By rdnewsNOW staff

Letter reveals...

Alberta government indicates to AUPE “up to 930” job cuts

Oct 21, 2020 | 1:32 PM

EDMONTON, AB – The Government of Alberta has confirmed that hundreds of positions within the provincial government will be abolished or otherwise impacted.

A letter from the Public Service Commission to the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) states that the government will be proceeding with a number of initiatives previously stated in pre-bargaining talks in November 2019 and February 2020.

“The following initiatives could impact up to 930 positions through to the end of the current 2020-21 fiscal year. Changes to positions could include abolishments, ending termed employment, and redeployment to other roles,” states the letter.

“Jason Kenney promised us jobs, but all he’s brought is pain, with layoffs, abolishments, cutbacks, cuts to public services, and tax holidays for billionaires that hurt everyone. He’s not the premier of Albertans, but the premier of betrayals,” says AUPE President Guy Smith.

The province will leverage attrition where possible to reduce the impact on employees.

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Agriculture and Forestry:

247 bargaining unit positions are being abolished as part of a “phased workforce transformation.”

Within forestry, 57 positions will be abolished across the functional areas of wildlife management, forest management, and forest health.

In the primary agriculture division, approximately 135 positions will be abolished:

• The Plant and Bee Health Surveillance, Agriculture Service Boards, Crop Assurance Extension including Farm Safety programs will each be reducing staff, refocusing the work of the programs
• The department will be transitioning research to a farmer-led delivery model, including the creation of the Results Driven Agriculture Research organization that sees post-secondary schools take over research
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• Realignment of priorities in the Environmental and Farm Stewardship and Irrigation and Farm Water Branches

In the process, trade, and international relations division, 21 positions will be abolished:

• The Business Development Services program will be re-focused on activities that address sector growth and market access issues
• The Food Science and Technology Centre in Brooks, the Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc, and agri-food laboratories for food microbiology, parasitology, and support services will be reduced or eliminated although the large majority of positions in the laboratories will remain

In the strategy, planning, and governance division, 13 positions will be abolished:

• Three positions as a result of administrative and procedural efficiencies
• A new 4-H Alberta governance and operating model will consolidate seven regions and 56 districts into five managed areas. 10 positions will be abolished

Administrative and procedural efficiencies will result in 21 positions being abolished.

A separate letter from the Public Service Commission confirms that 166 permanent encumbered positions will be abolished provincially, including ones in Lethbridge, Lethbridge County, Brooks, and Stettler.

Communications and Public Engagement:

The department is identifying general administrative efficiencies that may impact up to six positions, but timing and final decisions are still under consideration.

Community and Social Services:

Up to 536 positions through various means may be impacted by the end of the 2020-21 fiscal year, subject to active consultations with AUPE regarding potential contracting-out of direct operations.

This includes redeployments, ending temporary salaried, wage 2850, and wage positions early, reclassifications as well as permanent abolishments:

• Closing of Alberta Job Corp: AJC has been suspected since March 2020 due to COVID-19 and all trainees were terminated in March due to the suspension of the program. 32 positions will be affected
• McCullough Centre in Gunn will see 63 positions affected
• Michener Services in Red Deer: In response to the decreasing population, ongoing adjustments will be made
• Direct Operations: CCS is consulting with AUPE on alternate service delivery options for the Calgary and Edmonton Region Direct Operations programs, including the potential of contracting out these services.
  • No final decisions have been made, but contracting-out could impact 344 employees

Culture, Multiculturalism, and Status of Women:

The department will consolidate graphic design and exhibit design functions within the Heritage Division into the functions being performed at the Royal Alberta Museum, resulting in three positions being abolished.

Education:

The department is identifying general efficiencies that may impact up to three positions, however, timing and final decisions on this initiative are still under consideration.

Infrastructure:

Consultations are underway for facility operations at the Royal Alberta Museum.

No decisions have been made, but if a contracting-out option is selected, 31 positions would be impacted including caretaking, electrician, maintenance, plumping, power plant engineer, and technologies

Justice and Solicitor General:

A number of initiatives could impact up to 24 positions:

• Alberta Crown Prosecution Services: First Appearance centres around the province will be eliminated, resulting in three First Appearance Prosecutor positions being abolished
• Justice Services: Final approval is pending but nine positions are expected to be abolished including ones in finance and program services
• Legal services: Two positions will be abolished
• Correctional services: 10 positions are expected to be abolished in community corrections release and programs branch, as well as administrative support

Transportation:

A consultation process commenced in November 2019 to review the road test model. A total of 80 positions will be abolished in the Administration 1 classification.

(With file from Lethbridge News Now)