Standing Up for Alberta Health Care Workers

Militant Support for Union of Provincial Employees' Strike Action

- Peggy Askin -

November 5, 2020. Athabasca Hospital.

From Athabasca in the north to Calgary in the south, hundreds of people participated in lively actions on November 5 in support of health care workers, members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), who took part in a province-wide "wildcat strike" on October 26. Pickets were organized in front of the hospitals in Athabasca, Edmonton and Calgary to demand that the Kenney government stop all health care privatization and all plans to terminate 11,000 workers and contract out their jobs to private interests.

November 5, 2020. Early morning picket at Foothills Hospital in Calgary.

Information pickets organized by the Alberta Federation of Labour greeted workers arriving for the first shift outside the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton and Foothills Health Centre in Calgary. At noon, pickets were held at the University Hospital in Edmonton, Foothills in Calgary and the Athabasca Health Centre by the faculty and staff of Athabasca University, Mount Royal University and the University of Alberta, who are all facing devastating cuts and restructuring imposed by the Kenney government.

As well, Community YYC and Inclusive Canada organized a rally in Calgary at 4:30 pm at City Hall to oppose the UCP government's anti-social offensive against the workers and people of Alberta. Speakers at the rally included a recipient of the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH), a teacher, a person working for harm reduction programs for people with addictions, a paramedic and others. All spoke about the impact of the government assault on rights.

November 5, 2020. Calgary Stand Up to Jason Kenney rally.

Unions and associations which participated in the actions included the Association of Academic Staff (University of Alberta), the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Athabasca University Faculty Association (AUFA), the Canadian Union of Public Employees, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Ironworkers, the Mount Royal Faculty Association, the United Food and Commercial Workers, Unifor, the United Nurses of Alberta and the Non-Academic Staff Association (University of Alberta).

November 5, 2020. University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.

The actions reflected the great appreciation Albertans have for the dangerous and life-saving work health care workers perform every day in taking care of the population, particularly during the eight months of the pandemic. They also show the growing support for the militant stand of the health care workers in defence of their rights and the well-being of their patients.

November 5, 2020. Royal Alexandra Hospital
in Edmonton.

Another feature of these actions is the unity in action developing amongst sectors hard hit by the escalation of the anti-social agenda by the Kenney government. David Powell, President of the AUFA, reported that the rally was one of the largest to take place in Athabasca in the town's memory. Powell said the walkout should be seen as "a major step in building momentum towards further labour action in Alberta, particularly as multiple public sector unions move into bargaining. It was vital that other unions around the province step up to celebrate the bravery of the health care workers."

The actions also put forward the demand that Alberta Health Services (AHS) not discipline workers who participated in the walkouts. The AUFA has forwarded to AHS signatures collected demanding no discipline, and the Non-Academic Staff Association has started an online petition which calls on the government to:

- Rescind the 11,000 planned health care layoffs;

- Uphold the "Public Health Guarantee" signed by Premier Kenney;

- Ensure that Alberta's public health care system is properly funded;

- Protect the jobs of all staff and members of the AUPE who took action on October 26 to stop the layoffs and privatization of health care; and

- Ensure health care coverage for everyone, regardless of immigration status, including COVID-19 assessment, care and treatment.

"Health care workers are fighting for better working conditions, job security, and the safety of all Albertans! Do the right thing and ensure health care jobs are protected and workers that took action do not face discipline!" the petition states. The petition can be found here.

(Photos: Workers' Forum, AFL, HSAA.)

This article was published in

Number 76 - November 10, 2020

Article Link:
Standing Up for Alberta Health Care Workers: Militant Support for Union of Provincial Employees' Strike Action - Peggy Askin