EDMONTON- The Notley government faced some pointed questions on just the second day of the spring session of the Alberta legislature Wednesday, after the Wildrose opposition learned the premier appointed a prominent public union figure to oversee its public sector bargaining.
Documents show Premier Rachel Notley appointed the Alberta Union of Public Employee’s (AUPE) Kevin Davediuk as the government’s chief advisor on forthcoming negotiations with the AUPE as well as other public sector unions.
“Hiring away the other side’s top negotiator to help your team is bargaining in bad faith, plain and simple,” Wildrose finance critic Derek Fildebrandt said in a statement. “If the unions don’t complain, that’s a bad sign. Then Albertans will have to worry that the government has hired the fox to watch the henhouse. The premier needs to explain herself on this issue.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Davediuk’s name still appeared on the AUPE website as a labour negotiator.
The NDP issued its own statement in which it pointed out Davediuk has over 25 years of experience in both the public and private sector.
“Mr. Davediuk has worked as a negotiator on the union and the employer side of the bargaining table, offering him valuable insights that the Government of Alberta will benefit from,” government spokesperson Cheryl Oates said in an emailed statement. “We’re pleased to have him working for the government, bringing a wealth of industry knowledge to the table, as we work to get the best deal possible for Albertans in challenging economic circumstances.”
Fildebrandt went on the offensive in question period, suggesting no matter what the rationale, the appointment seemed inappropriate to him.
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“Hiring away one side’s negotiator would be bargaining in bad faith unless of course the union agreed to it, in which case it would verge on insider trading.”
Health Minister Sarah Hoffman brushed aside any criticism of the appointment.
“When past governments struck deals that weren’t necessarily demonstrating their restraint, I think it makes sense to look at who the best negotiators are in the province and make sure they’re on your side,” she said.
The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL), an umbrella group of unions and employee organizations across the province, issued a statement Wednesday afternoon suggesting the Wildrose were stirring up a controversy when in fact there is none.
“The Wildrose Opposition’s comments on the appointment of Kevin Davediuk as the Alberta government’s Chief Advisor on Negotiations are little more than cheap theatrics and over-blown political rhetoric,” AFL president Gil McGowan said in a news release. “Appointing someone with the ability to be sensitive to the needs of both the employer side and union side is exactly what the government needs to do at a time like this.”
The AFL said Davediuk resigned from his position with the AUPE before accepting the government’s appointment.
Davediuk begins his new role on March 21.
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