Rallies against Bill 9 to continue in Fort Saskatchewan and Calgary on Wednesday

UNA’s contingent at Monday’s information picket in Red Deer. More photos of the info walks in Red Deer and Athabasca on UNA’s Facebook page.
Bill 9, the Public Sector Wage Arbitration Deferral Act, is intended to delay collective bargaining and arbitration for tens of thousands of Alberta public employees, including most of UNA’s more than 30,000 members, until the end of October.

Members of United Nurses of Alberta, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, the Health Sciences Association of Alberta, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees are expected to take part in more information pickets protesting the Alberta Government’s interference in collective bargaining in Calgary and Fort Saskatchewan on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s information walks are planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rockyview General Hospital, 7007 – 14th St. S.W. in Calgary, and at the Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital by the 86th Avenue entrance at 9401 – 86th Ave. in Fort Saskatchewan.

Similar rallies took place on Monday in Red Deer and Athabasca. The Red Deer Advocate newspaper and the RD News Now website both covered the rally in that central Alberta city.

Bill 9, the Public Sector Wage Arbitration Deferral Act, is intended to delay collective bargaining and arbitration for tens of thousands of Alberta public employees, including most of UNA’s more than 30,000 members, until the end of October. It was passed by the Legislature on June 19 and was given Royal Assent, becoming law, on June 28.

UNA filed a statement of claim with the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta on July 3 seeking a declaration the Act is of no force or effect because it is violation of the freedom of association provision of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which the courts have ruled guarantees the right of Canadian workers to bargain collectively.

~