EDMONTON - "On March 12th the Conservatives are going to realize how their policies have impacted women in the province.  Women are working, and they are voting. This election is about democracy and equality. It's about the effects of funding cuts and the privatization of services women and their families use. This election is about bread and roses," says Audrey Cormack, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

"Women have been the hardest hit by Klein's neoconservative social and fiscal policies. Reduced childcare subsidies, the privatization of healthcare and flat taxes are making it harder to make ends meet. The reality is that women are not experiencing the 'Alberta Advantage.' IWD shows us that we need, now more than ever, a government that values women," says Cormack.

Cormack's comments come on International Women's Day, recognized internationally as a day of protest, solidarity and celebration of women's struggles for equality. IWD emanates from labour strikes of textile workers on March 8, in both 1857 and 1908, to protest against poor working conditions in New York City. Their slogan, "bread and roses" has come to represent women's quest for economic security and social justice.

"International Women's Day belongs to working women, and every woman is a working woman. The struggles faced by women a century ago are the same struggles faced by women in Alberta today. Fair wages, decent working conditions, accessible childcare, are all things women are still fighting for," says Cormack.

"This election women have a real chance to make their voices heard," said Lyn Gorman, New Democrat candidate and vice president of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

Audrey Cormack concurred. "We need MLA's who will make decisions and implement legislation that takes into account the best interests of women. I urge people to vote for a party that will make sure women in Alberta get their bread and roses."

For further information call:

Audrey Cormack, President    @    483-3021(wk)/ 499-6530(cell)/ 428-9367(hm)

Lyn Gorman, New Democrat Candidate, Fort McMurray    @    780-799-7870

IWD Events

Edmonton"Moving Toward the Rebirth of Culture, Peace & Harmony"Saturday, March 10 at 11:30 am - 2:00 pm @ City HallAll welcome - admission is free.For further information contact: Pascal Lagace @ 495-7091

CalgarySymposium on "Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Gender"A Conference in Celebration of International Women's DayMarch 7, 8 & 9, 2001 at the University of Calgary, room MSC 277 (ground floor of Mac Hall)All welcome - admission is fee.

LethbridgeParkland Institute's First Annual Speakers' Series"From Ideas to Action: Creating the Communities We Want"March 8 @ 7:30 pmLethbridge Public LibraryThis event is co-sponsored by Womanspace Resource Centre and the Lethbridge and District YWCA, and the Lethbridge Public Library.Admission by donation.

Activists concerned about sweatshop labour will stage rallies outside two popular sporting goods shops in Edmonton and Calgary over the weekend.

Both rallies will be held on Saturday, August 26 starting at 11 a.m. The Edmonton rally will be held outside Sportchek at Mayfair Common (Mayfield Rd. and Stony Plain Road). The Calgary rally will be held outside Forzani's, located at 2415-4th Street S.W.

At both rallies, leaflets will be distributed to shoppers explaining the sweatshop conditions under which many sporting good are manufactured. Customers will also be urged to shop ethically.

Kerry Barrett, Secretary Treasurer, AFL

Numerous events were held across the province to celebrate International Women's Day.

In Edmonton on Friday March 8 there was a shared supper at the Queen Alexandra Hall. Following the dinner there were a few speakers including Karen Beaton from the ATA, representatives of Women in Black, G8 women activists, health care workers and an open mike for speakers, poetry, and music.

To celebrate International Women's Day in Calgary a potluck dinner and celebration were held on Friday, March 8 at the Carpenters Hall. The evening began with a potluck dinner, which was followed by a short program including a guest speaker, the singing of "Bread and Roses" and "Equal Rights". About 60 people in attendance.

On Saturday, March 9 the traditional Celebratory March took place from City Hall to the Vision of Hope Monument in Edmonton. Following the march there was a gathering at City Hall that included guest speakers, entertainment and displays. The theme was "Women Moving Mountains". About 100 people attended the event.

The program included the song "Bread and Roses performed by Marie-Josee Ouimet, a poetry reading by Shirley Konrad and greetings from the City of Edmonton by Karen Leibovici. A dance performance by Amasaro, a play by "Check-wazai" Aboriginal U of A drama students, a presentation of a donation to the Cathy Sewell Scholarship for Indigenous Arts and the presentations of the Edmonton International Women's Day Youth Achievement Awards were also part of the program.

The keynote speakers included Liv Lunde who is a 19 year old spokesperson for non-violence and tolerance. She helps provide a forum for discussion of youth justice through a weekly radio show on CJSR. Liv also writes about alternatives to violence for the Red Tear. The YWCA Women of Distinction Award in the youth category was awarded to her in 2000.

Another keynote speaker was Linda Bull who is a member of the Cree, Saddle Lake and the Goodfish Lake First Nation. She has a Masters degree of Education and is currently completing her doctoral work in Peace Education. She is the first recipient of the Ghandi Millenium Graduate Fellowship and has traveled to 5 continents with her message of empowerment, solidarity and peace.

The Edmonton International Women's Day Youth Achievement Awards were presented to Christine Jairamsingh and Erin Fitzgerald who have launched a constitutional challenge to have the voting age lowered to 16. Samantha King was also the recipient of an award. She is a 16 year old Edmonton singer who performs at a variety of charity events to help raise money and awareness for such charities as the Youth Emergency Shelter and the Michael Cuccione Foundation (childhood cancer).

J'Lyn Nye from Global TV hosted the event and reminded everyone of the history surrounding IWD. In August 1910, at a meeting in Copenhagen, the Women's Socialist International decided to commemorate the strike on March 8, 1857 of hundreds of women working in garment and textile factories in New York City by observing an annual International Women's Day.

The Centre for Immigrant Women from Latin America also hosted an event which included workshops followed by a plenary session, cultural entertainment and music from Notre Dame Des Bananes.

These events are a great way to celebrate International Women's Day and raise awareness of the accomplishments women have made and commit to the struggles we continue to face.

Would you believe that after the G8 meeting held near Calgary in 2002 the Council of Canadians' Maude Barlow complimented the city police on their approach to political activists who took to the streets?

Would you believe that Starhawk, an activist from San Francisco, said the police in Calgary behaved like no other security force she had seen in her round-the-world travels on the protest circuit? No sinister face-shields, no tear gas, water cannons or dogs.

Given what happened during the G8/G20 meetings in Toronto and other locales over the past few years, the Calgary experience now seems like a short but pleasant daydream. But it also shows what's possible when police and political activists try to respect each other's rights and responsibilities.The G8 leaders gathered at a secluded mountain resort - Kananaskis Village - about 80 kilometres west of Calgary. They were fenced in by 1,000 soldiers and sharpshooters and a 150-kilometre no-fly zone patrolled by CF-18s. Jean Chrétien chose the location. And given that 9/11 had shocked the world less than a year before and that U.S. president George W. Bush would be in attendance it seemed like a brilliant solution to numerous security issues.

Activists with unions, social justice groups and student organizations realized early on that they were not going to get anywhere near the G8 leaders so they focused their attention on downtown Calgary. Gil McGowan of the Alberta Federation of Labour said they wanted to create a festival atmosphere so various causes could be brought to the attention of the general public without violence and rancour. Of course, not everyone believed this. Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier still treated them like terrorists in training.

The police, however, decided to take a softer approach to demonstrators. For months before the G8 meeting they met with representatives of various groups and listened to their complaints about police harassment. They also made it clear that they knew protesters had certain rights and they would respect them.

And indeed downtown Calgary did take on a festival atmosphere during the G8 meeting. People marched through the streets with costumes and provocative banners while families stood along the route as enthralled as if they were watching a parade. The police kept the peace on bicycles and could be seen joking with the protesters, even offering them bottles of water. Dozens of heavily armed riot police were close at hand but always out of sight.

The protesters - everyone from the Council of Canadians to the Anti-Capitalist Collective to the Canadian Auto Workers to the Pagan Cluster - were remarkably disciplined.

When a few masked agitators started rocking and climbing a fence around the Stampede complex where G8 leaders were having a cocktail party, protest leaders turned the crowd around. They effectively isolated the fence rockers who were quickly surrounded by police and sent on their way.

One morning, black-clad thugs began a shoving match against officers in a bike unit. After about 10 minutes, a heavily armed tactical team arrived on the scene and the guys in black simply ran away. Again no one was arrested.

It's true that there were far fewer demonstrators than in Toronto. And some activists were stopped at the border and never made it to Calgary. But it is also clear, even to seasoned activists, that an intelligent, respectful and well-disciplined police force made all the difference.

Toronto Star, Tues July 6 2010Byline: Gillian Steward

News of criminal charges being laid in relation to welders and machinists from Poland and Ukraine working in Alberta is more evidence of widespread violation of employment laws and the abuse of foreign workers, says the province's largest labour group.

"It has been clear for some time that the processes used to bring foreign workers to Alberta aren't working," says Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, which represents 145,000 workers. "Foreign workers are vulnerable because they fear deportation and are not always aware of their rights. The Alberta government must not stand idly by while workers are being abused, and while laws are being violated."

Charges laid by the RCMP today allege that foreign workers were told they faced fines of $25,000 and deportation if they breached their contracts, and that up to nine workers had to share three-bedroom apartments. They were allegedly told they could work legally after six months and bring their families to Canada.

The workers were also allegedly contracted out to several northern Alberta businesses which were charged a much higher hourly rate for the services of each foreign worker than was paid to the workers. It is alleged that the recruiters profited by more than $1,000,000 from April 2006 to September 2006 by sub-contracting the foreign workers to various companies.

Last year, the NDP revealed government documents that showed 74 per cent of Alberta businesses hiring temporary foreign workers that were subject to inspection had violated the labour code.

"The brokers who bring in foreign workers must be subject to far more monitoring and inspection by the Employment and Immigration ministry. There must also be a much greater willingness to prosecute brokers and employers who violate the province's labour code. Sadly, there are very few prosecutions because, it seems, this government lacks the will power to take action against violators," says McGowan.

"The TFW program in particular is rife with abuse. Workers are charged thousands of dollars in illegal fees, often live in homes owned by employers or agencies who charge outrageous rents, are told to work long hours while being denied fair rates of pay - but are afraid to complain because their employer can lay them off and have them deported."

- 30 -

CONTACT: Gil McGowan, AFL president, is in Calgary and will be available for interviews until 3 p.m. He can be reached at780-218-9888.

EDMONTON - On the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Racism, the president of Alberta's largest labour organization is calling on leaders from government, business and labour to join forces in the battle against intolerance.

"Racism and discrimination continue to be serious problems in Alberta and across the country," says AFL president Audrey Cormack. "Progress has been made - that's clear. But much more needs to be done in order to combat racism in the workplace and in the broader community."

The United Nations has chosen March 21 as the International Day for the Elimination of Racism in memory of the infamous "Sharpeville Massacre." On this day in 1960, South African police fired into a crowd of peaceful demonstrators in Sharpeville Township, killing sixty-nine people. Since then, March 21 has been set aside as a day to remember the suffering caused by racism and to celebrate successes in the battle for racial tolerance.

Cormack says that much has been accomplished since 1960. For example, the brutal system of Apartheid that caused the Sharpeville massacre has been overthrown. And many countries, including Canada, have introduced laws aimed at discouraging discrimination. But Cormack says the battle against racism is far from over.

"The brutal reality is that immigrants, first nations people and people of colour still face racism discrimination and intolerance on a daily basis. Systemic racism continues to exist in our schools, our courts, our communities, our workplaces and even in our unions. In fact a recent poll published in the Globe and Mail suggests that intolerance against immigrants is actually on the rise. This sends a clear message that more needs to be done in order to promote tolerance."

Cormack says that unions have a long, proud history of working to overturn racist and discriminatory policies in government and in the workplace. As part of the the AFL's on-going commitment to ending racism and discrimination, she says she and other Alberta labour leaders will continue to: 1) speak out against racism in Canada and throughout the world, and 2) support anti-racism programs and legislation aimed at breaking down systemic barriers in all institutions.

"We in the labour movement will continue to do all we can to make Canadian labour organizations more tolerant, more inclusive and more welcoming for people of colour. For example, we will be working with the Canadian Labour Congress to implement the recommendations of the CLC's recent Anti-Racism Task Force, which outlines an action plan for promoting tolerance in unions and the workplace," says Cormack.

"But we can't eradicate racism alone. That's why we are challenging other groups and individuals to play a part. We challenge individuals to actively join the fight against racism. We challenge businesses to adopt anti-discrimination policies and sponsor educational programs to combat racism in the workplace. And we challenge governments to make the fight against racism in Canada and around the world a much higher priority. By working together, I am convinced we can promote tolerance and stamp out the black cancer of racism that has been eating away at our community and our workplaces."

For more information call:

Audrey M. Cormack, President  @  (780) 499-6530 (cell) /483-3021 (wk) 428-9367 (hm)

Edmonton - The Alberta Federation of Labour marked December 6th with a call for employers, supervisors, workers, professional associations and unions to take joint action on domestic violence and its impact in the workplace.

"The basis for action should be the extensive toolkit developed by the Health Sciences Association of Alberta and Alberta Council of Women's Shelters," says Nancy Furlong, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour, representing 140,000 workers across the province.

The issue of domestic violence and its impact upon the workplace has come to light in recent years.

In a recent Alberta study, more than 20 per cent of respondents reported they had experienced the impact of domestic violence in the workplace. In an Ontario study, 38 per cent of nurses reported a history of domestic violence. Another U.S. study of Fortune 500 companies found 18 per cent of women employees had experienced domestic violence.

The Alberta Council of Women's Shelters and Health Sciences Association of Alberta developed a toolkit, Everyone's Business, as a result of a five-year partnership that saw them consult with businesses and labour leaders across the province.

The toolkit provides a guide for employers, pamphlets aimed at workers and supervisors, and information cards. The guide for employers provides protocols, draft team member functions, a model workplace policy and a sample safety checklist for the worksite.

The toolkit recognizes that domestic violence has a range of impacts on the workplace, from absenteeism and productivity losses to a domestic partner actually perpetrating violence against an employee at work.

Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety (OS&S) code (Part 27, section 390) requires employers to develop policy and procedures respecting potential workplace violence. Section 391 of the Code requires employers to provide instruction on recognizing, response and reporting of violence.

"It is unclear if the province actually enforces this section of the code and how many employers in Alberta actually take domestic violence and its effect on the workplace seriously," says Furlong.

"This is why Alberta's unions are exercising leadership on violence prevention in the workplace. On December 6th, we must remember that violence against women affects us all, and in every aspect of our lives - including our workplaces," concludes Furlong.

-30-

Media Contact:

Nancy Furlong, Secretary Treasurer, Alberta Federation of Labour - 780-483-3021; cell 780-720-8945

EDMONTON                                   CALGARYSaturday, October 26th,              Saturday, October 26th, 20022002                                                200212:00 noon                                    12:00 noon    The Bay                                          The BayKingsway Garden Mall                  Downtown Stephen Avenue Malll1st level main entrance to Bay    8 Avenue & 1 Street, SW south side by transit centre

The Human Rights and International Solidarity Committee of the Alberta Federation of Labour will be leafleting "The Bay" and Zellers stores in Edmonton and Calgary this Saturday, starting at 12:00 noon.  The protestors will be trying to persuade the Hudson's Bay Company to work with unions and suppliers to eliminate sweatshop working conditions.

Currently the Hudson's Bay Company has contracts with three factories in the southern African country of Lesotho which produces clothing under the Zellers brand name. However, HBC has indicated that it was cutting and running from at least one of the factories rather than working with the factory management and the Lesotho garment workers' union to help eliminate sweatshop abuses.  This is the same factory that recently signed an agreement with the union to make improvements in working conditions.

"We need to send a message to the Hudson's Bay Company to be responsible corporate citizens and stay in Lesotho and be part of the solution to end sweatshop abuses," says HR&IS Committee Chairperson, Ramon Antipan.

For More Information:

Ramon Antipan, Chair, AFL's Human Rights & International Solidarity Committee @    780-423-9000 (wk)  780-475-6856(hm)

EDMONTON                             CALGARYSunday, August 25, 2002      Sunday, August 25, 12:00 noon                              2002     12:00 noonZellers and the Bay                 Zellers and the BayWest Edmonton Mall               Sunridge Mall

The Human Rights and International Solidarity Committee of the Alberta Federation of Labour will be leafleting "The Bay" and Zellers stores in Edmonton and Calgary this Sunday, starting at 12:00 noon.  The protestors will be trying to persuade the Hudson's Bay Company to work with unions and suppliers to eliminate sweatshop working conditions.

Currently the Hudson's Bay Company has contracts with three factories in the southern African country of Lesotho which produces clothing under the Zellers brand name. However, HBC has indicated that it was cutting and running from at least one of the factories rather than working with the factory management and the Lesotho garment workers' union to help eliminate sweatshop abuses.  This is the same factory that recently signed an agreement with the union to make improvements in working conditions.

"We need to send a message to the Hudson's Bay Company to be responsible corporate citizens and stay in Lesotho and be part of the solution to end sweatshop abuses," says HR&IS Committee Chairperson, Ramon Antipan.

For More Information:

Ramon Antipan, Chairperson, AFL's Human Rights  & International Solidarity Committee @ 780-423-9000 (wk)  or   @ 780-475-6856 (hm)

AFL President Audrey Cormack is calling on activists to lobby the Federal Justice Minister, Anne McLellan to demand Leonard Peltier's release.

A rally in support of clemency for the American Indian Movement activist and political prisoner will be held in EDMONTON on MONDAY, JUNE 26TH outside McLellan's constituency office (12304 -107 Avenue) at 4:30 p.m.

"It's time to increase pressure on the Justice Department. Leonard Peltier has been wrongfully imprisoned for almost 25 years, and it's time the federal government stop dragging their heels in this matter," says Alberta Federation of Labour President, Audrey Cormack.

"We are asking that the Canadian government file an official protest to the U.S. President, Bill Clinton, recommend that Leonard Peltier receive Executive Clemency, or that he receive a new trial."

On November 26, 1975, Leonard Peltier, along with three others were charged with the murder of two FBI agents during an altercation at Jumping Bull Ranch between members of the American Indian Movement and FBI agents. The charges against one of the accused were dropped. On July 16, 1976, two were acquitted in a trial in Iowa, where the defense was allowed to use the argument of self-defense.

Peltier, fearing for his life, fled to Canada. On December 18, 1976, Peltier was extradited back to the United States on the basis of affidavits, which were later shown to be false. His trial was moved to Fargo, North Dakota, where the trial judge refused to hear arguments of self-defense. Evidence supporting the defense was withheld. Peltier was convicted to two consecutive life sentences.

"The only honorable option the federal government has is to push the U.S. to grant Leonard Peltier clemency. I urge the Honorable Minister to act on this case and allow the truth to prevail. It's time for justice," says Cormack.

For further information contact:

Audrey M. Cormack, President     @     483-3021 wk/ 499-6530 cell/ 428-9367 hm

EDMONTON - "It's time the Federal government formally take responsibility for the historical injustices faced by Canada's aboriginal peoples.  I see no better time than today to do that, by making this a statutory holiday," says Kerry Barrett, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour.

"Over 300 delegates at our Convention in May felt that recognizing June 21st as a statutory holiday was a great first step for the country to take in demonstrating a commitment to its aboriginal peoples.  We must acknowledge their contributions, and ensure Aboriginal peoples are afforded the same social, political and economic rights the rest of Canadians enjoy," says Barrett.

June 21st was set aside to recognize the diversity of aboriginal people and their many valued contributions to Canada.  The day also highlights the struggles aboriginal people have embarked on for social justice, equality and the strength of unions and communities.

"Aboriginal people have had to battle colonial domination, and in some ways are still having to. Inequalities persist in communities and workplaces that place Aboriginal people at a distinct disadvantage," says Barrett.

"Aboriginal workers continue to have a hard time in the labour market.  With an unemployment rate that is 3.6 time higher than the average Canadian worker, Aboriginal workers are also hit with a 56.4% wage gap.  These workers are earning less than white workers and workers of colour in this country.  For me, these are clear signals that there isn't a level playing field, and Aboriginal workers are losing ground."

"In the labour movement, the work we do to strengthen the voices of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters becomes part of the larger fight for Aboriginal rights.  We, too, have an obligation to address the injustices faced by our Aboriginal members in their workplaces and within their communities," says Barrett.

The Federation has affirmative action positions on its executive council, as well as a Workers of Colour and Aboriginal Workers Working Group.

"As an organization representing labour, we support aboriginal land claims, aboriginal sovereignty and aboriginal rights to self-determination.  We owe this support to our aboriginal brothers and sisters," says Barrett.

For more information, please contact:  Kerry Barrett, Secretary-Treasurer   @   (403) 504-5217

EDMONTON - In recognition of International Human Rights Day, Les Steel, Secretary Treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour, is encouraging Albertans to join labour's struggle against racism, sexism, bigotry and intolerance in the workplace and within communities.

"In order to create change, there needs to be a commitment on the part of Albertans to fight human rights abuses. Discrimination, exploitation and hatred are not solely the realities faced by those on the other side of the globe. Right here in our province, in our homes, our communities and workplaces, intolerance exists," says Steel.

Steel made his comments just days before the 52nd anniversary of the United Nation's Universal Declaration on Human Rights. The Declaration - one of the most important and influential documents ever adopted by the UN - sets out a comprehensive framework for the rights and freedoms that should be granted to all people. Ever since its signing, December 10th has been recognized as International Human Rights Day.

Steel says that the labour movement is and has been leading the way in the area of human rights. Just last week the Canadian Labour Congress, along with groups including Oxfam Canada and the Maquila Solidarity Network, launched the "No Sweat" campaign. This campaign aims to provide education and information about sweatshop and child labour, at the same time promoting ethical consumerism.

"We are again encouraging Albertans to shop with a conscience this Christmas. We are asking that consumers let retailers and manufacturers know they will not buy toys manufactured in sweatshops in countries like Thailand, China and India," says Steel. "We are continuing to put pressure on large multinationals like Nike to adopt codes of conduct that would guarantee improved working conditions for workers in overseas worksites."

Steel says those Albertans interested in upholding the principles of the UN's Human Rights Declaration should not be discouraged by the large numbers of human rights problems in nations far removed from their own province.

"Obviously, a single person can't stop all the human rights abuses in the world, or reverse national histories marked by intolerance. There are, however, ways that one person can enact change - shopping with a conscience, educating oneself and others about human rights issues, demanding that local governments are enacting progressive human rights legislation - all these things can make a difference," says Steel.

"If enough good people engage themselves in these struggles against human rights abuses, I am convinced that we can make this world a better place for all workers."

For more information call:

Les Steel, Secretary Treasurer   @   (780) 483-3021 (wk) / (780) 499-4135 (cell)

The Alberta Federation of Labour is creating a new Temporary Foreign Worker Advocate Office to help protect the basic human and workplace rights of vulnerable foreign workers in the province.

"We've already heard too many stories of exploitation, neglect and unfair treatment," says Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan. "We have to act and help protect people who come in good faith to work in this province."

The AFL is contracting with labour lawyer Yessy Byl to create the Advocate's Office to assist foreign workers when they encounter unfair treatment.

"We asked the provincial government to act on this. They have done too little so far and the number of problems has just ballooned," McGowan says. "We felt it our duty to act to help protect these working people."

McGowan says the lack of clear rules and aggressive policing has opened the door for unscrupulous employers and employment brokers to take advantage of workers coming to Alberta from other countries.

"The problems are as simple as getting employers to actually pay what they promised, right up to complex visa issues," McGowan says. "Many of these people don't speak English well, they don't know the country and they can't really defend themselves."

Byl, an award-winning Edmonton lawyer with more than 20 years experience helping union and non-union workers, has already been assisting a number of foreign temporary workers on her own time - mostly notably a group of Romanian welders and machinists.

"I've already seen disturbing examples of employers and brokers behaving badly - and governments looking the other way," Byl says. "Canada has a well-deserved good reputation around the world. But that reputation will be put at risk if we continue to allow workers coming here from other parts of the world to be treated in these ways."

In her role as Advocate, Byl will help temporary foreign workers file employment standards complaints and complaints about workplace health and safety. She will also help foreign workers understand their rights, deal with immigration issues, and navigate the provincial and federal bureaucracies.

McGowan says the AFL has enough money to keep the Advocate Office running as a pilot project for at least six months and possibly a year. After that, he says it will be time to reassess.

"This is work that government should be doing - but we'll do it in hopes that people like Iris Evans and Monte Solberg will eventually come around," says McGowan. "Our goals are twofold. First to help address the immediate needs of temporary foreign workers who are being treated unfairly and, second, to gather enough evidence to convince the federal and provincial governments to step in and reform the system."

McGowan reiterated the labour movement's position that the real solution to Alberta's tight labour market lies with better training for domestic workers; reform to the mainline immigration system and measures to better control the pace of oil sands development.

"By allowing the Temporary Foreign Worker program to grow exponentially without any of the necessary safeguards, our governments are essentially creating an underclass of workers who don't have the same rights and protections in the workplace as Canadian workers," he says.

"We feel strongly that if these people are good enough to build our oil sands projects, take care of our children or serve our coffee, then they're good enough to stay as citizens. That's the Canadian way. Stringing people along for years in precarious situations thousands of miles away from their families - that's not the Canadian way."

-30-For More Information contact:

Gil McGowan, President at 780.218-9888 (cell)

One hundred years after the creation of International Women's Day, Alberta's largest labour organization is calling on the provincial government to take immediate action to give women an official voice in determining policies.

"Today, we are calling on the government to name a minister to be responsible for the Status of Women," says Nancy Furlong, secretary treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour, which represents 140,000 workers. "After a century, Alberta women are a long way off from equality. Women here earn on average only 72 cents for every dollar a man earns," she says.

"Clearly, Alberta's system does not work and needs to be fixed. Naming a minister to be responsible for the Status of Women is a simple step to ensure that Alberta women don't fall further behind. Having one minister take responsibility for this important issue will help to bring focus and may lead to improvements," says Furlong.

"Nationally, Canada used to be a world leader in addressing equality between men and women. But over the last 10 years we've gone from leader to laggard and now rank near the bottom of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in socio-economic equality alongside Turkey, South Korea, Mexico and the United States."

Within Canada, Alberta is the only jurisdiction that does not give women an institutional voice. Across the country, there are official advisory councils to government on the status of women, women's secretariats that form part of larger government ministries and, in select jurisdictions, entire ministerial portfolios dedicated to the status of women.

"Only in Alberta are women denied an official voice. We need to ensure women's rights aren't forgotten," says Furlong. "A Minister for the Status of Women would be able to analyze what happens in other jurisdictions to find which policies best contribute to women's equality."

For example, there is clear evidence that governments which invest in child care and early learning have a smaller pay gap between men and women. However, Alberta lags behind the rest of the country, with only 17 per cent of children having access to a regulated child-care space, compared with the national average of 20 per cent. In fact, Alberta is tied with PEI for the lowest spending per regulated child-care space in Canada.

"Alberta used to be at the forefront of the fight for equality, led by the Famous Five and their campaign to have women declared ‘persons' under the law. It is time for Alberta to take back that leadership role," says Furlong. "Alberta's women deserve better. We have waited 100 years since International Women's Day began. We must not be told to wait another 100 years."-30-Media Contact: Nancy Furlong, Secretary Treasurer, Alberta Federation of Labour @ cell 780-720-8945

EDMONTON - It's official. Alberta has become the first province in Canadian history to bring more people into its jurisdiction under the temporary foreign worker program than through Canada's mainline immigration system.

According to new figures from the federal department of Citizenship and Immigration, as of December 1, 2006, there were 22,392 temporary foreign workers in Alberta. That's more than double the 11,067 temporary workers who were in the province in 2003 and more than three times the 7,286 who were in the province in 1997.

Significantly, the 2006 figure for temporary foreign workers in Alberta is greater than the 20,717 immigrants granted permanent resident status in the province that year. This marks the first time that temporary workers have overtaken traditional immigrants.

Over the past five years, other provinces - most notably B.C. and Ontario - have also experienced dramatic jumps in the use of temporary foreign workers. But in those provinces, traditional immigrants still out number temporary workers.

"Once again, Alberta seems to be leading other provinces in the race to the bottom," says Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. "If these temporary workers were on a track to becoming full citizens, it would be less of a concern - but they're not. The vast majority will be treated like Post-It Notes - to be used, discarded and sent back to the countries of origin."

As a result of the "exponential growth" of the temporary foreign workers program, McGowan says that "we're in the process of creating an underclass of workers who are much more vulnerable and open to exploitation than Canadian workers and who have little hope of ever becoming full citizens."

In response the dramatic jump in numbers, in early May the AFL established its own "Office of the Temporary Foreign Worker Advocate" to help temporary workers who are being ill-treated by employers or employment brokers.

In the seven weeks since opening the office, the AFL's Advocate has provided assistance to dozens of workers from India, Romania, Mexico, the Philippines and other countries. Complaints have ranged from exorbitant fees charged by brokers; to substandard housing; to employers refusing to pay overtime or reneging on promises related to wages and training.

"Unfortunately, we're afraid that what we've seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg," says McGowan. "For every one person who has come to our office for assistance, there are many others who are too afraid to speak out for fear of being sent back to their countries of origin."

McGowan says that Canadians should be demanding answers from their leaders about why the temporary foreign worker program was allowed to expand so rapidly with virtually no public debate and why none of the necessary safeguards have been put in place to deal with predictable abuses.

"What's happening with the temporary foreign worker program is an example of massive policy failure," says McGowan. "Our leaders have let Canadians down by not allowing them to have a say in a program that runs contrary to Canadian values. And they've let thousands of foreign workers down by leaving them open to exploitation and abuse."

-30-

For more information call:

Gil McGowan   AFL President   @ 780-218-9888

For complete figures, consult the new tables on temporary foreign workers and traditional immigration released this week by Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

For permanent immigrant data go here or to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/statistics/facts2006/permanent/18.asp

For temporary foreign worker data, go here or to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/resources/statistics/facts2006/temporary/06.asp

Whether there's a boom or a bust, the economic reality facing women in Alberta is that they are falling further and further behind men.

A new study by the Edmonton-based Parkland Institute and the Womanspace Resource Centre in Lethbridge shows that the fight for rights and equality is far from over in this province. Nationally, Conservative government actions have stalled progress on women's issues, according to a report by the Canadian Labour Congress and several women's groups.

Gathering data from a variety of national sources, including Statistics Canada, the study shows that women in Alberta experience disproportionate levels of poverty and low wages. The median income for Alberta women working full year, full time is 66 per cent of that earned by men. The gender wage gap is worse in Alberta than in all other provinces. The boom years have made things worse, not better, for Alberta's women. In 1993 women working full time earned 71 per cent of what men earned.

Meanwhile, single mothers who rely on social assistance in Alberta receive the least amount of support of anyone in Canada. The situation is just as grim for female lone parents and their families, with 24 per cent being categorized as low income in Alberta, compared to the national rate of 16 per cent.

This situation has been met with a deafening silence in Alberta. This is the only jurisdiction in Canada where women have no formal voice in government, with neither a ministry nor an advisory council on the status of women. The Alberta Federation of Labour calls on the Alberta government to recognize that a high wage gap between men and women has negative consequences for the public and private sectors, including lost productivity, low retention of skilled labour and high levels of poverty. It is time for the government to follow the lead of other provinces - which have fewer financial resources - and tackle this issue.

Nationally, gender-equality issues have slowed under the Conservative government, according to a report by the Canadian Labour Congress and several women's rights groups presented to the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

The report, called Reality Check: Women in Canada, criticizes the federal government for eliminating a proposed $5-billion national child-care and early-learning program, for closing 12 of 16 Status of Women offices across the country and for cutting resources for gender-equality projects.

"Half-hearted gestures regarding the possibility of changing our national anthem to reflect gender equality are no substitute for concrete policies to end inequalities," says Nancy Furlong, Secretary Treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour. "On one hand, for a few days some federal Conservatives say gender equality in the anthem is important, but on the other the government eliminates the phrase gender equality from the mandate of the national Status of Women office. The government pays lip service to the issue, but its actions speak far louder than its word."

- 30 -

Media contact:

Nancy Furlong, Secretary Treasurer @ 780-483-3021 or 780-720-8945 (cell)

The increasing ethnic and racial diversity of the province requires extra vigilance by Albertans against racism and intolerance, says the Alberta Federation of Labour today.

"Thousands of new immigrants and temporary foreign workers are flocking to Alberta as a consequence of our booming economy," says AFL President Gil McGowan. "We need to ensure that all these workers not only enjoy the same rights and protections that current citizens enjoy - but that they are also welcomed into our society."

"That means going beyond mere 'tolerance' of ethnic and racial diversity," says McGowan. "We need to ensure that new Albertans feel safe, welcome and are encouraged to become active members of our communities and broader society."

"The Alberta government can and should do more to protect new Canadian workers' human rights, prevent exploitation and ensure they are treated fairly when they come to our province. That means enforcing workplace regulations scrupulously and providing much more funding to all of the various social agencies and NGOs that work to help their transition into Canadian society."

"The government should lead by example by making it a priority to assist and welcome these new Canadian workers - whether their status is temporary or not," concludes McGowan.

Forty-one years ago, the United Nations declared that March 21st would be the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. This date was chosen to commemorate the Sharpeville Massacre, when in 1960 South African police shot and killed 69 people who were peacefully demonstrating against the apartheid regime.

 

- 30 -

For more information contact:

Gil McGowan, AFL President @ 780.483-3021 (office) or 780.218-9888 (cell)

The Alberta Federation of Labour is marking National Aboriginal Solidarity Day by strengthening its commitment to promoting aboriginal involvement in the labour movement."For years now, aboriginal people have faced discrimination in the workplace and in the broader community," says Barb Ames, one of two newly-elected aboriginal representatives on the AFL's Executive Council."Unfortunately, up until recently, the labour movement has also been guilty of not doing enough to open doors for aboriginal people. We've failed to give them a real seat at the table. The good news is that's all changing."At the AFL's recent convention, delegates from dozens of different unions voted unanimously to create two new positions on the AFL's Executive Council to represent aboriginal workers. Aboriginal caucus meetings will also now be held at every major AFL event."This is the beginning of a new and on-going commitment on behalf of the Alberta labour movement," says Ames. "We will be reaching out to the aboriginal community in an effort to find out how unions and aboriginal people can work together to promote justice and provide opportunity for aboriginals in the workplace."The work of building bridges between unions and the aboriginal community has already begun. In March, the AFL held a meeting with aboriginal leaders and workers on the Enoch reserve south of Edmonton. Similar meetings - aimed at identifying common concerns and possible areas for cooperation - will be held across the province over the next year.As a concrete  example of the labour movement's commitment to working with the aboriginal community, Ames says she and the AFL will help lobby provincial and federal governments to designate National Aboriginal Solidarity Day (June 21) as an official holiday."The goal of having an Aboriginal Solidarity Day was to celebrate the contributions of aboriginal people and promote a better understanding of aboriginal culture and concerns," says Ames. "But without designating it as an official holiday, the day won't get the attention it deserves. If the government is serious about encouraging non-Aboriginal people to think about aboriginal issues, then they should consider making June 21 a formal holiday - a day on which all Canadians can focus on the history, culture and problems faced by aboriginal people. "

For more information call:Barb Ames, Aboriginal Vice President, AFL Executive Council (403) 246-7144

EDMONTON - As people around the world look back on last year's terrorist attacks in the United States, a Chilean activist is urging Canadians not to forget the horror of the "other September 11."

Viviana Diaz, President of the Association of the Relatives of the Disappeared in Chile, is on a cross-Canada speaking tour aimed at reminding people of the military coup that took place in her country on September 11, 1973.

During that coup, terrorists bombed the Chilean Parliament buildings, assassinated the elected president, Salvador Allende, and toppled Allende's popular government. Thousands of people were killed on that day and in the 17 years of military dictatorship that followed. Thousands of others "disappeared" and remain unaccounted for today.

WHAT:  News Conference to Discuss the "Other September 11"WHO:  Association of the Relatives of the Disappeared in ChileWHEN:  11:30 am, Tuesday, September 24WHERE: CUPE 474 Boardroom, 10989-124 Street, Edmonton

As part of her visit to Edmonton, Diaz will meet with many of the hundreds of Chileans who settled in Edmonton after fleeing or being exiled from their homeland. She will also hold a news conference on Tuesday, September 24 to review the history of the "other September 11" and give an update on efforts to uncover what really happened to the "disappeared."

"Americans often talk about September 11 as an attack on freedom and democracy," says Ramon Antipan, an activist from Edmonton's Chilean community. "But September 11, 1973 was even more devastating to the people of Chile. It robbed them of their freedom and it destroyed their democratic system - which, at the time, was the oldest and most stable democracy in South America."

In addition to her news conference, Diaz will participate in a special reception and seminar at the Stanley Milner Library Theatre at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24. Her visit to Edmonton is co-sponsored by the Chilean-Canadian Community of Edmonton, the Stanley Milner Library, the University of Alberta's International Association and the Alberta Federation of Labour.

For more information call:

AFL Communications    @ 780-483-3021

... In Vancouver, No One is Illegal (NOII), a grassroots anti-colonial immigrant and refugee rights collective, aligns its goals with those of La Via Campesina.

Immigration is not a topic often associated with the food system, but Harjap Grewal of NOII says immigration and the food system are "very much linked." He sees immigration as "the human impact of free trade policy, [and therefore] the reason why [farmers are] migrating."

Immigration is a growing issue in Canadian politics in the past decade, stemming from an increase in the number of people seeking refugee or migrant worker status in Canada. "We've actually made the politically difficult decision to maintain historically high levels of immigration," Jason Kenney, Minister of Immigration, said to the Calgary Sun.

On the surface, Kenney seems to be making it easier for migrant workers to stay in Canada. Kenney said migrants are "doing work Canadians are unwilling to perform," and that his government, despite the recession and rising unemployment, will maintain its practice of encouraging immigration and foreign labour. Tarina White of the Calgary Sun reported, "Calgary newcomers will have access to more language training (to the tune of) almost $9.5 million in funding. ... Kenney said he hopes the investment will boost the percentage of immigrants enrolling in language programs each year, which currently sits at 25 per cent." According to Bill Kaufman of the Sun, Kenney said his government is stepping up its monitoring of foreign workers' treatment while making it easier for the newcomers to become permanent residents and citizens.

However, a closer look reveals a different agenda.

Documented by NOII, Kenney "oversaw the largest immigration raid in recent Canadian history, which went largely unreported. In an illegal move, 41 [migrants] were tricked into signing waivers that removed their right to a hearing and many have now been deported."

White reported that Alberta Federation of Labour President Gil McGowan blames international free trade agreements for "setting up foreign workers to be exploited." McGowan accuses Kenney's ministry of "washing its hands" of temporary foreign workers once they arrive only for them to be routinely abused by their employers. He noted, "Only three per cent of migrant workers are eligible for permanent residency."

"We're the ones who set up an advocacy office to help workers who are exploited; we're the ones picking up the pieces. ... I find it galling [that] Kenney's trying to wrap himself in the cloak of virtue."

Dominionpaper.com, Sun Jan 31 2010Byline: Ben Amundson