EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) has filed a complaint with the Alberta Labour Relations Board after what it calls the “inflammatory actions” of the Deputy Solicitor General at the Edmonton Remand Centre.
The action comes less than two days after the union and the province reached an agreement to end the five day wildcat strike that began at the Edmonton Remand Centre on Friday.
The AUPE said it filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the labour board Thursday morning, which claims the statements made by Deputy Solicitor General Tim Grant constitute a breach of the Public Service Employees Relations Act (PSERA).
“Yesterday at the Edmonton Remand Centre our members were taunted by the Deputy Solicitor General in the morning muster. When he should have been dealing with health and safety concerns, he was telling members there was no blanket amnesty for the Correctional Peace Officers, contrary to the agreement I reached with the government to end the strike,” said Guy Smith, president of the AUPE, in a news release.
A hearing with the labour board has been scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday.
The union is seeking an order to cease-and-desist contraventions of the Act and a directive that Grant retract the statements he made at the morning muster.
Wednesday, Smith said Correction Peace Officers at the Edmonton Remand Centre were told by Grant that they “weren’t protected under the amnesty deal he promised yesterday.”
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One of the issues discussed by the province and the union leading up to the agreement Tuesday night was amnesty for the striking workers.
“With respect to your request for amnesty for striking employees, it is not our intention to seek retribution and following a return to work we will consider all circumstances on a case by case basis and act thoughtfully and in a measured and appropriate fashion,” stated Public Service Commissioner Dwight Dibben in the government’s response April 30. (The full letter is posted below)
Following the AUPE’s allegations involving Grant’s statements, the Deputy Solicitor General reiterated the government’s position.
“In keeping with the intent of the letter to resolve issues in an expedited manner, I met with the first shift returning to the Edmonton Remand Centre as they came on duty at 6:45 on Wednesday morning. I met with the second shift in the afternoon. We had discussed a number of issues of concern to the staff and made two decisions regarding issues that were of immediate concern to the guards. I will continue to meet with staff today,” Grant said in a statement Thursday morning.
“My actions since employees have returned have, and will continue to be, consistent with the contents of this letter. It is not our intention to seek retribution and there will not be retribution against workers who just participated in the illegal strike action; however, there was one report where the manner in which some employees left their posts may have put inmates, their fellow guards and management in danger. This incident will be investigated and dealt with appropriately as indicated in the letter the union received from the province,” Grant added.
After hearing about Grant’s statements to remand workers, Smith said he was “furious” and accused Grant of “threatening a hard-won labour peace with taunting, threats and other goading behaviour on the Edmonton Remand Centre worksite, only the day after a promise was made to protect members from retaliation for strike activity.”
He added that if the employer takes any disciplinary retribution against the AUPE members for strike activity, the union will take “whatever action is necessary to protect its members.”
Thursday, the union says it is filing further action after learning that threats of discipline were also allegedly made by management at the Fort Saskatchewan Correctional Centre Wednesday night.
“The very first thing the Deputy Solicitor General should have dealt with is the health and safety concerns that drove members to take action in the first place. Instead, he has been inflaming raw emotions and threatening labour peace with his actions,” Smith said.
Letter from Public Service Commissioner to AUPE April 30, 2013
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