Publications

The Alberta Federation of Labour has developed a reputation for publishing high-quality research booklets dealing with economic issues that matter to working people. The AFL research department has paid particularly close attention to changing trends in income, employment and job security in Alberta. The following is a list of some of the Federation's most recent publications (available for downloading as PDFs).

• Beyond Chicken Little [PDF 781KB]
  When thinking about Alberta's labour market recently, it's hard not to be reminded of the children's fable about Chicken Little. No matter who you talk to - employers, government, or the media - everybody seems to be saying the sky is falling. This research document takes a hard look at the supposed "labour shortage" crisis in Alberta. In it the AFL reveals the problems run deeper than not enough workers, and they can be fixed with some clear public policy changes.
  
• Running to Stand Still [PDF 777KB]
  What do ordinary Albertans have to show for a decade of unprecedented growth and prosperity in their province? As it turns out, very little. In this new research report, the Alberta Federation of Labour shows that Albertans have not seen their standard of living increase as a result of the so-called "Alberta Advantage."
  
• The Other Competitive Advantage [PDF 261KB]
  This research booklet from the Alberta Federation of Labour demonstrates that public health care and public education give Alberta and Canada a clear competitive advantage over the United States and other countries who deliver these services privately. The book compares the economic costs and benefits of public services versus delivering those services privately. Five areas of public policy are examined: health care, education, income security, retirement pensions and WCB.
  
• Losing Ground: The Slow Decline of Workers' Rights and Privileges (1975-2000) [PDF 260KB]
  Released in May 2001, Losing Ground examines the conditions facing two different generations of Albertans by comparing economic and social conditions in 1975 with those of the present. The two periods lend themselves to comparison because they are both centered in economic booms produced by high energy prices. The troubling conclusions drawn from the study are, quite simply, that working people are worse off today than they were twenty-five years ago in most areas of comparison.
  
• Now More Than Ever: An Examination of the Challenges and Opportunities Facing Alberta Unions in the 21st Century [PDF 281KB]
  This booklet outlines in detail the many benefits enjoyed by unionized workers in Alberta and across the country. It also argues that in the dog-eat-dog labour market of the 21st century, workers will probably need unions more than ever.
  
• Missing Out on the Boom? A Report Card on Jobs, Wages and Economic Security in Alberta (1998) [PDF 430KB]
  Despite our province's impressive economic growth, many Albertans are still suffering from stagnant wages and chronic job insecurity, says this report released by the AFL in 1998. "Missing Out on the Boom" examines trends in wages, job security, job creation and public services in Alberta. The study shows that many Albertans are not sharing in the benefits of the province's on-going economic boom. While business people and professionals at the top of the income ladder are enjoying rising wages and profits, many ordinary Albertans are falling behind.
  
• Crumbs From the Table: Re-evaluating the So-called "Alberta Advantage" (1997) [PDF 326KB]
  This AFL study shows that the so-called "Alberta Advantage" has only really been an advantage for a small portion of the Alberta population. Profits and income are up for corporations, but many Alberta are still only getting "crumbs from the table." Crumbs From the Table was the winner of the Canadian Association of Labour Media's 1997 Stroke-of-Genius Award for most innovative labour publication.

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