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Assignment Labor Relations and Employment Law

   

Added on  2020-03-23

6 Pages1475 Words79 Views
Running head: LABOUR RELATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT LAW1Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE)[Student’s Name][Course][Professor’s Name][Institutional Affiliation][Date]

LABOUR RELATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT LAW 2IntroductionThe Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) is a labor relations union in Alberta whichpresently represents more than 90,000 members. The history of Alberta Union of Provincial Employees(AUPE) dates back to 1919 when it was established as the Civil Service Association of Alberta (CSAA).It was chartered under the Alberta Societies Act by about 400 Alberta government workers, the foundingmembers and operated as delegates of the government employees; through unity, strength, and protectionof workers in Alberta for about 50 years. In 1968, the Civil Service Association of Alberta Act restrainedthe CSAA in its organizational structure and its capacity to act represent of its members ("History | About| Alberta Union of Provincial Employees," n.d.). After eight years of lobbying by members, this act wasrevoked in 1976, and the AUPE was immediately formed as a successor organization actions ("40thAnniversary | Alberta Union of Provincial Employees", n.d.). AUPE overtook all the rights,responsibilities, and assets of the CSA. In November 1977, a historic convention took place, and theconstraints inflicted by the previous Alberta Labour Act were eventually discarded. AUPE wasestablished as an autonomous, unincorporated union with the creation of a new constitution. ("History |About | Alberta Union of Provincial Employees," n.d.). AUPE was founded with the aim of taking a stance to wing bargaining rights for members.Besides, the union anticipated a stable labor environment by incepting a union that deals collectively withemployment issues such as benefits, wages and salaries, and working conditions. With over 90, 000members represented by the union, AUPE is recognized as the largest labour and employment union inAlberta, staging collective bargaining to employees from different industries. Although a majority of themembers work in the public sector including healthcare, education, government boards and agencies, andmunicipalities; other members work non-profit organizations and private companies. The representedmembers enjoy bargaining power for collective agreements and fair and reasonable conditions fornegotiations in the workplace ("History | About | Alberta Union of Provincial Employees," n.d.).

LABOUR RELATIONS AND EMPLOYMENT LAW 3Significant EventsThere are notable events in the history of AUPE that impacted the control of the union, itsmembership, and relations with the government. This include; employee strikes between 1973 and 1974,events in 1987 to 1986, and 2007 campaign for change. To start with, the notable strikes in 1973-1974period which led to the inception of Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. In 1973 health workers inCrown hospitals and institutions incepted job actions against arbitrary changes by the government inruling for the abolishment of statutory holiday entitlements. The strike ended up with being reinstatedtheir rights to vacation entitlements. Later in 1974, the Alberta Liquor Control Board (ALCB) workerswent on strike for ten days against imposed wage rates, after a court injunction, they won with increasedwage rates. After a few months, government general service employees went on strike for three daysagainst the arbitrarily imposed pay increase of $50 per month. The unilateral wage increase was imposedbefore the employees were supposed to negotiate a wage reopener with CSAA. The strike ceased whenthe government agreed to negotiate in good faith. These events saw the creation of AUPE in 1976 whenthe legislature repealed the Civil Service of Alberta Act. In essence, the inception of AUPE is attributedfrom the benefits of collective action displayed by the different strike actions ("40th Anniversary | AlbertaUnion of Provincial Employees", n.d.). Secondly, the period of 1987-1986 was a challenging period for AUPE. During this period therewas increased privatization and deregulation. AUPE aggressively bargained for its members. It is notedthat in 1987, AUPE had reported more than 1,000 grievances. Besides, there were frequent strikes bysocial workers, members of ALCB, health workers, and correctional officers. These events lead toreduced union membership. Nevertheless, the AUPE conditions were becoming weak with a decline inmembership, substantial debts, decreased revenues, and increasing building costs. Nevertheless, thegovernment took advantage of the situation by announcing five per cent cutbacks in the governmentservices, further contributing to the dramatic decline of AUPE’s membership (Fernandez & Silver, 2017).However, in 1997 to 2006, AUPE saw a regain of its members through, significant victories which furtherempowered its financial situation.

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