Bill expected to set stage for government interference in public-sector collective bargaining

The Alberta Government is expected to introduce the Public Sector Wage Arbitration Deferral Act as Bill 9 in the Legislature today.

The bill is anticipated to set the stage for government intervention in the public-sector collective bargaining and arbitration process.

UNA is extremely troubled by the government’s obvious unwillingness to consult with impacted unions about its legislative intentions, but will wait to comment on the legislation until there has been an opportunity to read it.

UNA has indicated several times its willingness to engage in meaningful consultation, and the government has chosen to refuse to do so and moved instead directly to the introduction of this legislation.

Finance Minister Travis Toews has indicated on several recent occasions that he is prepared to use legislation to override legal contracts between unions and provincial agencies or the provincial government.

“Even in the dark days of the 1990s, the Alberta government never reached into collective agreements and violated the constitutional rights of public-sector workers,” UNA President Heather Smith said this morning. “It is to be hoped this legislation will not contain such steps.”

United Nurses of Alberta intends to continue working to negotiate its members’ wage-reopener agreement in good faith.