After years of high inflation, failure to budget for negotiated wage increases that keep pace with inflation means the UCP is setting the stage for an unprecedented fight with Alberta workers.

EDMONTON – Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) president Gil McGowan made the following statement in response to the Government of Alberta’s Budget:

“This provincial budget shows the UCP doesn’t care about the needs of Alberta workers and families.

“Prices for food, housing, electricity, and insurance are all too high and, unlike other provinces, wages in Alberta are not keeping up with inflation.

“To make matters worse, the UCP government continues to underfund essential public services that Albertans rely on. Cuts to public services, like health care and education, are bad for workers, bad for families, and bad for the economy.

“Meanwhile, the UCP are busy lining the pockets of their rich buddies and trying to cover up a huge corruption scandal. I have been travelling to picket lines and union halls across the province, and Alberta workers all feel the same way – enough is enough!

“Alberta workers are finding common cause in their demands for fair wages and respect. Unions representing 250,000 public sector workers are bargaining for wages that keep up with the rising cost of living. Anything short of wage increases that keep up with inflation is a cut that means that workers will fall further behind. And that is completely unacceptable!

“This provincial budget makes it clear that the UCP government is not interested in bargaining fair deals with front-line public sector workers. This budget will make workers even more angry than they already are, and the UCP can expect workers and unions to stand up and fight back!

“The rallies and picket lines we’re seeing around the province are just the beginning. The UCP has started this fight with their wage suppression strategies. Alberta workers are going to finish it by standing up and pushing back.”

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Ian Hussey
Director of Research and Political Action, AFL
Email: ihussey@afl.org