-

Thirty-thousand Albertans Call on Jason Kenney and the UCP to Protect Public Healthcare

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CUPE Alberta delivered 30,000 letters to the Legislature today. The letters, written to MLAs from concerned Alberta citizens, call on the UCP government to stop its attack on public health care.

“We are in the midst of a global pandemic. The government should be doing everything it can to protect our healthcare, instead they’ve picked fights with doctors and nurses, and now they want to fire 11,000 healthcare workers. It’s an indefensible plan that is going to have devastating impacts our health care system,” said CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill.

The UCP government announced in October that it would slash 11,000 health care jobs in Alberta in a move that is expected to create chaos in a system already stretched by the impacts of COVID-19. Gill joined NDP Health Critic David Shepherd and Labour Critic Christina Gray, who have been calling on the UCP to walk back their plan to dismantle Alberta’s healthcare system.

“This is not what Jason Kenney promised Albertans in the last election. He promised to protect public health care. We stand with the thirty thousand Albertans who’ve written letters to the UCP, and the thousands more who are calling on this government to do that right thing, cancel this disastrous plan and protect the public health care Albertans rely on,” said NDP Health Critic David Shepherd.

Gray added, “These are the workers who do the housekeeping, prepare food and provide laboratory services. They have risked their lives during an unprecedented health crisis. Then, the moment the pandemic is over, this government plans to hand them pink slips. It’s unconscionable.”

The letters were delivered to Premier Jason Kenney’s office and will be tabled in the Legislature. CUPE President Rory Gill is calling on all Albertans to make their voices heard and send Jason Kenney a message to stop his attack on the public health care system.

For more information visit: https://www.weworkforalberta.ca/protectalbertahealthcare

CO/clc/cope#491

Contacts

Cheryl Oates
Communications Representative
780.986.1931

Industry:

Canadian Union of Public Employees

Release Versions
English

Contacts

Cheryl Oates
Communications Representative
780.986.1931

More News From Canadian Union of Public Employees

My Cape Breton Home Senior Care Workers Vote to Strike

SYDNEY, NS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Yet another Sydney long term care home, My Cape Breton Home for Seniors, represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 5137, voted 98% in favour of a strike mandate last week, citing low wages and recruitment and retention issues. “We took this vote to send a message: we’re ready to fight for what we deserve,” said CUPE 5137 President Bernice Miles. “No one wants to go on strike, we want to keep working and caring for our residents to the best of our abil...

MacGillivray Guest Home Workers Vote to Strike

SYDNEY, NS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Long term care workers from MacGillivray Guest Home in Sydney, represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 1562, voted 98% in favour of a strike mandate. “The long term care sector has been struggling for a long time, and this isn’t the first time we, as workers, have raised the alarm. Even just in Cape Breton, any long term care worker will tell you that their home is understaffed, that they’re finding it hard to make ends meet on the wages provided, o...

New Waterford Long Term Care Workers Vote to Strike

NEW WATERFORD, NS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Long term care workers from Maple Hill Manor, represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 2765, voted 100% in favour of a strike mandate. “I chose to work in long term care because I think it’s an important job,” said CUPE 2765 President Amanda McNeil-Odo. “It’s demanding, tiring, and stressful, but I love it anyway. But, at the end of the day, I have my own family to support, my own bills and obligations, and loving this job doesn’t pay for thos...
Back to Newsroom