AUPE workers rallying Saturday in Red Deer
Following a series of over 50 bargaining town halls held across Alberta in June, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) is organizing several rallies across the province.
Red Deer AUPE members will gather Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. near Red Deer Polytechnic. They will be located between the two sets of lights at 100 College Boulevard along 32 Street.
“It is time for AUPE members to stand up for ourselves and the Albertans who rely on us. We are ready and willing to fight for the improved collective agreements and critical public services we deserve,” Darren Graham, AUPE vice-president for the central region of the province, told rdnewsNOW Friday.
AUPE has about 100,000 members, and Graham says that more than 82,000 of them are currently in negotiations across multiple sectors in the province. Following the town halls this summer, AUPE members identified staff shortages in the face of population growth, job security amidst privatization, and wages as their primary concerns, he says.