Militant Action by Alberta Health Care Workers

Hospital Workers Walk Out Across Alberta to Defend Their Rights and Public Health Care

Walkouts began in the early morning at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton.

Hospital workers, members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), walked off the job in 31 hospitals and health centres in 23 cities and towns across Alberta on October 26. Walkouts took place in Athabasca, Calgary (Foothills, Peter Lougheed, Rockyview, South Health Campus, and Sheldon Chumir), Canmore, Cardston, Claresholm (General Hospital and Centre for Mental Health and Addictions). Cold Lake, Edmonton (Alberta Hospital, Royal Alexandra, University of Alberta, and Glenrose Hospitals and Edmonton Remand Centre), Evansburg, Ft. Saskatchewan, Grande Prairie. High Level, High Prairie, Leduc, Lethbridge, Okotoks, Ponoka, Red Deer, Sherwood Park, Slave Lake, Stony Plain, Westlock, Wetaskiwin, and Whitecourt.

A press release issued by AUPE on October 26 quotes union president Guy Smith:

"Anger has been building among members for months. [...] The recent announcement by Health Minister Tyler Shandro of 11,000 jobs being cut in the middle of a global deadly pandemic was the last straw for them. [...]

"Nursing-care and support workers decided today that there was no other option but to fight to protect Albertans at risk, especially during the deadliest pandemic in a century. By constantly short-staffing public health care, this government is pushing our members to the breaking point exactly when Albertans need them most.

"Across this province, working people are rising up against Jason Kenney's job-killing policies and are joining the fight in solidarity. This was a decision taken by the members themselves. AUPE is a democratic union and we respect the wishes of our members."

The press release states that "AUPE Members are committed to ensuring patients' safety during any dispute," and quotes Smith saying:

"Members will do everything in their power to keep Albertans safe. Public safety is why they are taking this action. They know that slashing thousands of frontline jobs during a pandemic is mad. It will lead to lower levels of care and higher costs. It will lead to tragedies. [...]

"[Alberta Health Minister] Shandro and [Alberta Premier] Kenney have arrogantly dismissed the vital role our members play in frontline health care. After risking their lives to come to work every day for more than seven months -- to treat patients, to prevent infections, to keep hospitals running -- their reward is to see their jobs axed and handed over to corporations seeking to profit off patient care. That is shameful."

Athabasca Hospital

Smith appealed for other Albertans to join the fight. "All Albertans are being targeted by this government. If you are a public or private-sector worker, a parent, a student, a teacher, someone with a handicap or disabilities, you are all under attack. This is your fight, too."

Alberta Health Services immediately called on the Alberta Labour Relations Board to issue a cease and desist order requiring the workers to return to work, calling the strike "illegal." The labour board issued a cease and desist order at 9 pm on October 26. Following the decision, AUPE issued the following statement:

"After drawing national attention to the privatization of health care in Alberta, health care staff represented by the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) are returning to work Tuesday, October 27, following an order by the Alberta Labour Relations Board (ALRB) to cease and desist their wildcat strike.

"AUPE members won support from across Alberta for their heroic stand, and proved once and for all that healthcare staff is more than doctors and nurses. AUPE is notifying all its members of the obligation to obey the ALRB order by returning to scheduled work."

Throughout the day on October 26, the message was clear that the walk-out signalled the beginning of a fight that must be won. Health care workers put themselves on the line every day to care for the people. They are fighting for the conditions needed to provide care and services, while the government is intent on its gigantic pay-the-rich schemes, privatizing and handing over public services to the uber-rich global corporate interests. The battle for public opinion is on! How dare the Kenney government downgrade services and the conditions of health care workers in the midst of a pandemic, people responded, expressing their support for the workers. Frontline workers know that it is disastrous to hand over medical labs and the control of keeping hospitals clean, providing laundry and linens, feeding patients, and more to private interests whose only goal is to make maximum profits. How dare you treat our heroes like zeroes, they said.

The workers take responsibility every day, while governments who serve the rich refuse to take any responsibility for the consequences of their anti-social, anti-worker decisions. Instead they use the power of the state to declare the workers’ actions "illegal." This is not justice. This shows they are unfit to rule and cannot be trusted with the decision-making power. Workers' Forum calls on all Albertans and people across the country to speak out and support the hospital workers!

Withdraw All Layoffs Now!
Increase Funding for Health Care and Social Programs!
No to Privatization!
Stop Paying the Rich!