Inflation, health care and jobs are more important than endless fights with Ottawa

EDMONTON – The Alberta Federation of Labour launched the next phase of its Workers Demand Better campaign with a series of TV, radio and digital ads poking fun at Premier Danielle Smith’s obsession with issues that don’t really matter to the majority of working Albertans.

The latest ads feature workers putting the UCP in the hotseat to hold them accountable for their failed promises and abysmal performance while in government. They also use humour to highlight how Smith’s obsessive opposition to things like pandemic public health measures doesn’t reflect the priorities of ordinary Albertans.

“The workers we represent are worried about health care, inflation and jobs; but all they get from Danielle Smith is rhetoric about the Sovereignty Act and endless fights with Ottawa,” says AFL president Gil McGowan. “That’s the point of the ads and our campaign. We think Alberta workers should demand better in the lead up to the next provincial election.”

McGowan says the Danielle Smith agenda is even more regressive than the Jason Kenney agenda when it comes to workplace rights, public services, access to good jobs, fair wages, and planning for the future.

“It’s gone from bad to worse. She has no clear plan to bring real relief for working people as wages trail far below inflation; no intention to rebuild our public services; and no effort to attract good jobs to our province in a changing economy. We need a better plan.”

The new ads (https://action.afl.org/worst-review-watch-and-share/) use humour to make the following points:

• The UCP has gone from bad to worse with the transition from Jason Kenney to Danielle Smith as leader.
• The UCP isn’t listening to ordinary Albertans. Instead, they’re obsessed with their own fringe agenda.
• They have no plans for jobs in a changing economy. They just blame Ottawa for everything.

The ads are just one part of the Workers Demands Better campaign, which aims to encourage both major parties to put workers and worker concerns at the centre of discussion for the upcoming provincial election.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Gil McGowan
President, AFL
(780) 218-9888