AUPE Rally (photo by Liam Verster)

By Shane Clausing

UCP job cuts

Hundreds gather to protest potential job cuts

Dec 4, 2019 | 3:58 PM

Over 100 people gathered outside Grande Prairie City Hall on Wednesday, December 4, to protest provincial cuts to frontline health care positions.

Members of Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), CUPE, and the general public rallied against the UCP’s proposed 5,900 job cuts province wide.

Kevin Barry is the Vice President of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. He says the rally is a way to show the UCP government that people won’t stand for these cuts to frontline workers.

“They’re trying to cut their wages, and just recently announced that there could be up to 6000 AUPE positions. We’re really concerned with what’s happening in this province, with this government. Seem’s that they’re attacking Albertans, we’ll be the frontline people that will be protecting Albertan’s.”

Barry also states that the UCP is breaking their promises to Albertans by cutting vital services.

“They campaigned on a completely different platform. They did not campaign on cuts to public sector, they did not campaign on cuts to the front line services. They said they would protect Health Care and Education, and what we’ve seen is nothing but attacks so far, and these are vital services that Albertans need.”

As for what actions could potentially be taking if the UCP doesn’t change their train of thought, Barry didn’t back down.

“What were doing currently is educating our members to tell them what’s coming and what options they have. We’re telling them that AUPE is here to back them, and were building toward what is happening in collective bargaining because a lot of the contracts are up at the end of March. We’re building capacity for these people when time comes to take direct action, so if that means a legal strike then so be it.”

The union has organized over 30 rallies around the province since the summer, and Barry says they will be backing any direct action an AUPE employer takes, though at this time no strikes are immediate.

City councillor Chris Thiessen attended the protest. He says he likes to see people come out, voice their concerns, and show their support.

“I think it’s a democratic right and responsibility to see people having a peaceful protest when they fee like they’ve been wronged, and that’s sort of what city hall’s all about people coming together and saying that something’s wrong and something needs to change. I support them unifying in their voice.”

Barry feels it’s time for the municipalities to step in and speak with MLA’s in the region.

“This is not what you campaigned on. This is not what you said you were going to do. You are hurting our communities and were not going to stand for it.”