Photo: Alberta Union of Provincial Employees

By Canadian Press

AUPE

Front line hospital workers involved in Monday morning job action

Oct 26, 2020 | 12:19 PM

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees says front-line hospital workers have walked off the job this morning in locations across the province.

Guy Smith, president of the union, says in a news release that members are trying to defend jobs and protect the public health-care system.

He says the recent announcement of 11,000 jobs being cut in the middle of a global pandemic was the last straw for already-frustrated members.

Smith says nursing care and support workers decided today there was no other option to back their position.

The union represents about 58,000 health-care workers, although it wasn’t immediately clear how many of those workers have walked off the job.

Smith says the workers are committed to making sure patients remain safe during any dispute.