Hospital workers strike

Posted on: Staff Writer

By Janet Kanters, Editor

A picket against the privatization of healthcare in Alberta was held outside of the Strathmore Hospital on Oct. 26. Throughout the day members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) and various other supporters showed their support of the public healthcare system.

Adelle Ellis Photo

Unionized front-line hospital workers staged a wildcat strike at the Strathmore Hospital on Monday. 

According to the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), its hospital worker members walked off the job to fight to stop “dangerous cuts” in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Anger has been building among members for months,” said Guy Smith, president of the AUPE, on Monday. “The recent announcement by Health Minister Tyler Shandro of 11,000 jobs being cut in the middle of a global deadly pandemic was the last straw for them.

“Nursing-care and support workers decided today that there was no other option but to fight to protect Albertans at risk, especially during the deadliest pandemic in a century,” added Smith. “By constantly short-staffing public health care, this government is pushing our members to the breaking point exactly when Albertans need them most.”

The workers striking in Strathmore said they were off shift, so no patient care was affected.

AUPE represents about 58,000 workers in the province’s health care system. Smith said AUPE members are committed to ensuring patients safety during any dispute.

According to the provincial government, Alberta spends 42 per cent of its budget on health, which has increased 17 per cent since 2015.

“Health spending is at record highs and is expected to be $20.9 billion this year – this does not include $769 million earmarked specifically for COVID-19,” noted president of the Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Travis Toews. “Alberta Health Services is taking immediate action with the Alberta Labour Relations Board to end this illegal activity. Those involved in this illegal action will be held accountable.”

By Monday afternoon, Alberta Health Services (AHS) enacted contingency plans to redeploy non-union staff, including managers, wherever possible to cover for missing staff. AHS said in a statement that some surgeries and ambulatory care clinics were being postponed, and patients would be contacted directly if their appointments were affected.

“We have reached out to staff to ask them to return to work and end the illegal strike,” stated the AHS news release. “AHS has made an application to the Labour Relations Board today to formally ask the board to direct the affected employees back to work.”

All AHS sites remained open as of Monday afternoon.