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Dear Friends, Members, and Sisters and Brothers of the Labour Movement,

 

I want to assure you that today, the opportunity for a strong labour–NDP coalition in Alberta has never been greater. But I need your help.

 

Look at the incredible progress made by the United Steelworkers (USW) in Alberta – organizing two Starbucks in Alberta in the past year!

 

Look at United Autoworkers (UAW) last month, with its biggest organizing win in decades when workers unionized at the Volkswagen plant in Tennessee. In many sectors and jobs, labour has an incredible opportunity right now to flex and achieve better working conditions for all workers.

 

After putting their lives on the line for years of a pandemic and living under the anti-union and anti-worker UCP, unionized public sector workers took wage roll backs relative to the cost of living! This is unacceptable.

 

Union leaders in Alberta must be political and tough. And the Alberta NDP is the only party that will support that effort.

 

ALL ALBERTA WORKERS SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO…

 

✔ WORK SAFELY

 

✔ GET PAID FOR THE VALUE OF YOUR WORK

 

✔ JOIN A UNION

 

✔ TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION

 

✔ STRIKE

 

Improving wages, strengthening working conditions, and expanding union rights requires labour and the Alberta NDP to be organized and vocal together – at the bargaining table and politically at the doors.

 

I believe and as the next leader of the Alberta NDP, I will work with you to ensure that –

 

1. All workers are recognized as the driving force of our economy.

 

● Let’s work together to increase high-paid unionized jobs, and journey-person and apprenticeship set-asides across the economy, from the energy sector to caregiving jobs of all kinds.

 

2. Undermining collective agreements, lawfully negotiated contracts, should be stopped and should be illegal whether for:

 

● A big grocery chain playing shell games with contracts,
● The City of Edmonton contracting-out LRT operations, or for
● Construction companies undercutting wages of tradespeople. Let’s end ‘double-breasting’, which is the current provision in the Alberta Labour Code that allows employers to break a lawfully negotiated contract.

 

3. Unions are able to speak out in the interests of their members. As Leader of the Alberta NDP, I would repeal Bill 32.
● The Labour Movement must be able to speak effectively and loudly for broad causes of justice and progress, including as an ally to many under-represented and disadvantaged groups.

 

4. Take a look at what Premier Wab Kinew is doing in Manitoba on bargaining rights: a ban on replacement workers, and single-step union certification. These measures have been in place in other provinces for decades and should be in place in Alberta too.

 

As you know, no party can walk into a legislature and magically rewrite the labour laws of the province. The only way to get this done is by working together to convince Albertans, electing an Alberta NDP government, and voting for me as the next leader of our party.

 

I want to meet you, hear from you, and work with you.

 

Please get in touch at info@voteforjodi.ca

 

In solidarity,

 

Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse