Policies

2007 Convention Resolutions

4-1 COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION

WHEREAS AUPE’s Change the Law Campaign has been the most active and important campaign A.U.P.E. has ever undertaken; and

WHEREAS AUPE’s efforts to force the Alberta Government to change Alberta’s antiworker labour laws must continue;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that A.U.P.E. via COPA, co-ordinate lobbying of individual MLAs through A.U.P.E. members meeting with and delivering signed Change the Law letters to their MLA in their Constituency;

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that A.U.P.E. via COPA make Changing the Labour Laws a priority issue in the next Provincial election.

4-2 COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION

WHEREAS the Alberta government has signed the Trade, Investment, and Mobility Agreement (TILMA) effective April1 2007; and

WHEREAS this agreement was signed in secret, without legislative or municipal
consultation and no public debate; and

WHEREAS TILMA functions like a municipal North American Free Trade Agreement, giving extensive grounds to the private sector to sue local governments for infractions; and

WHEREAS TILMA widely impacts AUPE members by giving more power to the
corporate sector by taking it away from the public sector;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that AUPE lobby the provincial government to withdraw from this agreement until legislative debate and full, comprehensive public education and consultation has taken place.

4-3 COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION

WHEREAS most Health Authorities have a patient to caregiver ratio in active
care/hospitals; and

WHEREAS low funding to LTC cases frontline workers to have to care for unreasonable patient numbers causing health and safety concerns for both staff and patients;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that AUPE lobbies the provincial government to mandate a caregiver:patient ratio of 1:6 for our long term care staff and patients.

4-4 COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION

WHEREAS housing prices in Alberta have skyrocketed beyond the reach of many
families, rising by 43.6% in Calgary and 22.9% in Edmonton in 2006; and

WHEREAS Calgary’s homeless population increased by 32% between 2004 and 2006 and Edmonton’s by 20%; and

WHEREAS only 180 new rental units were built in 2006, down from 2200 in 2002, and 4,134 condo conversions in the first 5 months of 2007 leaving a record loss of rental units;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that AUPE lobby the provincial government to temporarily cap rental increases for one year and to place a two-year moratorium on the conversion of rental units into condos unless the developer builds an equal number of new rental units; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that AUPE lobby for changes to the Municipal Government Act that would allow municipalities to require a percentage of new development or redevelopment to meet affordability criteria.

4-5 COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION

WHEREAS The Annual May Week Labour Arts Festival is an exciting and worthy series of events that celebrate workers and union struggles and victories; and

WHEREAS AUPE is becoming increasingly involved in the planning, organizing and participating in the Festival; and

WHEREAS Increased involvement and participation by AUPE will be beneficial to AUPE members and the Festival;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that AUPE, through COPA, continue and increase its participation in the planning, organizing, and running of events at the May Week Labour Arts Festival and to provide information to the AUPE’s membership to encourage their participation in the Festival events.

4-6 COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL ACTION

WHEREAS rent prices in Alberta are unaffordable for the working poor; and

WHEREAS affordable housing should be a basic right;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that AUPE lobby the Alberta government to create rent control legislation.