the other 2 always have to be right.

[Anonymous]

What's with all this leftist shit from her lately? Has she been brainwashed by Libby Davies/Vesna? :x

was thinking the same thing...too much time on VF talking with her new friends....lololol.....shes even defending the queens......what is next......four queens ???  :ugeek:

I apologize for appearing overly political Mr. Obvious Li..



My interests are my family and my relationship with God through Jesus Christ...I am apolitical..



I like Ms, evs, Ms. mimi and Ms. ghost very much, but we are all very different people with different interests..



There seems to be mutual respect among the four of us and that is all I could ever ask for.

If you haven't figured it out yet, you never will. Vesna's friendship is conditional and is contingent upon you lappin up her hyper-leftist dogma without question. If you have a mind of your own, she's as nasty, childish and bitchy as that deranged homo EU. She accused you of abusing your kids because you had the nerve to disagree with her lunacy ffs! She's one of the most intolerant twats I have ever encountered on the internet. A mentally ill piece o' work.

[Odinson]

Fuck that snake is trying to get into Fashies paradise, sort of speak.



It uses PMs to snakeoil people behind my back.

[Obvious Li]

What's with all this leftist shit from her lately? Has she been brainwashed by Libby Davies/Vesna? :x

was thinking the same thing...too much time on VF talking with her new friends....lololol.....shes even defending the queens......what is next......four queens ???  :ugeek:

I apologize for appearing overly political Mr. Obvious Li..



My interests are my family and my relationship with God through Jesus Christ...I am apolitical..



I like Ms, evs, Ms. mimi and Ms. ghost very much, but we are all very different people with different interests..



There seems to be mutual respect among the four of us and that is all I could ever ask for.

no need to apologize for ANYTHING you post on here...we are just trying to keep you grounded and aware of the two faced psycho bitches that run VF...they are nasty and have multiple mental issues related to gender, race, sexual orientation and society in general....beware