'Workers are standing up, finally': AUPE president talks collective bargaining for public sector

Alberta Union of Provincial Employees president Guy Smith discusses recent rallies across Alberta, and the ongoing collective bargaining process for thousands of public sector workers.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Michael Higgins: The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees rallied outside Foothills Hospital – one of several demonstrations this past week as collective bargaining continues for the AUPE’s 82,000 members.

In response to the rallies and a push for higher wages, Alberta's Finance Minister states “this government is not going to increase taxes or cut programs and services Albertans rely on to support pay increases that are far beyond market”.

Joining us now is Guy Smith, president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. Guy, good to see you. Before we get to that response, let's touch on the element of rallies. Why are they important, from your perspective, at this juncture?

Guy Smith: We've been spending months and months spending time with our members in their communities.

We've had 50 town halls in communities. We've had rallies after those town halls in communities across the province, building that sense of strength and solidarity that our members need to pull together and support each other in what is a very challenging round of bargaining across the province.

So having those rallies in the big three centers this weekend was part of that ongoing process of bringing our members together and them feeling their strength.

MH: In the Finance Minister’s statement, he singles you out specifically – saying the narrative you’re trying to create through the rallies that members are facing disrespect in collective bargaining is confusing, considering the government’s opening offer matches numerous settlements the AUPE has already made.

How do you respond to that?

GS: Well, I find it interesting when the minister feels the need to go public on these issues and draw attention to our rally with this statement.

I think first of all, he's comparing historical collective agreements - negotiations that started either during COVID or around that time, that were coming in lower than what we're going to the table now asking for, particularly on the big contract.

So it was about a year ago that we started preparing for this massive year of bargaining across our entire union, and our members rightfully have increased their demands over that time.

So you know, the minister can compare whatever he likes. The fact is, we have proposals on the table. They have proposals on the table. That's what negotiations is about.

We are spending a lot of time with our members saying that because there's so much challenge in trying to meet these demands- pay issues, as well as other issues - that they may need to be prepared to take strike action if necessary.

So if you can imagine mobilizing that many workers to the same conclusion, it’s an awful lot of work, and that's what we've been doing the last few months.

MH: On the pay side, the minister points out that the AUPE is asking for 26 per cent over three years – which the average Albertan likely isn’t seeing.

GS: Well our members are average Albertans. It's our opening position. It is well justified by the fact that inflation put us back behind about that much over the time that inflation kicked in.

High interest rates kicked in, and I think you've seen it across the country - that workers are saying, “OK, we now demand to be able to catch up”.

And that's where our opening position is, subject to negotiations obviously.

MH: We mentioned earlier about the ministry equating tax increases and program and service cuts, to supporting a pay hike of this nature. How does that sit with you from your position of bargaining?

GS: I've been around a long time, and I've always heard that rhetoric and that response from the government.

At the end of the day, if they want to recruit and retain professional staff - good staff on the front lines who are going to deliver services to Albertans, the services that they need, they're going to have to pay for it.

That really is the government's own issue to come up with their solutions- but there's wealth out there. I think the government just announced a $3 billion surplus. So money is coming into the government coffers.

It cannot be done on the backs of our members that they try and maintain surpluses or more corporate tax cuts or allow corporations to continue to price gouge average Albertans.

Workers are standing up finally, quite honestly, after years and years of zeros and very small increases, and that's why they join a union.

That's why they're part of union, because we can do that collectively, and that supports all Albertans and their communities.

MH: Are you negotiating with individual employers, or are you negotiating with the government? Because when you look at both sides, or read the government’s statement, Albertans may be left wondering.

GS: Oh, we've got dozens and dozens of collective agreements in bargaining right now with various employers.

One of them is directly with the Government of Alberta, and that's the one that the minister is referring to.

So those wage demands are at that table, but we have different demands at different tables, depending on who the employer is.

I can tell you that the government is mandating to each and every one of those public sector employers what they should be doing at the bargaining table.

So it feels like everybody is negotiating directly with the government - but we are specifically at that one table negotiating with the government.

MH: Beyond salaries, is there another key point that the AUPE is looking for in these contract negotiations?

GS: Yes. In fact, despite the dozens of collective agreements, we boiled it down to four major issues that are common across the entire union.

Wage increases for sure, and workload issues- the fact that there's not enough staff on the front lines, particularly coming out of COVID, that's still been a problem.

We also need increased job security to prevent contracting and privatization of public sector services, and we're also looking at increasing benefits, particularly around mental health supports.

Workers are suffering on the front lines, and I don't think the government or other employers realize how angry they are and how they feel that they don't get the supports they need from their employers.

All of that's channeling into these negotiating tables across the province.

MH: Let’s bring this full circle. How confident are you that something can be reached in an amicable fashion?

GS: It's always our goal to get a negotiated settlement at our tables.

My experience has been at the table across from the Government of Alberta, and each side knows their roles and their part, and it has been respectful, and it's been solution focused.

But we've yet to actually get nailed down to the monetary issues, and I think that's where we're going to hit roadblocks.

We will seek the assistance of a mediator at some point, but if we are unable to reach a deal at the table that's acceptable to our members, then the next step is a legal strike position, which we are preparing our members for.

We have that responsibility to prepare our members for a fact that they may have to take that measure if necessary.