Advertisement

Alberta limits debate on bill to strip some public sector bargaining rights

A pair of sheriffs are stationed outside the Alberta Legislature on Wednesday, October 22, 2014. Kendra Slugoski, Global News

Alberta’s United Conservative government is limiting debate on a contentious bill that would strip away some bargaining rights for 180,000 public-sector workers.

Unionized workers took pay freezes in the first years of their contracts but with the right to a wage reopener in the final year with binding arbitration if needed. The bill seeks to delay wage talks that have already begun in some cases.

READ MORE: Kenney government to bring in bill to alter union wage deals

Workers affected include nurses, social workers, hospital support staff, prison guards, conservation officers, toxicologists, restaurant inspectors, therapists and the sheriffs who protect politicians and staff in the legislature.

Government house leader Jason Nixon said Tuesday that there will be no more than nine hours in total allowed for the last three stages of debate.

Story continues below advertisement

NDP Opposition members shouted “shame” and accused Premier Jason Kenney’s government of using the bill to secretly ram through public-sector wage cuts this fall.

READ MORE: Alberta finance minister tables bill to alter union deals, unions call it ‘significant betrayal’

“What the premier is pushing his cabinet and caucus to do is cowardly,” NDP deputy leader Sarah Hoffman told Kenney during question period.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“It is the epitome of unconstitutional law-breaking, an infringement on the rights of teachers, nurses, paramedics (and) front-line public service members.”

Kenney replied that even with the time restriction, the debate will still wind up covering between 25 and 30 hours.

“There will be ample debate,” the premier said. “That’s more than one hour for every member of the Opposition for a three-page bill on a four-month deferral.”

Watch below (June 11): David Eggen, NDP Advanced Education Critic, talks about a letter sent from the finance ministry to public sector unions about passing legislation if necessary to override collective bargaining agreement with unions.

Click to play video: 'NDP on UCP plans to override public sector wage talks'
NDP on UCP plans to override public sector wage talks

Kenney said he wants to put off talks and arbitration until a government-appointed panel reports by Aug. 15 on ways the province can save money and get the budget back into balance.

Story continues below advertisement

Janice MacKinnon, the former Saskatchewan finance minister who heads the panel, has previously argued in a co-authored research paper that Alberta should look at cutting public-sector wages to save money.

“We’re proposing a bill to defer by four months arbitration to ensure that the government has adequate information on the fiscal state of the province.”

The bill would cancel legally binding contract provisions calling for binding arbitration to occur at dates on or before a new deadline of Oct. 31.

READ MORE: Alberta eyes legislation if necessary to override public sector wage talks

The NDP and the Alberta Federation of Labour say the bill also contains a clause that could be interpreted as giving the government the power to draw up regulations behind closed doors to unilaterally impose new contracts on unionized workers. The government denies this.

The situation portends acrimonious relations ahead between Kenney’s government and public-sector unions.

Last week, union members staged an impromptu rally in the legislature rotunda when the bill was introduced. Union leaders promised to take the issue to court but also wouldn’t rule out other protests such as job action.

The proposed legislation came after the province tried in recent weeks to get wage reopener talks delayed by arbitrators handling negotiations with the nurses union and the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.

Story continues below advertisement

The arbitrator granted a delay in the nurses talks, but the one handling the AUPE talks rejected it.

Sponsored content

AdChoices