Oilsands construction unions vote to strike; ‘Historic’ walkout as early as next week would be first under tough Alberta law
CALGARY — Five oilsands construction unions have voted overwhelmingly to strike, in a move that could halt work at oil-sands projects in Fort McMurray, Alta., as early as next week. […]
Read moreLabour skeptical about compulsory arbitration process
Edmonton – The Alberta Federation of Labour will be watching the compulsory binding arbitration process forced upon Calgary paramedics by the government. “When the government established a public emergency tribunal, […]
Read moreHow smart are the suits at silly hall? Just wise enough to play stupid! In the ambulance labour war it’s really all the pinstripes have to do.
The suits of silly hall are often silly, but not as often stupid. They know they don’t have to actually negotiate with our world-class paramedics any more than they wish. […]
Read moreEMS edges closer to strike; Paramedics reject arbitration offer
The city’s paramedics are moving ahead with strike preparations after again rejecting an offer to enter into binding arbitration to settle their contract dispute. And while they won’t be specific […]
Read moreCalgary paramedics reject binding arbitration
Edmonton Journal, Page B5, Sat July 21 2007Byline: Kim Guttormson CALGARY – Calgary’s paramedics are moving ahead with what are likely futile strike preparations, after rejecting an offer to enter […]
Read moreAgreement hopes to clarify foreign worker program
The temporary foreign worker program is perhaps the most contentious labour issue in the oilsands but a new provincial and federal government agreement is expected to clarify its parameters. “We’ll […]
Read moreGovernment should stay out of Calgary ambulance dispute
Edmonton – The Alberta Federation of Labour today sent Minister of Employment, Immigration and Industry Iris Evans a letter asking her not to step blindly into the paramedics’ dispute in […]
Read morePaying with your life; Young workers at risk
Alberta’s booming economy, huge influx of workers and lack of safety training on some job sites are causing more workplace accidents among young employees, and too often costing them their […]
Read moreAFL study slams B.C.-Alberta labour agreement
A new study released by the Alberta Federation of Labour says the Trade Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) will dumb down trade qualifications. The study claims the agreement opens […]
Read moreStop work order lifted
A union leader says the province has quietly lifted a stop work order imposed on an oilsands tank construction site in northern Alberta after two workers died. Gil McGowan, president […]
Read moreNew bid to attract workers to Alberta
Help may soon be on the way for the province’s growing energy sector in the form of a collaborative approach addressing labour shortages. A Workforce Strategy for Alberta’s Energy Sector, […]
Read moreAlberta falling short 100,000 workers; Labour crunch jeopardizes mega projects
Alberta faces a potentially crippling shortage of workers that could stall development of multi-billion-dollar oilsands projects and the economy at large, government and industry officials said Tuesday. Government forecasts say […]
Read moreAlberta develops energy industry work force plan
Alberta yesterday published a new “work force strategy” to attract more workers to the province’s booming energy industry. The project, which involved industry, proposed 46 ideas to recruit, retain and […]
Read moreStrategy Aims To Stem Alberta’s Worker Shortfall
A worker shortfall in the energy industry could stall Alberta’s motoring economy, although government and industry representatives outlined plans Tuesday to grapple with the problem. Officials unveiled a 10-year workforce […]
Read moreOttawa targets exploitation of foreign workers; Alberta, feds sign pact to push for fair treatment
With labourers pouring into Alberta from around the world in increasing numbers, Ottawa says it’s exploring strict new penalties to crack down on businesses or other organizations that abuse temporary […]
Read moreOttawa considers penalties to protect foreign workers
Ottawa is eyeing new fines and penalties to protect temporary foreign workers whose rights are being trampled by “unscrupulous” employers and labour brokers, federal Human Resources Development Minister Monte Solberg […]
Read moreLabour fears foreign workers exploited; Temporary employees outnumbered immigrants to Alberta in 2006
EDMONTON – Alberta has become one of the first provinces to bring in more people as temporary foreign workers than through Canada’s mainline immigration system, the Alberta Federation of Labour […]
Read moreAlberta reaches troubling milestone: more people now coming into province as temporary workers than traditional immigrants
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 […]
Read moreKeystone pipeline capacity raised by 35%; Expansion driven by new contracts
Keystone pipeline to the United States by 35 per cent, citing strong support from Canadian oilsands producers. The pipeline will be capable of carrying 590,000 barrels per day (bpd) to […]
Read moreForeign worker woes; A federal program is providing desperately needed labour for Alberta employers — but at a severe price for many workers
Mexican worker Angel Hernandez decided three decades ago he would someday come to Canada, after he saw a street dog gobble up a hamburger. Hernandez was working in a popular […]
Read moreTop court backs law barring teachers, school employees from being trustees in top court ruling
EDMONTON – The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld an Alberta law that forbids teachers and other school employees from seeking election or serving as school board trustees. In an […]
Read moreAFL disappointed with Supreme Court decision upholding Alberta law that excludes workers from running in school board elections
EDMONTON – Today’s Supreme Court decision upholding controversial changes to Alberta’s Local Authorities Election Act may be a narrow technical victory for the provincial government – but it’s a real […]
Read moreAlta. too hands-off on energy approvals
Many Albertans get prickly at the prospect of oilsands bitumen flowing to the U.S. for refining. And rightly so — for how can the province make most of its finite […]
Read moreLabour leader urges NEB to stop energy companies from “sending Alberta jobs down the pipeline”
CALGARY – If approval is granted to the proposed Keystone mega-pipeline, literally thousands of potential Alberta jobs in upgraders and refineries will be lost and Alberta will miss out on […]
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