EDMONTON – Despite a blustery winter storm, members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees continued to protest Bills 45 and 46 in front of the legislature Monday evening.
It was the third day in a row AUPE members rallied against the legislation. Monday’s protest saw hundreds of members participate.
Both the Public Sector Services Continuation Act (Bill 45) and the Public Service Salary Restraint Act (Bill 46) passed second reading Monday night.
Bill 46 would see the government impose a contract with the AUPE that’s consistent with agreements already reached with Alberta’s doctors and teachers if a new deal isn’t reached by the end of January.
Bill 45 increases the penalties for wildcat strikes and includes a provision that fines unions up to a million dollars a day once an abatement order is made by the court.
“Strikes in the public service have been illegal and are illegal,” said Human Services Minister Dave Hancock. “It’s not legal and it’s not legal for a reason. Those are areas where the public requires services – vulnerable people, protection of our communities, health care.”
Alberta New Democrats say Premier Alison Redford is passing laws to take away the bargaining rights of the very people she applauded for their hard work during the June floods.
NDP Leader Brian Mason says Redford once referred to those workers as – quote – “heroes.”
Alberta Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith says Redford can’t set the bar any lower when it comes to trust.
However, on Tuesday, Premier Redford said she’s getting a sense from public servants that they understand why she is imposing a wage restraint deal on the union.
Redford said they understand her government needs a contract in line with the pay freezes taken by doctors and teachers.
The two sides have been in talks, trying to agree on a new deal, since March.
Hancock said he hoped the legislation would spur negotiations with the union.
“It basically says, ‘we’re not going to go to arbitration, there’s a timeframe to come to the table and negotiate an agreement by the end of January.’ If progress is being made it can be extended to the end of March, but if no agreement has come, then the agreement would be what’s in legislation.”
With files from The Canadian Press
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