News

January 2011: CEP welcomes new members; New Union Magazine; Victory for IAMAW Lodge 99; NUPGE/CLC commit to examine raiding issue

CEP welcomes new members

  • There were 226 reasons that the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada was celebrating on New Year’s Day. That’s the number of new members it has, after the Alberta Labour Board confirmed on January 1 that Bee Clean workers at Suncor in Fort McMurray had voted to join CEP Local 707. For more information …

New Union magazine is out – read all about it!

Victory for the Fighting 99

  • The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) Local Lodge 99, has won a battle at the Labour Relations Board. The case was about the employer, Finning, creating a subsidiary, OEM, and inviting the employees to join the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC). The Labour Board decided that this was unfair and that there needed to be an opportunity for the Machinists to keep the group. Over the next few months a run-off against CLAC will occur. For more information…

NUPGE and CLC commit to examine raiding issue

  • The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) and the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) have agreed to continue working together on the issue of raiding. A statement from NUPGE said: “We commend the leadership of CLC affiliates for the commitment they have made to find a resolution to a practice that destroys labour unity.” For more information …

Urgent Action


Hockey Day in Little Buffalo

  • The federal and provincial governments have dropped the ball when it comes to dealing fairly with the Lubicon Cree. Now it’s time for us to drop the puck – at the new hockey rink in Little Buffalo. The AFL Human Rights and International Solidarity Committee’s Operation Hockey has raised funds to build a rink to benefit the Lubicon Cree youth. The rink opens with a big match on February 6th. To join in the celebration, contact the AFL at 780-483-3021 or email afl@afl.org. For more information on the Lubicon Cree issue

Events


February 4 – Deadline for nominations for 2011 AFL International Women’s Day Award
February 6 – Hockey rink opens in Little Buffalo as part of AFL’s Project Hockey to benefit the Lubicon Cree youth
February 11 – Deadline to register for AFL Equity Conference (February 25 and 26). Note: Room block cut-off date is January 26; registration deadline is February 11.
February 18 – Deadline to register for 2011 Edmonton and District Labour Council School (www.edlc.ca)
February 20 – UN World Day of Social Justice
February 21 – Alberta Family Day
February 25 – Deadline for nominations for 2011 AFL May Day Solidarity Award
February 25-27 – 2011 Edmonton and District Labour Council School (www.edlc.ca)

Did you know …


• More than half the cost of natural gas used by oil sands extractors is paid for by taxpayers, according to thetyee.ca.
• 88 per cent of Albertans didn’t think we were getting our fair share of revenue from the oil industry, according to a Calgary Herald/Edmonton Journal poll in 2007.
• 58 per cent of Albertans (including two-thirds of Progressive Conservative Party supporters) were opposed to the March 2010 cuts in royalty rates, according to the Calgary Herald.
• The Alberta government aims to capture 50-75 per cent of the oil industry’s financial surplus, or “rent,” but has failed to capture even the minimum amount almost every year in the last decade.
• Corporate profits in Alberta have soared in the last two decades from $3,635 per capita in 1989 to $15,050 in 2008 (adjusted for inflation).
• Since 2001, Alberta has cut its corporate tax rate to 10 per cent from 15.5 per cent, making the lowest in Canada and depriving the Alberta treasury of $1.1 billion annually.
For more information …