reports

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2015 AFL CONVENTION

REPORTS

INDEX

Title Page

2013-2015 Report of the AFL Executive Council ...... 1-6

2013-2105 Report of the AFL Outreach Committee ...... 7-8

2013-2015 Report of the AFL Communications Committee ...... 9-10

2013-2015 Report of the AFL Secretary Treasurer ...... 11-15

2013-2015 Report of the AFL Political Action Committee ...... 16-17

2013-2105 Report of the AFL Education Committee ...... 18-21

2013-2015 Report to the Caucus of Pride and Solidarity Workers...... 22

2013-2015 Report to the Caucus of Workers of Colour ...... 23

2013-2015 Report to the Caucus of Aboriginal Workers ...... 24

2013-2015 Report to the Caucus of Young Workers ...... 25

2013-2015 Report to the Caucus of Women Delegates ...... 26-27

2013-2015 Report of the Alberta Workers’ Health Centre ...... 28-43

2015 AFL Convention AFL Reports

2013 – 2015 REPORT

OF THE

AFL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

The past two years have been ones of progress, celebration, struggle and triumph for At the same time, we keep our financial affairs the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL). in order.

We stood up for the defined-benefit pension The Executive Council of the Alberta plans for thousands of Alberta’s public sector Federation of Labour met nine times since the workers – and won! last Convention. The Executive Committee met eight times. We put forward new and exciting ideas on Alberta’s economy, revenues, and public Throughout the past two years, the services. Federation has acted effectively in keeping with our mandate from the 2013 AFL We conducted polling and focus groups on a Convention, and has carried out the adopted variety of topics to ensure Alberta’s labour policies and resolutions. movement and our allies are well-equipped to speak out on behalf of Alberta’s working people. Bills 45 and 46 The AFL ended 2013 and began 2014 in the We ensured Alberta’s labour movement is a midst of two of the most aggressive attacks nationally-recognized voice on Temporary on public-sector labour relations in Alberta Foreign Workers, the so-called labour shortage, history. Bills 45 and 46 severely restricted health care, and occupational health and safety. public sector workers’ right to collective bargaining. We led the national conversation on wise use of our oil sands wealth. We produced ground- Within a few hours of Bill 45 and 46’s breaking research on the value of keeping introduction, AFL affiliates were good-paying oil sands jobs in Alberta and demonstrating on the steps of the Legislature. made the economic case for in-province In the weeks that followed, our Executive upgrading and refining. Council led efforts to oppose the Bills. The government quietly made Bill 46 irrelevant We supported affiliates in a number of through negotiations, while Bill 45 was important court cases – including one that repealed on March 19. More importantly, the protected the right to free speech on the government admitted that the bills should picket line and another that guaranteed never have been written in the first place. Canadian workers the right to strike. Labour Coalition on Pensions We launched campaigns, hosted events and Fall 2013 also saw the introduction of worked in coalition with numerous labour and unnecessary and punitive changes to public non-labour groups to make Alberta a better sector pension plans. The changes would have place to live and work. affected tens of thousands of current public sector workers (in health care, emergency The AFL has supported job actions by our services, cities and towns, K-12 education and affiliates and we have been out on every post-secondary education). picket line.

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The membership of the Labour Coalition, Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil working in partnership with AFL Executive McGowan; and representatives of proposals to Council and our affiliates’ members, held build refineries in Ontario and B.C. rallies, released actuarial reports, held press The Osterwald report updated a 2006 study conferences and town halls, lobbied MLAs, commissioned for the Government of sent out educational materials to members, Alberta’s Hydrocarbon Upgrading Task mobilized in workplaces, and produced a Force. By applying today’s costs and prices to multi-media advertising campaign. We helped the 2006 study, Osterwald showed that oil- ensure a large presence of affiliate members at sands upgrading, refining and petrochemical each of the government town halls that the manufacturing remain highly profitable — PCs were eventually forced to hold. especially if the Province of Alberta were to take a stake in the project. The Labour Coalition on Pensions was successful in having the unnecessary and Among the participants in the release of the damaging Redford-era changes to public sector report was former federal international trade pensions put on hold. Public sector pensions are minister and former Alberta treasurer Stockwell safe … for now. The AFL Executive Council is Day, who has recently joined the advisory board proud of the work done by the entire labour of Pacific Future Energy, a B.C.-based company movement and its success in turning a crisis into proposing a $10 billion oil sands refinery in an opportunity to make positive steps toward northern British Columbia. obtaining joint governance of the plans and true sustainability and reliability for Alberta workers The AFL made a significant contribution to for years to come. the national discussion on value-added manufacturing in the petroleum and Oil Sands petrochemical sector, and highlighted an The Alberta Federation of Labour has worked emerging consensus on the need to add value with our affiliated unions to represent workers to our natural resources before they get in the Oil Sands. We have become a trusted shipped overseas. voice in the media, presenting a sustainable vision for development that is good for Temporary Foreign Workers Alberta’s economy. The AFL continued our decade of advocacy on the topic of Temporary Foreign Workers. We The AFL intervened in the Enbridge Line 9 released the results of numerous Access to process in summer 2013, a project that forms Information requests exposing the abuses of the East-West ties between Alberta’s oil sands and program. Through our work, we have found refineries in Quebec. For the first time, we workers with permits but not suitable intervened in favour of a pipeline, as we qualifications, TFWs being paid up to 50 per support value-added jobs across Canada. cent less than the lawful wage, Alberta constructions trades jobs going to TFWs for less The AFL also made a major contribution to the than half the going rate, and exposed companies national discussion around oil sands upgrading for firing Canadian trades people and replacing and refining with the release of a major report on them with lower-cost TFWs in the oil sands. upgrading and refining economics. The AFL played an instrumental role in the The report, entitled Upgrading Our Future: The changes to the TFW program announced by Economics of In-Province Upgrading, was authored the federal government in mid-2014. by Ed Osterwald, an internationally-recognized energy expert and senior partner with UK- In addition to our research and media work based Competition Economists Group (CEG). on this important file, we’ve undertaken some The report was released at an event featuring outreach efforts, supporting Canadians

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Against the Temporary Foreign Worker technicians, special needs teaching assistants, Program and other grassroots initiatives that custodians, receptionists, facility operators, advocate for immigration, not exploitation. and other support staff. The AFL Executive Council position on Temporary Foreign Workers continues to be Child Care Lobby Day that if people are good enough to work here, Political Action at the Federation has also grown they are good enough to stay. A guest worker to include Lobby Days at the Legislature and program for Canada is contrary to our values, direct contact with elected officials. Our and should be scrapped in favour of President, Gil McGowan, has now met more comprehensive immigration reform. Our times with the Premier and senior cabinet public interventions on this issue continue to ministers and government advisors than at any reflect diversity, equality, and dignity for all time in our Federation’s history. We continue to workers regardless of background or origin. develop relationships between AFL elected officers and elected officials, and between Provincial Revenue and Public government and AFL staff, so that there is no Services mistaking where the AFL stands on the issues The AFL has played a leading role in and what kinds of action we want taken in the coalitions in defense of public services. These province of Alberta. coalitions are the Better Way Alberta coalition and the Kids Not Cuts Campaign. Our last lobby day – in November 2014 – focused on public child care. Going forward, In early 2015, the Better Way Alberta we will continue to lobby MLAs on this topic campaign was revitalized. Launched the day and others. after a media firestorm over PC Premier’s comments that Albertans are to blame for our In order to support these campaigns, the AFL fiscal crisis, BWA made national news. Our and its affiliates provided funding, staffing, BWA materials are making their way into research and communications support and provincial mailboxes, our canvassers are strategic direction. gathering signatures on a petition on doorsteps across Alberta, and our “Mirror” Workplace Health and Safety video has had 100,000 views on the Better The AFL continues to provide media Way site. commentary on Occupational Health and Safety. In addition, we participated in the The Kids Not Cuts Campaign of education Government of Alberta online review of the workers (CUPE and Unifor) is now in its fifth OHS Code, and New West Partnership year. The coalition has done extensive work to meetings on the ominous plans to engage concerned parent allies and has made a “harmonize” health and safety regulations series of presentations across the province to K- across BC, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. The 12 Parent Advisory Committees. Kids Not Cuts AFL played a leadership role in ensuring the Alberta has also met with Education Ministry in New West Partnership participant 2014 and 2015 to continue to build a governments knew that any plans to use the relationship between K-12 support staff and the NWP as an excuse to race to the bottom of Provincial government. The coalition’s outreach the region’s lowest-common-denominator to allies, students and parents continues with a OHS regulations would be met with a fight focus on improving learning outcomes for all of from all three Federations of Labour. Alberta’s students through increased funding for education support services. The AFL Executive Council has also passed resolutions regarding the OHS Code and Our coalition represents nearly 10,000 providing appropriate tools and protections education workers including our library for workers facing domestic violence.

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Working with the CLC’s “Can Work Be Safe, include government bungling of school When Home Isn’t” campaign, the AFL infrastructure procurement, its attack on Executive Council has developed policy asks pensions through last year’s Bills 9 and 10, of the provincial government and for-profit health care clinics, and the recommended changes to the OHS Code to Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) deal with this important issue. The changes where we’ve had success changing the policies the AFL Executive Council is recommending and the debate on this Program, both are similar to those that have already been nationally and locally. Our use of Freedom of enacted in Ontario. Information requests to hold the government to account was recognized in the 2014 book, Political Action: Elections and Your Right to Know: How to Use the Law to Get Labour Issues Government Secrets. The AFL continues to implement key elements of political action plan passed by the Legal Wins 2011 Convention. Staff and the AFL political The AFL has intervened in a number of action committee have identified target important court cases that will have a lasting provincial ridings for the 2015 election. We’re impact on the legal rights of workers. One of working with political allies to ensure that the most important of these was our legal labour issues are addressed during the intervenor status in the Supreme Court of upcoming provincial election campaign and Canada challenge regarding the right to strike that each party knows what the Alberta labour (Saskatchewan Federation of Labour v. movement’s top issues and priorities are. Saskatchewan). The resulting January 2015 ruling was a historic one. The decision states AFL staff have worked with a pollster to that the right to strike is a constitutional right develop a poll on politics and campaign in Canada and is protected under the right to language. We continue to hone our expertise freedom of association within the Charter of on campaigns and provide expertise and help Right and Freedoms. to labour-friendly candidates. The AFL was also an intervenor in UFCW In fall 2013, the AFL Political Action 401’s Supreme Court case in which the union Committee supported progressive and labour- videotaped its picket line, and those who friendly municipal candidates. Our support crossed it, during a 2006 strike involving followed the CLC and District Labour UFCW 401 and the Palace Casino at the West Council efforts to survey and endorse Edmonton Mall. In November 2013 the court municipal candidates. ultimately struck down an Alberta law that tried to limit the ability of workers and their Employment Standards unions to communicate with the public and The Federation provided a major brief to publicize the use of scab labour. Government of Alberta as part of their Employment Standards review in spring of 2014, Other cases in which we intervened include though no changes were made given the political the National Energy Board hearings on the crisis of Premier Redford’s resignation that Keystone XL Pipeline and the Energy East occurred simultaneously with the review. Pipeline. In both these cases the AFL used its intervenor status to raise key points in an effort to encourage the public and media to Freedom of Information Requests look more closely at the claims being made by The AFL has been very successful in our use proponents of the pipeline in regards to of Alberta’s Freedom of Information and economic and labour market impacts. Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP Act) and the federal access to information process (ATIP) to uncover important stories. These

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Speaking Engagements The Jasper School is now delivered in Representatives of the Alberta Federation of partnership with the Canadian Labour Labour were invited to speak at more than 40 Congress, and remains a flagship event for conventions, seminars, schools and hearings. our Federation. Participant feedback is overwhelmingly positive. The elected leaders of the Federation have been invited to present at engagements from Media coast to coast, including presentations to Over the past two years, the AFL has House of Commons committees. continued to be extremely successful in raising labour concerns and issues through the Our staff have been sought after by their mainstream media. The Alberta Federation of professional peers, to teach courses on subjects Labour has been discussed in 1,224 articles in as varied as economics, photography, freedom of various news publications since our last information legislation, social media, political Convention. activism, how to be a better candidate, lobbying, labour history, and women in unions. AFL President Gil McGowan and Secretary Treasurer Siobhán Vipond have also appeared These speaking engagements have included as featured guests on numerous radio and TV events with the Southern Alberta Council on talk shows including Alberta Prime Time the Public Affairs, the Lancaster House Rutherford Show, CBC Wildrose Forum, the Lang Conference, the B.C. Federation of Labour, and O’Leary Exchange, and CBC National Power the Canadian Association of Labour Media, and Politics. the Essentials of Not-For-Profit Lobbying Seminar, Lethbridge College, University of The AFL has also been able to place guest Lethbridge, University of Calgary, and columns on issues of importance to working University of Alberta. people in numerous publications including Alberta’s major dailies, the Calgary Herald, the Through these presentations, the Federation has Edmonton Journal, the Edmonton Sun and Calgary advanced the goals of our organization by Sun. sharing best practices with allied unions and parties, as well as promoting our political agenda. The Alberta Federation of Labour has developed positive relationships with media at Labour Schools all levels, local, regional and national. Because The Alberta Federation of Labour has of these relationships, we are often the first continued to educate and promote member call that reporters make when working on a engagement and knowledge through our story that falls within one of our policy areas. popular Jasper School for Labour Education. Attendees of the Jasper School are given the Social Media tools to be more effective representatives, The AFL continues to expand our social media more effective at the bargaining table, and presence. We are a national leader in labour’s more engaged in their union as a whole. Facebook presence, and our Twitter following ensures we are in the middle of the news cycle. The AFL Jasper School is now a one-week Both social media accounts have more school. Over 300 participants from affiliate subscribers than those of our peers in other unions attended the 2015 school. Our courses provinces. Our social media footprint is, put vary year to year, but core offerings include simply, a leader in the Canadian labour Shop Steward, Collective Bargaining, Labour movement. History, Politics and Advocacy, and Women in Leadership. As of March 17, 2015, the AFL Facebook Page has 7,686 followers — double what we

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had in 2013. 3,164 people follow us on national leader in labour’s online Twitter — also more than double the number conversation. we had two years ago. Outreach In 2013, we began broadcasting on our own In addition to campaign and picket-line YouTube channel. We shared the contents of support, the AFL’s Officers (Gil and Siobhán) the 2013 convention and now use the channel also met with dozens of affiliates – attending for events, town halls, and so on. A short socials, speaking at conventions and meeting presentation on Temporary Foreign Workers with officers and executive boards. at the 2013 Convention snowballed into 15,000 views after it was shared on Reddit. A list of affiliates that hosted visits from AFL The Better Way Alberta “Mirror” video has officers over the past two years include: more than 160,000 views. CAW CEP Our social media reach has grown CUPE exponentially since 2013. Two years ago, our CUPW most-popular individual stories were shared HSAA and re-shared 100 times. In 2015, our posts IAFF are shared approximately 2,000 times in a IBEW week. We regularly achieve 13,000 post Ironworkers “clicks” and our organic reach is now UFCW regularly 20,000 users per day and 100,000 per UNA week. Unifor USW Our Facebook subscribers include activists, EDLC supporters, union members, and political CDLC allies, while our Twitter feed is followed by LDLC. activists, journalists, opinion leaders, political MHDLC foes and political friends. We reach a broad RDDLC demographic through the use of social media. WBDLC

AFL staff in charge of social media have Gil and Siobhán also met with a number of become sought after speakers on the subject, non-affiliated unions in an effort to open lines and are recognized as leaders in using this of communication or keep them open. medium to mobilize labour. Followers, friends’ clicks, posts, and shares The list of non-affiliates that the officers met don’t tell the whole story of labour organizing, with includes: and they will never replace traditional media, ATA face-to-face organizing, door-knocking, shop- AUPE floor organizing, or union meetings. But they CSU 52 are part of our work and a reality for any Several non-affiliated CUPE and IAFF locals organization in 2015. They do indicate that someone is listening, and the AFL is a

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Council,

AFL Executive Council, 2013 – 2015

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2013-2015 REPORT OF THE AFL OUTREACH COMMITTEE

Board outline of the Outreach committee agreed we should participate in Committee’s Activities so far: the CLC Political Election Preparedness 1. Being that this committee has been in Conference February 6-7. existence for four months (at time of writing), we have met three times. The 3. The chair sent a letter to the political mandate of the committee is to outreach action committee with an offer to explore to a wider audience than the union family. any common goals the two committees Following discussions and considering the may have. short span of time before convention and 4. A commitment was made by committee the potential for both provincial and members to bring back to their respective federal elections, it was decided this locals a request that their members be committee would approach this wider made aware of a community calendar this audience to explore common political committee hopes to develop in the issues on which we may be able to work future. The committee will bring forward together. It was realized most, if not all, of a resolution at convention to hopefully the potential bodies we identified as gather approval for this non-union contacts would have some degree of community events calendar. This political action within their organizations. committee recognized that even within the labor family many members To that end, we identified four groups we participate in these non-union activities believe may be open to discussion and and it believes this is a good avenue to collaboration. Those were aboriginal explore not only to make contacts but to community, people with disabilities, post- spread the values and ideals of the labour secondary student unions and temporary movement. foreign workers’ advocate groups. Letters were sent inviting them to join us at the AFL Committee chair (J. Sherlock) attended the open house February 25. Commitments were 8th Fire Gathering of First Nations in Calgary made by committee members to be available March 13-15 and was able to make some for the open house to facilitate contacts and contacts with these potential allies. One hopefully build on them. particular gentleman James Taylor, is embarking on a cross-Canada walk starting It is hoped that, should this committee March 28 in Vancouver and culminating in continue to exist after convention, we would Ottawa. The reason for this walk is to shine a work towards developing these and other light on the plight of murdered or missing contacts to explore common issues both aboriginal women. He is looking for support political and nonpolitical in a hope to foster and funding for a cause this committee may and promote labour values in the wider work want to endorse and bring to the executive. force. The committee will discuss this during our April convention meeting. James hopes to be 2. Since it was decided that much of the passing through Alberta by the end of April. I work the outreach committee would believe it to be a good opportunity for the ultimately endeavor to accomplish would labor movement to show solidarity at that have this political element to it the time.

2015 AFL CONVENTION AFL Reports Page 7 Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee,

Outreach Committee, 2013-2015

Jim Sherlock, Chair UFCW 401 Yvonne Whiting HSAA Cathy Furtak CUPW-Edm. Christina Doktor UNA Jerry Woods CUPW-Edm. Eric Rosendahl UNIFOR 855 Rashpal Sehmby CUPW-Edm. Ann Healey UUWA Mariana Burstyn HSAA Terri Barr (alternate) UNA

2015 AFL CONVENTION AFL Reports Page 8 2013-2015 REPORT OF THE AFL COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Introduction Resolution 1101 – Resources for a The restructuring of the AFL committee Communications Strategy for system meant that the Communications Better Way Alberta. committee only came into existence towards The Alberta Federation of Labour will the end of 2014. It met for the first time in commit significant resources, and encourage September 2014 and again in January 2015. affiliates to do the same, to an ongoing communications strategy for the Better Way The work of the committee so far falls into campaign, with the goal of seeding permanent two areas: public demand for revenue reform in Alberta. 1. Identifying “Top Priorities” on which the committee can focus, now and for At its meeting in January 2015, the committee the coming years. The work on this is was informed that The AFL’s Political Action continuing at the time of writing this Committee had just met to consider the report and will be made available to new Better Way campaign and that the campaign committee members after the 2015 was due to be re-launched in the coming convention. weeks. Members of the committee agreed to 2. Dealing with the 2013 Resolutions act as a sounding board for communications referred to the committee from the last initiatives undertaken as a part of the Better convention. Four resolutions were referred Way campaign. to the committee from the 2013 convention.

Resolution 1225 – AFL Centennial Resolution 502 – Human Rights Celebrations/Preserving History. Protection of Family Status. The Alberta Federation of Labour will build on The Alberta Federation of Labour will embark the momentum engendered by Project 2012 by on an effort to educate affiliates and the continuing many of the core activities that public about the advancements made in contributed to the success of the 100th human rights law with respect to the anniversary celebrations. The Alberta Federation protection of family status. The Alberta of Labour will, as part of this effort, encourage Federation of Labour will provide research, its affiliates to take concrete steps to work with information and support to affiliates who are the Alberta Labour History Institute (ALHI) to bargaining or challenging their employers collect, preserve and disseminate their own about the rights of workers to histories, and at the same time, to highlight accommodation due to family status. Alberta’s labour history in their literature, education and day-to-day activities. With the chance to meet only twice and the work needed in establishing this new committee, there was no time to tackle this Resolution 1226 – Centennial issue. However, the committee feels it is not Celebrations and Outreach. an issue that is going away any time soon, so The Alberta Federation of Labour will actively will encourage the committee set up after the pursue opportunities to reach out and work 2015 convention to undertake this work. with community, research and historical groups to continue province-wide efforts to ensure organized labour and its history will be profiled in as many fronts and forums as

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possible. The Alberta Federation of Labour Closing Remarks will urge its affiliates to do likewise and will In summary, because of the late start, the actively facilitate their efforts to contact and committee has not been able to achieve all become involved in this way. that it might. Attendance at meetings was also a challenge. We just made quorum at our first At the time of writing this report, a meeting two meetings with three members present, had been set up, but not yet taken place, but only one member was able to be at both between temporary committee chair Terry meetings. Inigo-Jones and a member of ALHI to work on Resolutions 125 and 1226. The committee felt that greater attendance The committee wanted to explore the was needed to ensure continuity and to allow possibility of getting regular (perhaps the committee to undertake and complete quarterly) labour history features from ALHI tasks. In order to do this, affiliates represented to offer to affiliates to use in their magazines on the committee were asked if their unions and newsletters and to post on their websites could name alternates. A request was also sent and social-media channels. If a flow of articles to the AFL’s elected officers asking if an can be created from ALHI that can be used to invitation could be sent to affiliates not encourage affiliates to create articles on their represented on the committee encouraging own histories to share. This initiative is also them to nominate members. A larger one that the committee believes should membership will make it easier to tackle the continue when the new committee is formed committee’s work. after the 2015 convention.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee,

AFL Communications Committee, 2013-2015

Terry Inigo-Jones, Temporary Chair HSAA Olav Rokne (resource), Temporary Recording Jerry Woods CUPW-Edm. Secretary AFL Rashpal Sehmby CUPW-Edm. Gil McGowan (info) AFL Christine McMeckan UFCW 401 Siobhan Vipond (info) AFL Denise Palmer UNA

Committee members who served a partial term:

Karen Kennedy CUPW-Edm. Eric Rosendahl Unifor 855

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2013-2015 REPORT OF THE AFL SECRETARY TREASURER

Introduction $644,000 of which is allocated for projects, This is a report of the past two years, 2013- $278,000 for staff obligations, leaving $1.1 2015, in my role as Secretary Treasurer of the million in savings. AFL. The major factors that influence our positive During the past two years my portfolio has financial position are outlined below: included: Financial planning; spending and  Regular reviews ensure that per capita due accounting; the administrative function of the is received in a timely fashion. The AFL including human resources and staffing outstanding per capita has been brought issues, executive and administrative staff; under control and continues to be technology and office space; education; addressed. This has become an easier politics; affiliate events; and board process as locals become used to making appointments with partner organizations. their per capita payments on a regular basis. I would first like to say a very heartfelt thank  Your Executive Committee, your Finance you to the Finance Committee. This group Committee and I continued to be careful included: not to budget too optimistically. We Elisabeth Ballermann HSAA wanted to make sure that our regular Rh’ena Oake CUPE spending never again out-strips our ability Sue Pearce Unifor to pay, as was the case in the early 2000s. Bev Ray CUPW Brenda Skayman PSAC Accounting Jane Sustrik UNA Each year the budget is passed by your Gil McGowan AFL President Executive Council. This budget is put Linda Robinson AFL Staff together by your Finance Committee, Linda Robinson and me. We base the budget on the Financial Planning past year’s performance, an increase in costs, We continue to operate in a safe, financial and new expectations and programs. manner in large part by applying the principles established prior to my taking office. These Our 2014 financial statements show revenues principles have ensured that we remain on a exceeding spending, while in 2013 we ended sound fiscal base. the year in deficit spending. In 2014 the surplus was just over $135,000 and in 2013 We have concluded the 2014 year within our deficiency was $245,000. While going into budget. Although expenditures might be a deficit spending is not ideal, outlined below higher on some lines due to unforeseen you will see some major contributing factors: circumstances, other items were below  Just over $70,000 expenditure on an budget. In 2013 we show deficit spending. additional executive staff position. Our Executive Council allocated surplus to We maintain a healthy asset of surplus funds. pay for a full-time political action director. As our statements show, we have cash and As was practice, this surplus was not investment assets of just over two million: transferred to revenue for the year. The Finance Committee and I have changed

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this practice and surplus allocations, as round table is scheduled to ensure you are voted on by Executive Council, will be able to ask all the questions you may have reflected in the income statement. with respect to these items.  $50,000 was paid to the CRTC as a settlement for fines against the AFL for a We continue on the direction implemented in phone poll made during the 2012 2011 to move to a “cash” accounting process. provincial election. This was a one-off It has proved to be very efficient and expense that surplus was allocated for by effective. executive council.  We spent about $31,000 while We had practiced an “accrual” system of investigating a new building. This accounting. Each month our books would expenditure was to commission an show that we received all per capita which we environmental assessment. This was a expected to receive. We would then carry one-off expense that surplus was forward the amount not received as an allocated for by Executive Council. account receivable. It was complex and time-  $56,000 was paid out to staff or executive consuming accounting. We transitioned to the officers for vacation pay and/or severance. “cash” accounting process in 2011. Our In addition to implementing an improved prediction has held up –our books are more tracking system for vacation pay, we are clear and, as we move through the year, your encouraging staff to take their vacation as Executive Committee is able to understand time off. We saw improvements in 2014 as our financial picture more easily. per these changes.  Two primary vendors failed to invoice us Moving Forward for over a year. In the latter half of 2013 The leadership of the AFL brings for your we paid these vendors over $28,000, of consideration a per capita increase that will which nearly $18,000 was from work ensure that our financial health continues. As done in 2012. you know the resolution asks for a two-cent  Almost $35,000 was transferred to the increase in each of the two years. This is deferred benefits account. This is in slightly less than a 4% increase in the regular essence a paper transfer, but is reported budget over the two years, just 2% per year. I as an expenditure. Although the practice am confident that this is the correct course of of keeping the account fully funded will action. It represents planning that accounts continue, monitoring this on an ongoing for the following factors: basis will result in better planning. 1. We know that there will be an increase in  We had additional, unbudgeted expenses the cost of goods and services over the related to Executive Council, primarily next two years. The Consumer Price from the first strategic planning session Index (CPI) is likely to be a minimum of held in June of 2013. This accounts for 2%, certainly, here in Alberta. nearly a $20,000 overage. 2. We know there will be hardships if the AFL falls behind the curve financially. We One of the challenges of being a new have lived them. We need to ensure that Secretary Treasurer is our elections do not line we do not manage by crisis. up to our fiscal year, which meant I entered 3. There will be challenges in the upcoming my term in the middle of a fiscal year with couple of years. The reality is a 43-year attendant decisions already in play. sitting Progressive Conservative Government recently put forward an Audited financial statements have been austerity budget instead of making provided to you, for your adoption. As was meaningful change to the provincial successfully done at previous conventions, we revenue system. In his short time as will have held a question and answer period Premier, Prentice has continued the attack yesterday evening at this convention. This on workers’ pensions, public sector jobs

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and our public services. In addition, we We have two bargaining units and both have the political reality of the Wildrose collective agreements expire in 2016. Party, whose support is on the rise once again and whose objectives are attempting We are a very busy office and our staff to push us harder to the right. Federally, continue to step up to the plate. It is because ten years of a Harper government and the of this diverse and talented group of people impact of his policies is being felt across that we are able to execute the ambitious Canada and the labour movement. In projects of the Federation. combination we are under attack, again. We will need financial resources to Internal Policies and Procedures support our response to these attacks. Over the past term, the Human Resources Committee and I have been identifying Administrative internal policies and procedures that need to be developed. Staffing We continue to run the office with a modest When coming into an established organization number of staff members. We have three it isn’t easy to identify practices, however I support and four permanent executive staff witnessed various inconsistencies in these positions with an additional executive staff in practices with not all staff following the same a term position. practice. Policies around privacy, reporting of vacation time, and timesheets have already Linda Robinson, Financial Administrator; been developed and implemented. Additional Maureen Werlin and Karen Painchaud, Office policies have been identified and are in Administrators; are our full-time permanent various stages of development. administrative staff. These policies will give consistency and can During this last year Maureen Werlin was on be used as tools when we look at succession an extended, unexpected absence from the planning for staff and executive officers. office. Katrina Foster joined the team on a temporary basis to help us during this time. New Office Location Within weeks of last convention it became A big thank you goes out to the administrative clear that we would need to relocate our staff for their commitment and ability to deal offices. We began by looking at both leasing with the amount of work and the changing and purchase options. deadlines that we experience at the AFL. Once our options were evaluated, the best In 2013 we lost Dan Meades to a dream job way forward was for us to lease a space; this back home in Newfoundland and Labrador. gave us a financial advantage, as well as more Bob Hawkesworth joined us in the interim to choices given the commercial real estate fill the role as our Director of Government market. Relations. We settled on Parkington Plaza as they were In 2014 we welcomed Brad Lafortune as our able to give us an office large enough at fair Director of Political Action. This position is market value with a build-to-suit incentive. funded until after our next provincial and The process of working with an architect to federal elections. He has been a welcome layout the new space was an opportunity to addition to our team. design a workplace that better matched our organizational structure. Ishani Weera, Olav Rokne, Shannon Phillips and Tony Clark round out our executive staff team. We took a bold stance with our new space that includes various collaborative spaces,

2015 AFL Convention AFL Reports Page 13 fresh colours and a plethora of natural light. website. Our new website is built on The new office is more welcoming and NationBuilder which will improve our internal inspiring to staff and visitors alike. processes and assist with our outreach efforts. This site was built, designed and will be Technology maintained by Unifor members. A major priority for me during this last term was to do a complete analysis and plan Media development of our IT system. I have attended a couple of media training session and have been working to establish The result of this has included myself as an additional voice for the  Implementation of a five-year hardware Federation. Gil has been extremely successful replacement schedule for computer in raising the profile of the AFL in the media; hardware. we are a trusted organization and the media  Improving the quality of our server, have confidence in us. By having a second internal computer workings, and wireless voice for the AFL, we increase our internet and software practices. organizational capacity with the ability to be in  Putting our IT contract out for tender, two places at the same time and cover which resulted in our engaging a new IT vacations. provider. This company assisted with our move and set up in the new office. Education  Reduction of lost time due to equipment I sit on the Education Committee. Our going down or even failing. Education program continues to be valued by our affiliates. In this term we piloted ‘Lunch We have moved from a system that was and Learn’ sessions given by our staff. We functioning at a mediocre level with many continued to hold our single week AFL quirks to one that is better laid out with School in Jasper. The energy created by contingencies and support so we are running having 200 trade unionists together in efficiently. It is imperative that we have education was amazing and I know the ongoing support to ensure we can deal with Education Committee plans to continue this issues as they arrive in a timely fashion. IT approach. systems are an expensive undertaking, but with the right investment we will ensure that it Politics is working for us and not the other way I sit on the Canadian Labour Congress’ around. National Political Action Committee as the Federation’s representative. This is an Website opportunity to keep the communication lines We will have unveiled our new website by the open between the AFL, the CLC and others time my report is being presented. Our who sit on the Committee. previous website was great when it was launched in 2010. Technology changes at a In 2013, I was elected as Provincial Treasurer breakneck pace and our website therefore had of the Alberta NDP. This allows us to be in become dated, lacked modern usability, was constant contact with the party in a formal not intuitive and unable to respond to way. This type of direct communication was different platforms. established by my predecessor, Nancy Furlong. While I would never tell our affiliates We began the process doing a full assessment or their members they had to vote NDP, this of our current website which included has been a great opportunity to maintain interviews with a few staff members as well as relationships and trust between our the executive officers, and analysis of metrics organizations. from our current system. From there we worked through a design process for our new

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The intention to continue in politics is critical. Board and Public Interest Alberta. In this way To give workers a stronger voice in the the Federation support is sustained on an political structure of this province is of ongoing basis. paramount importance. We only have to hear what is being said in this election to know that Conclusion we are making a difference. Workers’ issues It has been a thrilling and challenging couple are being debated and workers can vote to of years. I want to thank everyone within the ensure we have labour-friendly representatives AFL for your assistance and support. in the Legislature. I want to thank Gil for his generosity and Board positions guidance. I now hold various roles on the boards of AFL partner organizations. I sit on the Board I also want to thank my family for without of the Alberta Workers’ Health Centre and their support I would not be able to balance their Human Resource Committee and the demands of this job and my home life. Negotiation Committee. I am a member of the Aspen Foundation for Labour Education Thank you, delegates, for your trust.

Respectfully submitted by

Siobhán Vipond, Secretary Treasurer

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2013-2015 REPORT OF THE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE

Introduction and non-labour partners. (Motion referred The Political Action Committee (PAC) had from Outreach Committee) four meetings since the 2013 AFL Convention. With the re-organization of AFL committees, PAC recommended to the AFL Council that PAC did not meet until the fall of 2014. the political action levy be increased from $1.00 per member per year to $3.00 per Directives from the Executive member per year.

Council for the Political Action PAC recommended that the AFL advocate Committee: and lobby the Government of Alberta to • Educate affiliates and the public about create a supplemental pension plan for all advancements made in human rights law working Albertans. regarding protection of family status (Res. 502) Several members of the PAC attended the • Train union leaders on how to mobilize CLC election preparation conference rank and file members; and also on direct (February 6-7, 2015). job action • Pick a few core issues and start holding “Political action” is a daily activity of the town hall and public meetings Alberta Federation of Labour, its leadership • Door-knocking campaigns in key and staff. communities (face-to-face outreach) • Affiliate member mapping One hundred and twenty-eight press releases • Help elect labour-friendly politicians since the 2013 Convention is just one measure • Form lobby campaigns of how the AFL Executive and staff have • Engineer a political environment that is worked tirelessly to educate, energize and hospitable to progressive and union values mobilize affiliates and the public to understand issues significant to workers and • AFL will lobby on issues that matter to all citizens (e.g. political, economic, working people environmental, pensions, worker safety, • Build a political machine to help elect education, health care, worker exploitation, people that share our values unfair taxation, lost resource revenue). • A legislative agenda • Lobby days that members can participate For more than a year the Pension Coalition, in and have information to report back on with President McGowan as the spokesperson, waged a multi-prong campaign Even at the first meeting of PAC in October to stop regressive legislation (Bills 9 & 10) 2014, the declining oil prices resulted in proposed by the Redford Government. speculation of an early provincial election.

At each PAC meeting President McGowan 2013 Convention Resolutions provided information about the other ongoing issues and initiatives of the AFL and the CLC. Res. 501 – Strategy to Protect Workers Rights from Attacks by PAC endorsed the proposed “Better Way” Anti-union Groups and campaign to commence in March 2015. Governments PAC recommended the AFL Federal Election work Plan include building coalitions with labour The Alberta Federation of Labour will

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with the CLC and affiliates to create a comprehensive campaign to reinforce the value Work on this resolution is ongoing. The of union membership and unions, to build AFL has encouraged affiliates to participate in union pride and to create the necessary campaigns to oppose anti-labour legislation conditions for members to head off and resist (e.g., Bill C-377 federally and Bill 45 & 56 any and all legislative attacks on union security provincially). The AFL had intervener status and the independence and autonomy of in the challenge to the Saskatchewan Public Canadian trade unions, which will include a Service Essential Services Act. teaching module that can be used to educate affiliates, activists and the broader public about Res. 502 – Human Rights Protection of the unprecedented attack on unions and what Family Status that attack means for union members, Canadian civil society and the quality of life for The Alberta Federation of Labour will all Canadian working people and their families. embark on an effort to educate affiliates and the public about the advancements made in The Alberta Federation of Labour will human rights law with respect to the actively encourage all affiliate and non-affiliate protection of family status. unions in the province to discuss and debate the issue with their members and boards with The Alberta Federation of Labour will the view of determining the actions each provide research, information and support to union will take in the event that anti-union affiliates who are bargaining or challenging legislation is introduced in Alberta. their employers about the rights of workers to accommodation due to family status. The Alberta Federation of Labour will, once unions have decided how they intend to The Alberta Federation of Labour will respond to anti-union legislation work with support any effort of affiliates to ensure that the CLC to communicate to all levels of Canadian human rights protection for family governments and employers in the province status is upheld in all jurisdictions but in in order to give them a clear understanding of particular Alberta. what kind of consequences to expect should they proceed with anti-union legislation. Work on this resolution is ongoing.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee,

AFL Political Action Committee, 2013-2015

Heather Smith, Chair & Council Liaison UNA John Fata UFCW 401 Jason Soklofske, Recording Secretary HSAA Mike Scott CUPE 30 Jerry Toews HSAA Brad Lafortune (resource) AFL Mike Scott CUPE 30 Gil McGowan (resource) AFL Jerry Woods CUPW 730 Siohbán Vipond (resource AFL) Rashpal Sehmby CUPW 730 Cori Longo (information) CLC

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2013-2015 REPORT OF THE AFL EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Introduction The education committee has experienced a lot In order to ensure that all of our participants of change and been busy over the last two years. had a chance to take part in the plenary We welcomed new members Barry Benoit, sessions, we moved them to the middle of the CUPE 474; Rashpal Sehmby, CUPW; Cathy week. This has provided a valuable Furtak, CUPW; Jerry Woods, CUPW, Carol opportunity for affiliate activists to discuss Chapman, CUPE 3550; Geordie Wickens, USW issues and work together in solidarity to 1595; Mark Brzezowski, CUPE 30; Shawn advocate for labour rights and advance the Kilborn, CUPE 30, Cori Longo, our new CLC labour movement. We plan to continue this representative for Alberta; and last but certainly format at future schools. not least, Siobhan Vipond and Tony Clark, AFL. We also said farewell to Ivana Niblett, As always, we’d like to thank the unions who TWU, our dedicated Chair for many years; Ed were able to donate time and resources to Hanson, CUPE; Deb Sutton, PSAC; Ray White, provide facilitators to our schools. These USW; Rick Merrick, USW I-207; Teri Roland, generous donations keep the costs of the school CUPW; Todd Brooks, CUPW; Darcy Griffiths, down and ensure that all participants have an CUPW; and two very valuable resources Ishani empowering labour education experience. Weera, AFL and Amanda Freistadt, CLC. 2014 Facilitators AFL/CLC Schools Craig Coolahan, UUWA and Sue Pearce, The Alberta Federation of Labour/Canadian Unifor – Collective Bargaining Labour Congress winter schools at the Jasper Kevin Flaherty, AWHC and Liz Thompson, Park Lodge met with record attendance and HSAA – Duty to Accommodate interesting weather. Offering the one week Murray Billett, UNA and Meaghan McNeil, program has continued to be a success! We HSAA – Instructor Training also continue to see a good blend of new and Sheila Lopez, UFCW and Colleen Quintal, experienced activists attend and mirrored that CUPE – Labour Activist 101 in our facilitators to build capacity. Winston Gereluk, ALHI and Shannon Phillips, AFL – Labour History In 2014, we had 177 participants and 18 Cam Sherk, UFCW and Brenda Skayman, facilitators. The theme for the school and the PSAC – Occupational Health & Safety focus of the plenary was diversity. The team Judy Hintzman, UFCW and Todd Romanow, building activity on the first night had class Unifor – Steward Training mates working together to create some Karen Craik, UNA and Brad Keith, UFCW – interesting and diverse structures. Transforming Conflict Cori Longo, CUPW and Darcy Thiessen, In 2015, we had 171 participants and 15 UFCW – X, Y Boomers facilitators. It was likely no surprise that the theme this year was politics. We also made the 2015 Facilitators decision to offer other travel options for affiliates Karen Caig, Unifor and Cam Sherk, UFCW - through a bus service. It was a huge success! Collective Bargaining There were seventy-five activists on the bus and Liz Thompson, HSAA – Duty to we suspect this number to grow each year. Accommodate

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Winston Gereluk, ALHI and Shannon year and we want to take this moment to say a Phillips, AFL – Labour History heartfelt thank you to Teri and her union for Linda Hubescher, CUPE – Labour Law their commitment to our young people. We Brad Lafortune, AFL and Chris O’Halloran, are hopeful that we will be able to find a new UFCW – Labour and Politics camp director who can fill her shoes and Lama Alsafi, UFCW and Craig Coolahan, continue in the role for a number of years. UUWA – Steward Training Ed Hansen, CUPE – Transforming Conflict Finally, endless thanks to all of the volunteers, Karen Craik, UNA and Vicky Smallman, CLC their affiliate unions and the staff of the AFL, – Women in Leadership many of whom stayed up to the wee hours of Jared Matsunaga-Turnball, AWHC and the morning to make this camp possible. The Michael Toal, UFCW – Workers Kids’ Camp is a large, well-run event and Compensation Essentials requires a substantial amount of planning and work both before, during and after. The true Week-long schools such as this are the reward, though, is the impact on the kids who backbone of the labour movement. They carry the experience with them long after the engage activists, create new outlets in which camp. our members can work, and the results of the week are tangible. All who participate truly Scholarships for the AFL Kids’ Camp were understand that what they DO with their awarded in honour of Kerry Barrett and S’ean learning is what’s really important. Gillen.

AFL Kids’ Camp AFL Summer School We held our 20th kids’ camp in 2014 and are Given the challenges we faced in offering the proud to say that the interest of affiliates and summer school in 2013, the committee has their children remains strong. In 2013, we had decided not to schedule the school during 85 campers, 9 junior counsellors, 7 leaders and convention years. We will be looking to bring 2 nurses for a total of 102. In 2014, we had 87 this event back in 2016, so please check the campers, 3 junior counsellors, 10 leaders and 2 website and your mailboxes. This school nurses for a total of 100. provides an educational opportunity for affiliates over a shorter period of time and at a lower cost. Seven years ago, we decided to theme the camp so that each year we focus on one of AFL Political Campaign School four themes, Labour History, Health and From November 14 – 16, 2014, ten brave souls Safety, Environment and Worker Rights. gathered at the Health Sciences Association of This change allows us to design the Alberta office in Edmonton to become leaders curriculum such that a child beginning at age in planning and organizing local election efforts. 8 will see each of the themes once in the Jerry Toews, HSAA, Amanda Freistadt, HSAA, young group and once in the older group. developed and facilitated the course, with the The information is fresh and interesting for assistance of Brad Lafortune, AFL. After only the campers and encourages return visits. The 20 hours, participants walked away with an campers who attended in 2013 learned about understanding of campaign fundamentals and Labour History and the focus of 2014 was concrete plans to implement at home. Actual Health and Safety. In 2015, the theme will be campaign action plans were developed for Jason the Environment. Soklofske, HSAA, running for the provincial NDP in Medicine Hat; Janis Irwin, running for The Education Committee has been fortunate the federal NDP in Edmonton Griesbach; and to have Teri Barr, UNA, fill the position of USW internal political organizing. camp director since 2013. Prior to that, Teri worked as a nurse with the camp for a number of years. She is stepping back this

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Geordie Wickens, USW 1595, and Cori distributed. The Board hopes this will be a Longo, CLC, from the committee attended new avenue of communication with teachers the course and returned with rave reviews. and the public about the valuable work that is being done. The course attracted a lot of young workers who expressed their desire to see it offered The Grants in Support of Social Justice widely across Alberta, especially in election Learning program continues to offer years, as well as in a digital format. We plan opportunities to schools to carry out a project to offer this course again after the provincial that engages students in learning about a election is over, as well as two other streams social justice issue. In 2014 we had 25 of the course: one for Voter Contact applications and 10 schools were awarded full Organizers and one for Campaign Managers. or partial funding of their social justice projects. AFL Lunch and Learn Sessions We offered our first lunch and learn session in The Foundation continues to maintain 2014 regarding social media. It was well charitable status as an organization. We hope attended and the feedback was very positive. everyone will keep AFLE in mind when We plan to continue offering these sessions making individual, tax-deductible donations. each year as another way to reach activists. As well, Board members continued to make presentations to local unions to increase the Facilitator Training number of unions who give sustaining There is always a need to build capacity in donations. Information on donating to AFLE facilitators, so the committee is planning to and the materials and programs developed is offer facilitator training in the fall of 2015 and available at www.afle.ca. 2016. This provides an opportunity for experienced facilitators to refresh their Committee members that sit on the Aspen learning and for new facilitators to build their Board of Directors are Meaghan McNeil, skills. The value of investing in facilitator representing HSAA, and Siobhan Vipond, training can be felt by all the affiliates and the representing the AFL. labour movement as a whole. Closing Remarks Aspen Foundation for Labour Education is one of the cornerstones of the labour movement and your Education Education (AFLE) Committee will continue to provide our The Aspen Foundation for Labour Education members with learning opportunities to help (AFLE) Board of Directors has continued to broaden the knowledge and strength of work hard over the past two years to provide unionists. It is our goal to keep activists relevant materials and programs to Alberta involved as not only participants but as schools. In the fall of 2014, lessons on the facilitators and mentors to others in the documentary Common Ground: Defending the workplace. Our Committee could not have Public Sector produced by Canadian filmmaker been such a success had it not been for Tom Radford were completed and made everyone involved. We would like to thank all available for Social 30-1 and 30-2. Work on of the committee members and facilitators for making Maria Dunn’s GWG: Piece by Piece their hard work and dedication to the labour available in digital form continues. This movement. We would also like to package will include materials for teachers in acknowledge Sister Siobhan Vipond for her grades 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 and 12. tireless contributions and endless energy and

enthusiasm. In the fall of 2013, the first edition of The Bark, AFLE’s newsletter, was completed and

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Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Committee,

AFL Education Committee, 2013-2015

Barry Benoit CUPE 474 Rashpal Sehmby CUPW-Edm. Robert Braden USW 1595 Cam Sherk UFCW 401 Kevin Braun, Recording Secretary Unifor 777 Geordie Wickens (alt) USW 1595 Mark Brzezowski CUPE 30 Jerry Woods CUPW-Edm. Cathy Furtak CUPW Edm. Wanda Zimmerman UNA Shawn Kilborn CUPE 30 Tony Clark (resource), AFL Cori Longo CLC Gil McGowan (info) AFL Meaghan McNeil, Chair HSAA Siobhan Vipond (info) AFL Leslie Perry (alt) UNA Alex Furlong (info) CLC

Committee members who served a partial term:

Carol Chapman CUPE 3550 Eric Rosendahl Unifor 855

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2013-2015 REPORT TO THE CAUCUS OF PRIDE AND SOLIDARITY WORKERS

Our new Pride logo was • November 20 – International debuted in the Executive Transgender day of Remembrance Council meeting • December 01 – International Aids September 2014 and will Awareness Day be used officially in the “Fairy Tales Film Festival” The new committees set up at the last in May of 2015. convention have now collapsed the Pride and Solidarity Committee. The AFL’s Pride and The AFL and our affiliates participated in the Solidarity standing committee no longer 2013 and 2014 pride parades in Edmonton exists. The Pride and Solidarity reps on AFL (June) and Calgary (September). Council have served on an Ad Hoc committee of all equity-seeking group representatives. The AFL also joined the Public Service Alliance of Canada and Canadian Labour The equity representatives worked together at Congress for the annual Fairy Tales Film Executive Council for the establishment of an Festival in Calgary. This year’s event will be ongoing equity-seeking group committee to their 17th Anniversary and will be the third ensure that equity issues of not only the pride year we have participated at this event which and solidarity workers but all equity-seeking is the third largest film festival for our groups will be represented in the future. brothers and sisters in the LGBT community in Canada. The Pride and Solidarity Representatives of the Alberta Federation of Labour wish to Special Days / Days of Action extend their thanks to the unions for their • May 17 International Day Against volunteers, donations that helped create the Homophobia floats and displays proudly presented at the • June – Edmonton Pride Festival parade events across Alberta over the past • September – Calgary Pride Festival two years.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the

AFL Executive Council

Pride and Solidarity Workers’ Representative, 2013-2015

Timothy Hunt PSAC 30036

Committee members who served a partial term:

Angie Frewer CUPW-Edm. Keith Purdy UFCW 401

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2013-2015 REPORT TO THE CAUCUS OF WORKERS OF COLOUR

The Workers of Colour Caucus is represented Workers Program to build Edmonton’s Arena at the Alberta Federation of Labour Executive in January 2015. Despite hundreds of qualified Council as follows: local ironworkers being available, contractors Joyce Pui Porretta, UNA are relying on American workers to fill some Ajay Sharma, CUPW-Edm. of the positions. Parminder Pannu (Alternate), CUPW-Edm. Roseline Richardson (Alternate), UFCW 401 Alberta National Event for the Truth and Reconciliation of Canada A few highlights of what we achieved include: Joyce Pui Porretta attended the Alberta National Event for the Truth and Reconciliation of AFL Midterm Forum Canada in Edmonton in March 2014. Ajay Sharma attended the AFL Midterm Forum in Calgary in May 2014. The Workers The Workers of Colour representatives are of Colour caucus held a joint caucus meeting also involved in the Alberta Federation of during this event with the Aboriginal workers Labour’s Ad Hoc Equity Committee. caucus. Our joint meeting was attended by AFL President Gil McGowan. The equity representatives worked together at Executive Council for the establishment of an Rally Against Use of the Temporary ongoing equity-seeking group committee to Foreign Worker Program to Build ensure that equity issues of not only the Edmonton’s Arena workers of colour but all equity-seeking Ajay Sharma attended the AFL rally against groups will be represented in the future. exploitative use of the Temporary Foreign

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the

AFL Executive Council

Workers of Colour Representatives, 2013-2015

Joyce Pui-Porretta UNA Parminder Pannu (alt) CUPW-Edm. Ajay Sharma CUPW-Edm. Roseline Richardson (alt) UFCW 401

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2013-2015 REPORT TO THE CAUCUS OF ABORIGINAL WORKERS

Highlights of my activities for the past two on our Canadian Aboriginal peoples and years as an Aboriginal Representative for sharing our collective desire to increase the UFCW 401 and the Alberta Federation of effective and meaningful participation of our Labour are as follows: Aboriginal peoples in our labour movement.

UFCW Conference in Toronto, UFCW Ground Breaking Alberta Ceremony, Calgary, Alberta I had the privilege of participating in this I was able to invite one of our respected conference and was active on the national Elders in Treaty 7 to A Ground Breaking policy resolutions. Ceremony for new UFCW offices being built in Calgary, Alberta. At this event Elder NDP Conference in Lethbridge, Leonard Weasel Traveler (Aw Baw Maw Hka) Alberta welcomed us and said a prayer for the As a participant in this conference it gave me construction of our building. the opportunity to create awareness and educate fellow brothers and sisters on how we It was encouraging to hear the respected would like to increase the participation of our Elder discuss a better future between our Aboriginal peoples in the labour movement. Aboriginal peoples and the Union during our lunch.

Labour Day Appreciation Dinner, I also attended the 8th Annual Fire Gathering Edmonton, Alberta at the University of Calgary from March 13- The Master of Ceremonies for this event was 15, 2015 with a goal of building relationships a well-known Aboriginal community activist between Aboriginal people and the Unions. Mr. Lewis Cardinal. I would like to take this opportunity to thank International UFCW Conference in the leadership of my Union United Food and Chicago, Illinois Commercial Workers Local 401 specifically As a participant in this Conference I had a Douglas O’Halloran and Theresa McLaren for great opportunity to also create awareness and their ongoing support in advancing Aboriginal educate our International brothers and sisters activism in our labour movement.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the

AFL Executive Council

Aboriginal Workers’ Representatives, 2013-2015

Ronald Klassen UFCW 401 Sue Wilson CUPW-Edm.

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2013-2015 REPORT TO THE CAUCUS

OF YOUNG WORKERS

Since the last convention, many changes have the Edmonton and Calgary Labour Day taken place to the structure of the committees BBQs since last convention. and how the equity representatives on council We have been active in the AFL Ad Hoc are utilized. Unfortunately this time of Equity Representatives Committee which is transition has led to some lost opportunities comprised of the following equity-seeking and unclear direction, however, your groups: Aboriginal Workers; Pride and representatives have worked to ensure the Solidarity; Women; and Workers of Colour. young workers – as well as equity-seeking Cori Longo, formerly a member of CUPW- members – are heard. Edmonton, served as a young worker representative, prior to accepting her current Since last convention we have had three role with the Canadian Labour Congress caucus meetings: two at the Jasper School, (CLC). and one at midterm convention. These meeting were well attended, granting The equity representatives worked together at opportunity to network and discuss issues Executive Council for the establishment of an surrounding young workers. ongoing equity-seeking group committee to ensure that equity issues of not only the young We met to discuss and plan a young worker workers, but all equity-seeking groups will be response to the pension issue and assisted at represented in the future.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the

AFL Executive Council

Young Workers’ Representative, 2013-2015

Tim Bouwsema UNA Local 183

Committee member who served a partial term:

Cori Longo CUPW-Edm.

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2013-2015 REPORT TO THE CAUCUS OF WOMEN DELEGATES

Introduction Motion: “To form an ad hoc Equity At the 2013 AFL Convention, the Caucus Representative Committee consisting of of Women delegates elected Cheryl equity representatives from Council to assist Watamaniuk, UFCW 401 to represent and advise the Executive Council on issues private sector women and Denise Palmer, and events relating to the current standing UNA to represent public sector women. committees during the transition period until the next convention.” Also elected were alternates Valerie Saliba, (private), and Mariana Burstyn (public). The equity caucus reps have attempted to

The AFL changed the composition of the provide information to the AFL about ongoing events specific to equity groups. Standing Committees, as approved at the 2013 AFL Convention. The current AFL The Women’s Caucus Representatives have Standing Committees are Political Action, also requested that there be a data base set Education, Outreach, and Communication. up composed of Members attending Caucus

The Terms of Reference for the Women’s Meetings. This would facilitate Caucus have been amended to reflect the communication between the AFL Women’s Caucus Reps and other Women activists changes in the Standing Committees. within the province. The members of the AFL Women’s Caucus have provided input to identify past Conclusion activities of the AFL Women’s Committee, We need input from our Sisters attending the including timelines. These include The AFL Women’s Caucus. Please let the Caucus December 6th Commemorative Brunch, the Representatives know what is needed in this AFL International Women’s Day Award, period of change and transition. and the IWD march and forum held in It is our hope that the representatives will Edmonton. continue to examine how we can move Some of the Women’s Caucus forward at schools, in the workplace, and in Representatives were able to attend the our communities.

AFL Lobby on Child Care in November, It has been a pleasure and a privilege to 2014. represent women workers in the labour At the AFL Executive Council Meeting in movement. It is an honour to sit on the AFL June, 2014 there was an Ad Hoc Equity Executive Council and share with others the Representative Committee struck. perspective that comes from our Caucus.

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Respectfully submitted on behalf of the

AFL Executive Council

Women Delegates’ Representatives, 2013-2015

Denise Palmer UNA Cheryl Watamaniuk UFCW 401 Mariana Burstyn (Alternate) HSAA Valerie Saliba (Alternate) Unifor 4050

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2013-2015 REPORT OF THE ALBERTA WORKERS’ HEALTH CENTRE

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY educational programs. Funding for all of our union education is from union dollars. Since The Last Convention Supporting Worker and Union New Executive Director Concerns for Health and Safety In November 2014, Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull We responded to approximately 400 worker and became the new Executive Director. He union requests for consultations on issues related replaces Kevin Flaherty, long-time ED of the to workplace hazards, workplace injuries and Centre, who has left to pursue new adventures in illnesses, workplace accommodation and BC. Jared has been staff at the Centre for the compensation claims. Funding for this work past 8 years, and looks forward to continuing to comes from union dollars. provide health and safety programming and services to workers in his new role. New Alberta Workers Program Now into its second year of a 33-month Increased Financial Stability program, New Alberta Workers is aimed at At the last AFL Convention, Affiliates voted improving workplace health and safety for to increase per capita assessments to the Temporary Foreign Workers and other New Centre by $.75. This has enabled us to sustain to Alberta Workers. We are doing this our current programming and operations, through the development and delivery of a allowing us to pursue other needed standardized Health and Safety Rights for programming and services for the Centre. A Workers course, as well as a Train-the-Trainer big thank you to Affiliates. component to train and certify Instructors to deliver the course. The program also provides Work Plays Schools Program support for those workers who choose to take action on health and safety issues. Through the presentation of this program we

delivered approximately 30,000 person-hours of New Alberta Workers is a collaboration health and safety education to school-aged between the Alberta Workers’ Health Centre, workers over the past 2 years. This came through Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre, and 250 School productions in High School and Junior High Schools. Each presentation consists Edmonton Multicultural Health Brokers Co- operative. of an engaging theatrical performance which covers a huge number of workplace issues, All funding for this program comes from a followed by a facilitated discussion of those S41.1 Creative Sentence Court Award. issues and how a young worker might resolve them. Students and teachers receive resources for follow-up actions. A large portion of Resources for Health and Safety funding for the Work Plays Schools program is Activists from the Alberta Law Foundation, in addition to Our website, workershealthcentre.ca union dollars. continues to be a portal to our programming and a portal to resources designed to be used Union Member Health and Safety by all levels of health and safety activists in the Education province.

Approximately 1200 person-hours of health and safety education were delivered by our Worker Participation Guidelines staff to union members through union Our Best Practice Guidelines for Worker Participation in Hazard Assessment,

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Elimination and Control will be available soon Working Across the Province: Our in both printed and online versions. Ongoing Commitment

These Best Practice Guidelines are based on The Alberta Workers’ Health Centre major research that we conducted into continues to deliver programming and barriers facing workers when they try to support all across the province. While our participate in the processes of Hazard offices are located in Edmonton, much of our Assessment, Elimination and Control. work is done through phone and email

consultations and on-line programming. We Funding for this work came from a S41.1 spend approximately $150,000 per year Creative Sentence Court Award. delivering programming and services to

Alberta workers living south of the Red Deer Occupational Illness Awareness divide. This jumps to over $250,000 per year We continued to enlarge our collecting and with our New Alberta Workers Program. sharing of worker life-stories for the WORKUS Project. The stories from this awareness project on Occupational Illness and Our Board of Directors: Chronic Work-related Ailments reside on our Accountability to Unions and website. Funding for this work comes from Workers union dollars. We continue to be directly accountable to our ongoing union and other financial supporters across the province. Our Board of Directors (see listing at end of report) met 8 times since the last Convention. They have inspired and guided our programming while ensuring sound financial management and a worker- focused approach to health and safety.

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2013-2015 REPORT OF THE ALBERTA WORKERS’ HEALTH CENTRE

DETAILED REPORT I have met some of you at labour schools, events and conventions over the past few years. Others I have yet to meet. I look New Executive Director forward to traveling the province to visit with you in the coming year to get a better picture Greetings Sisters and Brothers, of your members’ specific health and safety concerns, and to share the work we are doing My name is Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull, and I to make workplaces safer and healthier for am the new Executive Director of the Alberta workers in this province. Workers’ Health Centre as of November1, 2014. I am fortunate to work with a small but skilled and passionate staff, and a supportive and Kevin Flaherty, who led Centre for the past engaged board of directors made of up 19 years, left to pursue new adventures in BC. worker-focused health and safety activists We wish him and his partner Donna all the from across the province. Together, we will best in their new picturesque home in the be looking at how best to address issues such Kootenays. He will be missed. as better communication with our union Sisters and Brothers, continuing to make I am new to the ED position, but I have been workplace health and safety a vital issue, and a staff member here for eight years now: first increasing support for workers who have been as the coordinator of our Work Plays Schools injured or made ill because of their jobs. Program, and most recently as the coordinator of New Alberta Workers, our Please stop by our table at convention, I’d workplace health and safety rights program love to meet and talk with you. for Temporary Foreign Workers and other New to Alberta Workers. In that time, I have In Solidarity, also been able to help create and deliver education courses for affiliate members across Jared the province. Our Work in Context I am proud of the work we do, passionate Since our last Convention report, WCB has about workers’ rights to safe, healthy and fair released 2 years’ worth of their accepted injury workplaces, and excited about continuing to and fatality information: do good work with and for workers in this 2012: 145 fatalities, 52,642 disabling injuries province. 2013: 188 fatalities, 53,121 disabling injuries

Let me take this opportunity to thank you for These injury numbers do not paint an your ongoing support for the work of the accurate picture, however, as they do not take Centre. We provide programming and into account medical aid claims, minor injuries services for workers across the province, and (that don’t require reporting) industries not strive to deliver our outreach programming covered by WCB, or the massive amount of and education in every region of Alberta. injuries and occupational illnesses that are not Your financial support sustains our innovative reported. An estimate of annual workplace programming, and allows us to look at new injuries and illnesses then becomes closer to areas of programming, services and support. 10 times the disabling injury claim rate, about

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500,000. That’s roughly 1 in 4 or 1 in 5 Recent changes to the Canada Labour Code working people in Alberta every year. Part II (for workers under federal jurisdictions) include new language around the Despite past election promises to the Right to Refuse, which says that the Minister contrary, the province of Alberta continues to (or their delegate) does not have to investigate exclude farm workers, domestic workers and a work refusal if they are of the opinion that other selected workers from protections the refusal is trivial, frivolous, vexatious, or under the OHS Act and WCB Act that other made in bad faith. This has the potential to workers benefit from. reframe an employer’s argument away from the actual dangerous workplace and to focus The Alberta Government continues to refuse on worker behavior and attitude. to recognize the value of meaningful and structured worker participation in their own Despite significant changes to the Temporary health through mandatory joint health and Foreign Worker Program in the last 2 years, safety committees such as those that exist in tens of thousands of jobs are still being other jurisdictions. performed by workers whose income is tied to a single employer. This makes them There are still not enough government extremely vulnerable to misinformation, abuse inspections or enforcement of OHS of power and threats of job loss should they legislation. There have been sporadic attempt to question a workplace process, “targeted inspections” when the political lens equipment or practice – regardless of how is focused on a recent workplace fatality, but unsafe it may be. (please see our Program otherwise Alberta workplaces may be Highlights on our New Alberta Workers inspected once every 14 years. Prosecution program, later in this report) against employers who fail to protect the health and safety of their workers is rare. For TFW’s more concerned about staying employed so they can stay in the country, In 2013, Alberta implemented a new system of health and safety becomes a very low priority. Administrative Penalties, including Fines for This is not too different from many other Workers, available to Provincial Occupational workers in the province. With the recent drop Health and Safety Officers as a tool for in the price of oil, and subsequent economic encouraging compliance. Though still largely downturn, financial concerns can become untested, we anticipate that the threat of more immediately important than workplace worker fines will also have the negative health and safety. consequence of driving health and safety issues further underground. To put it simply: a bad Silenced workers do not report workplace employer can use the threat of OHS tickets to injuries, contributing to the unreliable nature discourage workers from speaking out. It may of WCB statistics used to determine the also reinforce the notion that workers are to effectiveness of health and safety policies and blame for the health and safety problems of practices. their work. Injuries and illnesses that go unrecognized by Alberta continues to allow children as young WCB, regardless of the country of origin of as 12 years old to work, exposing this the injured worker, add to the burden on the vulnerable population to many workplace public health care system. health and safety hazards (including sexual harassment). Enforcement is largely Workers Inform Our Struggle complaint-driven, based on the assumption At the Centre we have a unique perspective. that children and adolescents will have the Through our participatory education power to speak on their own behalf. programming, in schools and in union halls, community groups and through consultations with hundreds of individual workers, we have

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the benefit of interactions with literally represents a tragedy for workers and their thousands of workers each year. loved ones, we honour them through developing programs aimed at preventing This is the informed process that is supported such tragedies from occurring again. by your contributions. This is the informed process that shapes the work of the Centre, Since the last Convention we have received one guided by a very representative Board of S41.1 Creative Sentence award specifically Directors and delivered by our staff. designated for the New Alberta Workers Program. It is anticipated that this program will ADMINISTRATION AND be completed, with all funds spent by May 2016. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Successes 2013-14 Financial Highlights In each of the years since the past Staff Development Convention, Alberta Federation of Labour Ongoing staff development and opportunities affiliated members contributed $265,527 and for new or different work is an important $365,417. Thank you very much. element of staff retention. This is critical in a small organization such as the Centre, where jobs The increase in affiliate contributions tend to be specialized. In the past 2 years our represents a per capita increase of $.75 moved staff have participated in numerous professional and approved by delegates at last Convention. development activities, including rotating several Our last previous increase was 12 years prior. job tasks, leaving us in a strong position to Over that time, Union revenues declined, address changing needs and programming. through reduced contributions or through the erosion of their purchasing power. This Collective Agreements increase has enabled us to sustain our current The Board and employees of the Centre programming and look towards building new successfully completed negotiations of the two services and programming in the years to Collective Agreements. Each is a 3 year come. Thank you. agreement, taking us to October 2017. Thanks to everyone for their pleasant and respectful The Centre has been very successful at turning work on these CA’s, on both sides of the table. our core funding from unions into important programming and services. In turn, that core New Staff Hiring funding has been used to attract outside funds to The Hiring Committee was busy in the last sustain and enlarge those services and programs, months of 2014, with the interviewing, selection making them available to more workers. and hiring of the new Executive Director and TFW Program Coordinator positions. Thanks to Core funding from Union contributions a have those board members on the Hiring Committee made us an attractive partner for other funders for their time and work during this process. such as the Alberta Law Foundation. This has allowed us to expand, to innovate, to be more effective, and to reach a larger population.

We are past recipients of awards from the Alberta Courts under Section 41.1 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. This provision of the Act allows for so-called ‘Creative Sentences’ aimed at helping to improve health and safety in Alberta’s workplaces. Awards are tied to a specific piece of programming. While each of these awards

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PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS schools across the province. It could not be done without you.

Work Plays Schools Program They tell you stuff that you never knew about work including to ask Nearing 120,000 Young Worker your manager about the dangers of Participants! the work. Young Workers under 25 years old are a – Student particularly vulnerable population. They are more likely to be injured on the job and less The key elements of the program are to: likely to know their rights in the workplace. 1. make health and safety engaging and They are also less likely to question authority relevant to a broad range of workers figures or to take the actions needed to help by including widespread workplace ensure their own health and safety. It is easy health issues, such as sexual for them to be taken advantage of. harassment, minor injuries and occupational illnesses, as well as the In 2003 we began using live professional more usual depictions of workplace theatre to educate and empower young traumatic injuries. workers to take action in their workplaces. 2. provide students and teachers with Now, 12 years later, the Work Plays Schools resources for workplace health and Program has reached approximately 120,000 safety and workers’ rights issues young workers through 1,140 performances in 3. focus on solidarity among workers by High Schools and Junior High Schools across acknowledging the difficulty of taking Alberta! action and by celebrating the rewards of taking action The play exceeded my expectations! 4. entertain with high quality artistic While I anticipated important topics values, without sacrificing would be covered I didn’t expect challenging, thought-provoking such a top-notch performance by a content professional troupe. Your performance blew me away! In fact, The Schools Program rehearses and presents it was so moving there were several 2 plays every school year: That’s Danger! by times I had to expand some serious Dave Clarke (for Junior High/Middle School effort not to cry in front of my aged workers), and Working It Out by Beth students” Graham (for High School aged workers), CALM teacher Dr. E.P. Scarlett HS, Calgary which has replaced Work Plays by Jane Heather (our original production from 2003). The Work Plays Schools Program (WPSP) has achieved National recognition for its Working It Out is a relatively new addition innovative, engaging, and effective approach to our roster of plays. It has completed two to educating young people on their rights to tours across Alberta since being developed safe, healthy and fair workplaces. In the next and piloted just before last Convention. It few months, other jurisdictions are bringing has built on our many years’ experience of us in to help them develop their own young working with and for this vulnerable worker programs, based on our highly population of young workers, and has been successful model. welcomed by teachers and students alike. In addition to High School students, we also All this because the labour movement stepped seek out other marginalized workers who may up to the plate with the resources we needed benefit from our programming. This past to support the initial development of this year we reached the Transitional Vocational program, and because affiliates to the AFL Program at Mount Royal University in continue to support its ongoing reach into Calgary, a two-year Employment Preparation

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Certificate program for adults with New Alberta Workers developmental disabilities. Here is what their Temporary Foreign Worker Health teacher had to say: and Safety Program We are very pleased to report on the progress From my observation our students that has been achieved in the development were amazingly engaged in ways that and delivery of the Occupational Health and I’ve never seen before. It was quite Safety rights workshop for Temporary moving. We debriefed the next class, Foreign Workers and other New to Alberta which is an important exercise for Workers. our students, and the incredible detail

of the stories that stuck with them is The New Alberta Workers program is a a testament of how the actors really collaboration between the Alberta Workers’ made the content come to life. Health Centre, Calgary Workers’ Resource Transitional Vocational Program MRU – Centre, and the Multicultural Health Brokers Calgary Cooperative. It is supported through funds Since the last convention the Work Plays from a fine instituted by the Provincial Court Schools Program reached approximately against SSEC Canada in January 2013, from a 24,000 students in 250 performances across violation of Alberta’s Occupational Health Alberta. Approximately 40-45% of our and safety Act that resulted in the deaths of Schools programming reaches south of Red two temporary foreign workers (Liu Deer, as we try to balance major urban centers Hongliang and Ge Genbao) and the serious with more remote or sparsely populated areas. injury of two others (Wang Dequan and Li

Riuming) on the job site near Ft. McMurray. This took place through 28 weeks of touring,

criss-crossing the province between mid- During the first year of the 33 month project, October 2013 and spring 2015. Touring the project partners worked together to create requires the ability to work on the road, to a core curriculum that grounds information adjust to ever-changing and challenging about workers’ rights in a solid context of conditions and to work with hundreds of worker-focused occupational health and safety different teachers and administrators, each practice. We engaged the services of an expert with their own priorities. Our staff is in the field of plain language to ensure that extremely skilled and dedicated to both their the workshop is easily understandable for work and the overall goals of the centre. Gina individuals with English as an additional Puntil, Program Coordinator, continues to do language. Our goal is to reach Temporary an incredible job of bringing this program Foreign Workers and other new to Alberta together. Thank you, Gina. workers, including immigrants and refugees.

Our aim is to ensure that we are not just Now I know that if something is informing vulnerable workers about their unsafe, I do have the right to refuse health and safety legal rights and obligations; without losing my job or life. rather, we are providing them a solid – Student framework for understanding their rights as

protected Canadian workers and, through our Convention delegates and guests will have an partnership, support to exercise their rights so opportunity to see That’s Danger! first-hand on as to ensure their own safety and the safety of April 17 and 18. Please check your their co-workers. convention schedule for more details. We hope to see you there! In the first year, we were able to provide the

training to over 600 participants from community groups, students at local colleges, and participants engaged in job preparation programs in the Edmonton and Calgary areas.

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We’ve received positive feedback and This upcoming deadline along with the appreciation from participants who state that “overhauling” of the TFW program by the the course has helped them to better Federal Government has had a chilling effect understand occupational health and safety on TFW’s and the communities that support practices and their rights and responsibilities them. The Multicultural Health Brokers, who as workers. However, many individuals, be work directly with community members in the they TFW’s, immigrants or refugees, have also Edmonton and surrounding area, report that expressed their concern and hesitance to it is increasingly difficult to reach out to and exercise their rights due to their vulnerability work with TFW’s. as workers and as residents. TFW’s, in particular, are reluctant to come forward with We think that in April, it’s going to be a issues as they fear this will jeopardize their big, big thing happening with all the employment – and with the loss of workers because some might be still in employment, they and their families’ ability to the queue for permanent residency. Many remain in Canada. When asked what may have received PR already, but others are prevent them from using the information, a just waiting and hoping – they’re not general theme emerged: really sure. And, they don’t know what to do - they don’t want to go back. The fear of being fired in future with the least mistake in another area of work. What is happening lately is that of course many of the ones [who] were hoping to Fear of being fired. Being a TFW, it can get permanent residency [know] it’s not [create] lots of problems in the present going to happen because of classification regarding loss of income, home. of the low skilled jobs… whether they ran out of time and the companies aren’t If I start informing WCB about a bad willing to apply for a new LMIA because situation in my work, my employer will now it costs more than before. … So, if find a way to get me out of my job. those who might have still the possibility to legally stay in the country hope to find Their concern is real. The political and another company to hire them, they stay. economic environment has changed And when that runs out, then they stay significantly since the New Alberta Workers and they go underground so they work project began. The Temporary Foreign cash somewhere. Worker Program has become increasingly visible and highly contentious at both the … there are certain companies … that federal and provincial level. Workers and their take advantage. They don’t pay them, or families who have come under the program - little, or late, and then they are desperate, already vulnerable - have been significantly they have families here. I know because impacted by Citizenship and Immigration they call me: can you send me to the food Canada’s implementation of a four year bank or help me to find doctor, my child cumulative duration limit on the length of is sick. time that TFW’s can work in Canada, with the clock beginning April 1, 2011. This means We will continue to build relationships with that many workers who have had their workers, unions, and community partners, permits consistently renewed over the years, and to gather information about the issues who have brought their families, enrolled their impacting TFW’s and other new to Alberta children in school, and invested in our workers’ working conditions as we expand the communities, will be required to leave the delivery of the workshop into the rest of country as of April 1, 2015. They must leave Alberta. We hope to be able to contribute to for four years before being eligible to return the important research and policy advocacy with a valid work permit. undertaken by the leadership of the AFL, and to meaningfully collaborate in social justice

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partnerships, such as the Edmonton based training session for Calgary participants. We TFW Coalition, which includes representation would like to encourage anyone who may be from Unifor and other labour organizations, interested in supporting the program by Migrante (an advocate internationally for becoming a volunteer trainer, to stop by our migrant worker rights), and committed information table at Convention, or contact community partners. We also know that Lori Shortreed, our excellent Program education is not enough, that workers need Coordinator at 1-888-729-4879 or at appropriate support to fully understand and to [email protected]. exercise their health and safety rights: THE WORKUS PROGRAM They need real help and support. – not to be sent all over the place when they not only don’t know what they are eligible for. A Campaign on Occupational They need help to know how to access Illness supports, the benefits they’re entitled to, The WORKUS Program began life as a Circus and to be helped to manage the process. Tent, travelling the province, collecting and sharing worker stories of their experiences Over the next months we’ll be concentrating with occupational illnesses and chronic our energies on promoting the workshop workplace ailments. This program has evolved across the province. We’ve greatly benefited over the past years. from the assistance of the Community Learning Network (CLN), a not-for profit It now includes audio and digital video stories organization that leads and assists community- and has grown to be web-based and easily based adult learning organizations including accessed by anyone with a computer or smart 83 Community Adult Learning Councils phone. You can access them at (CALCs) across the province. This www.workershealthcentre.ca relationship has led to invitations to present the workshop across the province! Collection of the stories now takes place using student and volunteer ‘collectors’ seeking out We’ve also had enthusiastic feedback and stories wherever they can. support from union members attending the 2015 AFL/CLC Jasper Winter School. Our goal is to raise awareness of Presentations on the NAW project by the Occupational Illness, but we need explore AWHC and the CWRC have generated how best to do this and what resources it will significant interest at the general membership take. level. We will continue to meet with and generate opportunities for partnership in For Health and Safety Activists: designing and delivering workshops in workershealthcentre.ca collaboration with union locals and district workershealthcentre.ca is a portal to our Labour Councils across the province. There programming and a gateway to our resources, are opportunities for the labour movement to designed to be used by all levels of health and use this course (and program) as a tool not safety activists in the province. only for member education, but also for membership engagement. We encourage health and safety activists to use the website as a first stop for resources to The project funding ends in mid-2016, but by assist you to answer your workplace health developing a train the trainer approach to and safety concerns and to access resources delivering the workshop, we plan to build on key workplace disability issues such as the sustainability into the project and capacity duty to accommodate. You can also explore within communities. We’ve trained 8 our collection of worker health and safety community members in the Edmonton area stories that has now grown far beyond the as trainers and have scheduled a second original focus of the WORKUS, and teachers

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and students can connect to the Work Plays There is much to be learned from having a Schools Program. conversation about work with 10,000-12,000 young workers each year. Doing so gives us Union Education some incredible insight into the impact of In the past 2 years our staff has delivered employment law on their lives. This form of approximately 1200 person hours of Health qualitative research translates into and Safety related education to union strengthening our abilities to make members through a variety of individual recommendations regarding current law and courses and schools. Staff have also suggest appropriate changes to the law and contributed our voice and experience as the administration of justice as it pertains to educational consultants in the creation of employment. union education by others. The results of a 2000 worker survey Union and Worker Consultations conducted for the AWHC in 2013 (Worker We are contacted by over 200 persons every Participation in the Processes of Workplace year, seeking some form of assistance with Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control) their workplace health concerns. These range indicate that Young Workers are interested in from consultations with union representatives being more involved in Health and Safety. (business agents or other elected union Despite this interest, other research indicates representatives, union staffers or health and that this population remains especially safety committee members, etc.) to vulnerable to both physical and social individuals, mostly non-unionized. psychological hazards, and to loss of rights to wages and benefits. Many of these contacts result in a referral to some other organization (WCB, OHS Call Other recent research into Young Workers at Centre, Alberta Social Services, etc.) but many Risk in Alberta helps us to identify specific others involve secondary and deeper concerns. involvement such as researching options, providing ongoing advisory/consultation In 2013, Dr. Bob Barnetson, Associate services etc. Professor of Labour Relations at Athabasca University, published a study that utilized data The Work Plays Schools Program continues collected from the Work Plays Schools to provide advisory and referral services on an Program. Some highlights of his findings bear ‘outreach’ basis to thousands of student-aged noting in detail and include: workers each year. We have no way of tracking this work after leaving a school. 43.7 per cent of adolescents (aged 12- 14) and 61.5 per cent of young The New Alberta Workers program has persons (aged 15-17) in the Canadian resulted in increased worker contact with the province of Alberta reported Centre, and its collaborating partners (CWRC, employment in 2011/12. Of those MCHB). Part of this program is aimed at employed, 49.7 per cent of improving support for workers who may have adolescents and 59.0 per cent of significant language and cultural barriers to young persons reported at least one accessing information and support. work-related injury in the previous year. This study also identifies widespread non-reporting of RESEARCH workplace injuries and seemingly ineffective hazard identification and Young Workers and Workplace safety training. Health Alberta primarily regulates the employment of minors under the

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Employment Standards Code (ESC). Cohen’s (2013) study of teenage Enforcement of employment workers in British Columbia raised standards in Alberta is predominantly similar questions about the complaint-driven. While prosecution normalization of injury. for violations of the ESC is possible, this happens less frequently than This study also raises some serious once every five years. Employment questions about the level of sexual standards officers have no power to harassment of minors in the fine employers for non-compliance workplace. Further examining with the Act. There are few OHS instances of injurious and otherwise regulations specific to children in abusive work (particularly sexual Alberta. The general assumption is harassment) experienced by Alberta that occupational preclusions under minors might prioritize additional the ESC combined with standard regulatory work by the government. OHS rules provides adequate (Bob Barnetson, “Incidence of Work protection. In 2011, Alberta and Workplace Injury Among Alberta conducted an inspection blitz of Teens,” Just Labour 20 (2013), 14-31) convenience stores and restaurants focused on youth (aged 15-24). In 82 Creation of Best Practice of 112 inspections, violations of the Guidelines through Worker OHS Code were observed with 181 orders written (Alberta 2011b). These Participation Research In 2012 we received funding for the purpose results are broadly consistent with of conducting applied research into Barriers other inspection blitzes and suggests to Worker Participation in the Processes of widespread disregard for OHS rules Hazard Assessment, Elimination and Control by Alberta employers. and for the creation Best Practice documents

related to that research. (Young Worker Survey) comments

suggest that working adolescents and These clear language documents will show young persons may not report why and how best to involve workers in injuries due to ignorance of the important health and safety practices. These requirement (or how) to do so, fear Guidelines will be available soon in print and of retribution, an expectation of online for Health and Safety Activists across inaction by managers, production the province. Look for a launch in the pressures and/or a sense that the coming months. injury was minor or the fault of the

worker. Unreported injuries mean hazards are left unmitigated and, in Background some cases, permanent impairments The Alberta OHS Code (2013) places clear are left uncompensated. Some of obligations on employers to assess, eliminate these reasons for non-reporting and control hazards and that this obligation indicate that the social location of includes workers. Additionally, the element minors (employees, but also children) of ‘change’ in the workplace is recognized as may limit their willingness to report having the potential for introducing additional injuries or injurious circumstances. or unique hazards or combinations of hazards Non-reporting undermines into that workplace. complaint-driven injury prevention and claim-drive injury statistics. There ‘Change’ might also mean the intensification is also some indication here that of existing risk and or the intensification of adolescents and young persons are the potential consequences of that hazard. learning to accept injury as a “normal” part of employment. Though the Code is clear on these obligations,

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and the obligation to include workers in the researchers of all levels (including graduate processes, the mechanisms for accomplishing students) to look at work and workplaces. this goal are not present in the Code, nor are they clearly understood or articulated Our unique perspective, influenced by our elsewhere in Alberta law. widespread work with a diverse population of working people has enabled us to make a A small team of researchers was engaged for contribution to this work. Our New Alberta this work, which included literature review, Workers program in particular is being visiting worksites and interviewing of workers explored as a potential source for research and supervisors. within the “On the Move” program.

We hope that the results of this work will Support for Injured Workers challenge the notion of what constituted The Centre has had a program and service gap ‘acceptable performance’ in this part of the when it comes to support for injured workers. Act and will, as importantly, provide workers and employers with concrete practices by We have struggled to have the resources to which to make their workplaces safer. support and assist those who are injured and made ill by work. There are unmet needs with Barriers to Worker Participation policy change, with poor adjudication and and Best Practices appeal of WCB claims and with social support This research project focused on key safety for injured workers and their families. processes in industry, especially the hazard Moreover, there is a shortage of worker- assessment process as it relates to the focused WCB Advocates able to aid workers opportunity for front line workers (including through the appeals process. small sub-contractors, field supervisors) to participate in the process of identifying and The need for a WCB advocacy program in remediating hazards in their immediate work some form is a need that is shared between environment. union locals and our partners in community.

An integral component of this research was to Over the past few years there have been some identify barriers to the full participation of ideas floated about the best way for the front line workers. The Guidelines Centre to address this long-standing need. themselves present specific tools to be used to There is consensus that while immediate address these Barriers. support is necessary in some form, it is important that we also look at increasing Worker Mobility Research capacity for WCB information and advocacy Over the past 3 years we have been involved within the labour movement. This speaks to as a Community Partner in the broad-scoped worker-focused education, mentorship, and research project “On the Move: Employment organizing a network of union WCB Related Geographic Mobility”. Funded by the advocates, and the meaningful involvement of Social Sciences and Humanities Research injured workers themselves. Council, this is a very ambitious and important national initiative. Over the 7-year It is also crucial that the importance of life of funding, it will provide some useful workplace injury and illness prevention is not research data and analysis. Findings from lost in the discussion. some research components have started to be released over the past few months. We will be consulting with union locals and members, WCB and Health and Safety Additionally, it promises to help support a experts, community members and injured resurgence in work-related social research in workers to inform us, and seek out the this country as it will provide incentives for necessary resources and partners required to

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develop a program that will best serve workers within our capacity to do so. Our Board has met 8 times since the last convention. In addition, the Officers and our Key Organizational Information Human Resources Committee have met Our full-time staff work hard to deliver our several times. programs and services to workers across the province and to support our union activists as Some highlights of the time since they fight for health and safety. All staff are the last Convention are: members of Canadian Union of Public • Negotiation of 2 new Collective Employees, Local 474. Agreements with staff.

• Support for the creation of new Thanks to Vi Olinek, Gina Puntil, Lori programming as funding Shortreed, Kevin Flaherty, and Jared opportunities present themselves. Matsunaga-Turnbull. • Ongoing reviews and adjustments of

Our Board of Directors is a source of pride to programming. the organization. Our Board represents a • Crafting 2 Annual Budgets to reflect diversity of organized workers and worker Centre priorities. health and safety activists. This is an amazing • Hiring of new Executive Director accomplishment for any non-profit, charitable and TFW Program Coordinator organization. They bring a collective wealth of hands-on experience to the table.

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2013 and 2014 Assessments (updated February 20, 2015)

Affiliated Unions that have met or partially CUPW: Banff met their assessment commitment to the Calgary Alberta Workers' Health Centre since last Drayton Valley Convention of $2.75 per member per year: Edmonton Fort McMurray (owe 2014) ATU: Local 583 Grande Prairie Local 987 Hinton/Jasper/Edson Lethbridge (owe 2014) AUFA Medicine Hat BCTGM: Local 252 Ponoka Red Deer Boilermakers: Local D331 UNIFOR: Local 21-A ATP UNIFOR: Local 99 Local 52A Local 250 Brewery Local 71 Local 288 Local 255G Local 350 Local 431 Local 551 Local 445 Local 815 Local 446 Local 1087 Local 530A Local 2002 Local 539 Local 4050 Local 605 Local 4273 Local 658A Local 4534 Local 707 Local 728 (owe 2014) COPE: Local 397 Local 746 Local 458 Local 777 Air Liquid Unit Local 491 Local 777 ATA Local 777 Bldg Prod Unit (owe 2014) CUPE: Local 38 Local 777 GATX Local 46 UNIFOR: Local 777 GWC Local 408 Local 777 UFCW Clerical Local 417 Local 777 UFCW Reps Local 474 Local 829 Local 520 Local 855 Local 709 Local 899 Local 787 Local 1947 Local 812 Local 1012 UNITE HERE: Local 47 Local 1031 HSAA: Local 1158 Local 1368 IAFF: Local 237 Local 1458 Local 255 Local 1505 Local 1190 (owe 2014) Local 1606 Local 2461 Local 1825 Local 2111 Local 3550 IAMAW: Local 99 Local 3911 Local 1722

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IAMAW: Local 2583 USWA: Local 1-207 Local 628 IATSE: Local 210 Local 1595 Local 212 Local 5220 (owe 2014) Local 5575 IBEW: Local 254 Local 5663 Local 424 Local 6673 Local 1007 Local 7226

Ironworkers: Local 720 UUWA

PSAC Outstanding Assessments (updated February 23, 2015) TWU Affiliated Union Local’s that have not met UFCW: Local 383 their assessment commitment to the Alberta Local 401 Workers' Health Centre since last Convention Local 1118 of $2.75 per member per year:

UMWA: Local 1656 COPE Local 491: (owe 2013 and 2014)

UNA Ironworkers Local 805: (owe 2012, 2013 and 2014)

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Respectfully submitted by

Alberta Workers’ Health Centre

Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull, Executive Director

AWHC - Executive Officers

John Carpenter – Chairperson Chivers Carpenter Lawyers Dan Uchacz – Vice Chairperson IAMAW Local 1722 Karen Craik - Treasurer United Nurses of Alberta Elizabeth Thompson - Secretary Health Sciences Association of Alberta Siobhán Vipond – Director at Large Alberta Federation of Labour Perri Garvin - Director at Large United Way of the AB Capital Region

Other Board Members

Roy Milne USWA Jerry Woods CUPW Kim Conway UNIFOR Jared Matsunaga-Turnbull Staff

Thanks to Past Board Members

Kevin Flaherty Staff Bill Climie Public Eugene Dumont UFCW Local 401 Randy Corbett Alberta Union of Provincial Employees Mike Painchaud CUPW Edmonton Leah Baker CUPW Edmonton Nancy Furlong Alberta Federation of Labour

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