In the letter to the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), according to Global News, Premier Jason Kenney’s Conservative government said the layoffs would affect government and Alberta Health Services employees. Employees are guaranteed jobs up until March 30, 2020. However, on April 1, the government will use all options available to meet its priorities.
Besides the potential 2,500 job cuts to Government of Alberta positions across several Ministries, the following positions at Alberta Health Services are also affected:
* 1,000 to 2,000 housekeepers;
* 350 administrative support and medical transcription employees;
* 250 general support staff, such as maintenance employees;
* 235 laundry and linen operations staff;
* 200 auxiliary nursing employees, such as licensed practical nurses and health-care aides;
* 200 home care services staff;
* 165 foodservice employees.
This latest move by the Kenney government is the result of the new budget tabled on Thursday, October 24. The details of the proposed budget included a 7.7 percent cut in public service jobs that would result in 2,100 employees losing their positions over the next four years, with $1.3-billion in spending cuts necessary to balance the books.
The union received the letter late in the afternoon, well ahead of bargaining for 2020 collective agreements. Union president Guy Smith says members of the AUPE executive committee will meet next week to determine how it will respond.
“AUPE members have been talking about this possibility for months,” Smith said Friday in a release. “We have been preparing, rallying and picketing across the province, and building our capacity to stand strong and fight back.”
Opposition NDP Leader Rachel Notley called the potential cuts “cruel and heartless,” pointing out that Premier Jason Kenney has betrayed the people of Alberta.
“Jason Kenney repeatedly claimed that he was going to protect front-line services,” Notley said. “He does not have a mandate for this because this is the exact opposite of what he told Albertans he would do.”
Notley said it is clear the UCP government intends to further privatize public services. “Albertans will pay the price for this. And again, it’s entirely unnecessary. This has gone from prudent fiscal management to an extreme ideological vendetta.”
