Unions from across the city and Occupy Calgary rallied Saturday afternoon in front of City Hall.

A number of Unions were in attendance:

-CUPE Local 40: support for striking school board workers

-CUPE 37: outside workers of Calgary

-Calgary and District Labour Council

-Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Division 355

-Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1374

-Alberta Federation of Labour

During the rally, Amanda West from the ATU Local 1374 said she is concerned with the lack of full-time jobs.

“The fact that there are so many more part time jobs now than there ever have been full-time jobs is scary,” West says.

Bob Anderson from CUPE Local 40 says cuts to education must stop and students should be able to learn in a safe environment.

“I was in a classroom the other day where the air handling system was rattling so much it had to be shut off so you can communicate,” Anderson says.

President of the Calgary and District Labour Council Alexander Shevalier says the labour movement and Occupy Calgary both believe institutions aren’t working for Canadians.

For example, Shevalier says there’s only 102 occupational health and safety inspectors for 140,000 employers in Alberta and employment insurance is a maze of vague law that makes the worker obligations difficult to understand.

A representative from Alberta Federation of Labour spoke during the rally and they feel Occupy Calgary has every right to camp out at Olympic Plaza.

Union leaders also thanked Occupy Calgary for all their hard work.

660News, Sat Nov 12 2011