News

May 2010: Health-care reform; Workplace safety; Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights; Spring/Summer 2010 Union Magazine

Have your say on health-care reform!

  • The Alberta government is hosting 28 “invitation-only” meetings around the province as it plans sweeping changes to the health-care system. Friends of Medicare, supported by the Join Together Alberta campaign, is fighting to make sure the public has a voice by staging eight fully public meetings across the province. For more details …

Alberta unprepared to keep workers safe if boom times return

  • New research released by the AFL shows that government spending on workplace safety has not kept pace with growth in the provincial economy and population – and, as a result, workers around the province are being put at risk, especially if the economy ramps up for another boom. Click here for more information …

Albertans have a right to a clean environment

  • Inspired by NDP MP Linda Duncan’s private member’s bill to create a Canadian Environmental Bill of Rights (Bill C-469), the AFL Environment Committee wants the Alberta government to craft an environmental bill of rights covering the citizens of the province. For full text of the bill …

Alberta’s political landscape is changing

Urgent Action


Keep up the pressure for workplace health and safety

  • The Auditor General’s report severely criticized the government for failing to enforce workplace safety laws and called for action, including the naming of repeat corporate offenders. The AFL has long fought for stronger health and safety standards and enforcement. Workers have a right to know whether their workplace is safe or not. There is still time to pressure the Employment Minister to act. See the AFL press release on the report and the Auditor General’s report – occupational health and safety

Events




June 9, 2010 – Calgary/June 11, 2010 – Medicine Hat
On to Ottawa Trek

Saturday, June 5, 2010, Changing Together – Annual Multi-cultural Day (Centre for Immigrant Women) – light supper and entertainment

June 25/26, 2010 – EDLC/CLC Municipal Election Training

June 25, 2010 – 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; June 26, 2010 – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Labour Centre Meeting Hall (downstairs), 10425 Princess Elizabeth Avenue. For more information...

June 18, 2010 – deadline for registrations for 2010 AFL Kids’ Camp Camp dates are August 9 – 13, 2010

Camper Registration Form and Union Donations and Volunteer Form

Did you know …


  • Alberta has more workplace fatalities than the national average, at 5.9 per 100,000 workers compared with 4.2 nationally
  • The number of Albertans working in the four most dangerous industries has almost doubled since 1991, growing to 620,000 workers from 341,000
  • Alberta employs fewer health and safety inspectors than the national average: 1.4 inspectors per 10,000 workers compared with the national figure of 2.1
  • Alberta spends less per worker on occupational health and safety today (when 22 per cent of Albertans work in the top four dangerous industries) than the Getty government did in 1991 (when only 15 per cent of Albertans worked in the four most dangerous industries)

For more details …