Alberta's largest union demands cuts to health care be reversed, province says health spending up
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) is demanding provincial funding be re-established to the health-care system and for planned cuts to be halted.
In a news release sent Wednesday, the AUPE says hospital resources are being stretched to their limits amid the fourth wave of the pandemic that immediate action needs to be taken as "now people are dying preventable deaths."
The request comes as Alberta returned to a state of public health emergency with numerous public health measures announced Wednesday.
There are now more patients in intensive care, 270, in Alberta than at any other point in the pandemic. With Alberta's ICUs at 88 per cent of surge capacity, calls have been made to other provinces requesting access to bed space or available staff to help.
The vice-president of Alberta's largest labour union says the basic essentials of health-care delivery are on drastically short supply.
"Now, AHS (Alberta Health Services) is on the verge of triaging. That shouldn’t be happening in our hospitals," said AUPE vice-president Bonnie Gostola.
Triage is when medical professionals assign the degree of urgency on patients and determine who takes priority for treatment.
Gostola is also calling for a complete overhaul of the medical system with emergency funding support and for the province to end plans to outsource another 11,000 positions within AHS.
According to the province this cost-saving initiative will span over a period of three years and will exclude nurses and frontline clinical staff. Laundry, housekeeping, food service and lab work positions are likely to end up being contracted out to a private employer.
In an emailed response, a spokesperson for the finance minister says that the province can't speak to the multiple health-care contracts in the midst of negotiations with AHS, but is taking the pandemic and current state of hospital capacity very seriously.
Final details of the contract with the United Nurses of Alberta are scheduled to go to mediation next week after a tentative deal was struck.
"We have a tremendous amount of respect for the province’s hard working health-care workers, who have been essential in caring for Albertans throughout the pandemic," said Kassandra Kitz, senior press secretary.
She adds the provinces hopes for deals to be reached soon to bring labour stability to Alberta's health-care system.
As well, the AUPE says the province's health budgets in 2019 and 2020 did not adequately bolster healthcare for the current situation.
However, the province's latest budget for health is $23 billion for 2021 which is the largest single-year health investment in Alberta's history, says Kitz.
Healthcare spending on the COVID-19 response is at $1.5 billion for this year on top of the health budget.
"We also recently announced up to $36 million in new funding to improve wages and create additional workforce capacity. This will allow more Albertans to receive care outside of hospitals and free up resources to treat COVID-19 patients during the fourth wave," said Kitz.
There are no budget increases to AHS for 2023 - 2024 in the latest budget.
The Alberta Federation of Labour largely concurs with the AUPE that Alberta has been running a brittle system that can't handle shocks like its currently experiencing.
"(Alberta has)essentially been running a 'just-in-time' health-care system that runs very close to capacity even on normal days," said Gil McGowan, president of the organization.
He added, "the current crisis is a direct result of Kenney’s reckless and irresponsible Open for Summer plan, but it’s also a legacy of Klein’s cuts of the 90s and chronic underfunding ever since."
CTV News also reached out to the United Nurses of Alberta as well as the offices of the health minister, and is waiting to hear back.
Albertans need solutions because the pain is far from over," said Gostola. "The death toll grows. The Premier is coming in too little, too late today, but there’s still time to implement solutions, and we’re going to ensure he actually does right by frontline workers and all Albertans."
Alberta reported 1,609 new COVID-19 cases, 24 deaths and 877 hospitalizations on Wednesday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.