Broad Resistance to Anti-Social Offensive in Alberta
No! to the Use of Ministerial Powers to Violate the Rights of Fort McMurray Education Workers
Edmonton September 21, 2024
Education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees held lively and militant rallies across the province on September 21. Rallies took place in Fort McMurray, Calgary, Edmonton, Drumheller, Okotoks and Leduc to protest the Danielle Smith government's violation of the right of the Fort McMurray education workers to withdraw their labour. The day before their strike was to begin, they were blocked from doing so when the government imposed a Dispute Inquiry Board.
"Despite being forced into the Dispute Inquiry Board (DIB) at Fort McMurray, we are standing strong, demanding fair wages and better working conditions for education workers who have gone nearly a decade without a real wage increase. Enough is enough! We won't stop fighting for our schools, our students, and our livelihoods," CUPE Alberta says.
In addition to the rallies, Fort McMurray education workers walked picket lines at their schools at the beginning and end of their workday in protest at the government's move, and were joined by members of other unions.
Picket in Fort McMurray, September 17
The government claims the DIB finds "agreeable solutions" to a dispute. The aim of a DIB has nothing to do with finding "agreeable solutions." The aim is to break the momentum towards strike action, to allow employers to recruit scab replacement workers and carry out intimidation tactics, and to give employers, or in this case the government itself, time to work to undermine the proposed strike and try to destroy public opinion in support of the workers. In the face of these tactics, the Fort McMurray education workers are standing strong, and are receiving widespread support while the government is condemned for its abuse of power.
The only "agreeable solution" is
to ensure the needs of the teachers, education workers,
administrative staff, custodial and maintenance staff and other
support staff are taken care of. Their working conditions are
students' learning conditions.
"The education workers of Fort McMurray schools have already turned down offers that would hurt the quality of education for students across the district. We are strong and united like never before. The Smith government has obviously been rattled by our determination and solidarity," said CUPE 2545 President Lynn Fleet.
"Our members haven't had a true wage increase in nearly a decade. We are struggling to make ends meet; some of us are working two and three jobs. This round of bargaining was our opportunity to correct those wrongs," said Danielle Danis, President of CUPE 2559.
Rory Gill, President of CUPE Alberta concluded: "If the Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade were truly committed to reaching a fair deal, he would immediately remove the wage directive that is holding back education wages and keeping workers in poverty."
The government has tied the hands of school boards and all employers who are wholly or partially funded by the Alberta government with its secret mandates which dictate what settlements can be made. The "dispute" is entirely of the government's own making, as it has starved the education system which now has the lowest per capital spending per student in Canada, abused education workers and further eroded classroom funding through its many pay-the-rich schemes.
"It's deeply disingenuous for the government to appoint a Dispute Inquiry Board while simultaneously tying its hands and refusing to allow the board to offer fair wage increases. The government's actions speak louder than their empty words," Gill said.
All Out to Support the Education Workers in Alberta!
This article was published in
September
23, 2024
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/ITN2024/Articles/TI54141.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca