Have you been harmed by the UCP government’s handling of COVID-19?

We need your help. The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) is considering legal action against the UCP government for its handling of the public-health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But we need to find workers who can help build the legal case.

Are you a worker who’s been harmed by the UCP government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic? Do you know someone who has? We want to hear from you.

Please email us at covidlegalaction@afl.org

The fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic hammered Alberta and a great deal of the responsibility lies with Jason Kenney and the UCP government, especially their “open for summer” campaign when they lifted virtually all restrictions last year and failed to respond when cases started climbing.

We are now well into a new wave – the fifth wave – and we continue to be concerned with the safety and protection of Alberta workers. We do not think the UCP government has done an adequate job in prioritizing public health and we want to hold them accountable in the courts. In order to do so, we need to hear from workers with personal, negative experiences from the response.

We would like to hear from:

• Workers who contracted COVID at work and suffer from severe illness or disability due to UCP government decisions, such as their decisions to loosen contact tracing, allow poor ventilation in workplaces, or allow for the use of inappropriate or defiant personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Workers who suffered or continue to suffer psychological harm such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) due to UCP decisions about workplace conditions, like those listed above
• Families or friends of workers who have died after contracting COVID-19 at work due to UCP government decisions

The fifth COVID-19 wave driven by the Omicron variant is well underway in Alberta and we’re seeing record case numbers, even though Jason Kenney and the UCP government dropped almost all contact tracing and case reporting. They sent Alberta children back to class without adequate air filtration systems, proper masks or rapid-test kits. And they’ve lowered the isolation period from 10 days to five for those who are fully immunized (two doses of vaccine) and test positive or have symptoms.

For these reasons, we continue to worry that Jason Kenney’s UCP government is not completely concerned with the health and wellness of working Albertans. We also continue to be troubled about the lack of accountability with this government. For these reasons, we are strongly considering taking them to court.

If you or your friend or family member has been harmed by the UCP government’s handling of COVID-19 we want to hear from you.

Please email covidlegalaction@afl.org to send your stories or get more information.

Information we collect will not be shared outside our office without the express consent of the persons who provide it.