Feb 29, 2012: The Union representing the New Brunswick liquor workers, CUPE Local 963, is pleased that the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation is recommending that Alcool NB Liquor not be privatized.

“NB Liquor has performed solidly since its inception, and has provided the taxpayers of New Brunswick with millions of dollars each year towards public services such as health and education,” says Martha Thompson, President of CUPE Local 963.  “I am pleased that this asset will be protected for the future of our province.”

FREDERICTON: “New Brunswickers know the difference that public services make to their lives,” said Daniel Légère, president of CUPE New Brunswick (CUPE NB). “Cabinet ministers are telling New Brunswick to expect less and to want less from their government. This survey clearly shows New Brunswickers won’t accept that. They value their public services and the Alward government needs to preserve them by increasing its revenues.”

“Quality public services are essential to our communities, in New Brunswick and across Canada,” said Paul Moist, national president of CUPE. “We all depend on public services to be there when we need them most, and we need to protect them.”

In the survey, 88 per cent New Brunswickers said public services were important in their day to day life. Continuum Research completed the survey in late November for the Canadian Union of Public Employees. It surveyed 800 New Brunswickers between November 12 and 22, 2011 with an error margin of +/- 3.4 per cent at a 95 per cent level of confidence.

For months, Finance Minister Blaine Higgs has been saying New Brunswickers “need to want less, and big changes are coming to the New Brunswick Government.”

“These results show that the government is out of touch with the priorities of New Brunswickers. They are telling the Alward government that before reducing the public services they ‘need and want’ they should put their own house in order,” said Légère. “If the government wants to cut spending, they should begin with corporate welfare. In New Brunswick, the most successful companies are the ones receiving the most money from the government.”

The province-wide survey shows that New Brunswickers are prepared to pay their fair share of taxes to maintain public services. Seventy-one per cent said they preferred a progressive tax system, where each individual pays according to their ability based on their income.

“When the former government introduced lower taxes for corporations and the wealthy, a reform supported by David Alward and his Conservative colleagues, we warned them that this would increase the deficit. They refused to listen,” said Légère. “Since then, we have seen a lot of programs cut or abolished, especially those targeted to helping the working poor, seniors and those living in rural areas. These tax cuts for the wealthiest in our society are costing hundreds of millions in lost revenues, but the government is refusing to listen what they are being told by New Brunswickers.”

In their effort to replace this lost income, the Alward government recently introduced a series of user fees, another form of regressive taxes where low-income earners pay the same as high income earners.

“When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you do is to stop digging,” said Légère.. “They need to stop the corporate giveaways and bring some justice back into the taxation system. New Brunswickers will not accept tax cuts for the rich that result in program cuts for the rest of us.”

The survey also shows pensions are very important issue of concern for New Brunswickers. Ninety-four per cent said protecting employee pension plans should be a priority for the provincial government.

“All the talk about failing pension plans is worrisome to New Brunswickers, especially when it comes from the government that has the responsibility to supervise and regulate these plans,” said Légère. “Every worker should have access to a pension plan. Furthermore, it should be the pension plan that allows retirees to be able to live a decent life after retirement.”

CUPE represents 30,000 public sector workers across New Brunswick.

CUPE/Consortium Research Public Services Poll

Key results summary

Please tell me if you believe that the following policies should be a high priority, a medium priority or a low priority for the Government of New Brunswick? How about…? Protecting pension plans

A high priority…………………………………………………………………………………………. 75%

A medium priority……………………………………………………………………………………. 19%

A low priority……………………………………………………………………………………………. 4%

DK/NA………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2%

Would you say that the delivery of provincial public services is very important, somewhat important, not very important or not at all important to your day-to-day life?

Very important………………………………………………………………………………………… 45%

Somewhat important……………………………………………………………………………….. 43%

Not very important……………………………………………………………………………………. 7%

Not at all important…………………………………………………………………………………… 2%

DK/NA………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3%

Is it very possible, somewhat possible, not very possible or not possible at all to reduce government spending without reducing public services?

Very possible…………………………………………………………………………………………… 29%

Somewhat possible………………………………………………………………………………….. 44%

Not very possible…………………………………………………………………………………….. 12%

Not at all possible……………………………………………………………………………………… 8%

DK/NA………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 7%

Some people say [ROTATE] it is better to have a taxation system where everyone pays the same percentage of their income regardless of how much they earn. Other people say [ROTATE] it is better to have a taxation system where those who earn more pay a higher percentage of their income and those who earn less pay a lower percentage of their income. Which view is closer to your own?

Everyone should pay the same percentage of income………………………………… 26%

Those who earn more should pay a higher percentage and those

who earn less should pay a lower percentage…………………………………………… 71%

Neither……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1%

DK/NA………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2%

 FREDERICTON: The Union representing the Home Support Workers, CUPE Local 4598, filed a complaint with the Minister of Social Development to audit the practices of the Canadian Red Cross concerning the transportation allowance to its workers.

“We believe the Red Cross did not respect the Service Agreement signed with the government for 2009 and 2010”, said the President of CUPE Local 4598, Thérèse Duguay.

“The Service Agreement stipulated that at least 75% of the transportation allowance is paid to home support workers to compensate for travel to and from clients’ homes. Presently, the Canadian Red Cross is refusing to tell us how the 75% of the transportation allowance was paid to the home support workers”, explained Duguay.

“The Support Workers are presently only receiving $0.12 an hour for mileage. Therefore, we are asking the Department to conduct an audit of the books of the Canadian Red Cross on the transportation allowance”, added Duguay.

“Since October 1^st, 2011, the wording for transportation allowance in the Service Agreement has been changed and we would like the Minister to advise us the administrative costs claimed by Red Cross to deliver payment of all transportation allowances for the home support workers”.

In August, the Minister of Social Development, Sue Stultz, announced an additional $4.4 million to increase funding to home support agencies to $16 per hour with a requirement for agencies like the Red Cross to pay its workers a minimum wage of $11, as of October 1^st.

“At the present time, this increase has not been paid to the workers. Most of the Home Support workers are women, who live below the poverty line. They don’t have full employment and the highest paid worker at Red Cross receives 9.65 $ an hour after ten years of services. Even with an increase to $11 an hour, we would be the lowest paid in the Maritimes province. When you compare this with people doing the same work in other provinces, the difference in wages is huge. For example, in 2008, in Nova Scotia, they received $15.62 an hour and in PEI, $19.19.”

In New Brunswick, there are 57 home support agencies which employ 3,300 workers. This afternoon, a petition signed by 2,469 New Brunswickers will be presented at the Legislative Assembly by the MLA for Nepisiguit, Ryan Riordon. The petition is asking the Provincial Government to adequately subsidize the services of home support workers so that the workers receive wages and benefits worthy of the value of their work. The petition is also asking that this service becomes an accessible public service and an equal quality for the entire province.

Fredericton: The last round of cuts to the Department of Transportation Winter Maintenance Program will affect the safety of New Brunswickers, especially those living in the rural communities.

“This is a major blow to the Winter Maintenance Program. The government can’t pretend anymore that a $4 million cut will not affect the level of services”, said Gordon Black, Regional Director for the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in New Brunswick.

“These cuts mean that the roads would not be plowed as often as they are right now. The Department will have fewer plows on the roads during the storms. It also means that plow operators will have to wait longer before they hit the roads. The government is even cutting on the use of salt”, said Black.

“The government is gambling with the life of New Brunswickers in more than one way. Many workers will lose their jobs with these latest cuts adding to the hardship.”

“We are very concerned about the safety on our roads. Hours of operation at many Health Community Centers have been reduced, which means New Brunswickers will have to travel further to get services, and ambulances will also have to travel longer distance.”

“Furthermore, 178 rural roads with two houses or less will not be plowed anymore. This is another example of the government’s attitude towards rural New Brunswick. Bit by bit, this government is abandoning the rural communities.”

“The government is pretending that the services are being fairly and equally provided around the province.”

“These latest cuts are the results of the regressive tax reform we have in this province. We need to go back to a progressive tax system where everybody paid their fair share of taxes in order to really provide fairly and equally public services in this province”.

Now the Finance Minister wants to add an additional burden on low income in New Brunswick by bringing back tolls on our highways.” Finance Minister Blain Higgs is calling the deficit situation “unacceptable and unsustainable”.

“We believe that what is really “unacceptable and unsustainable” is the government’s refusal to increase taxes for large corporations and high earners in New Brunswick”, concluded Black.

Fredericton: Three years after New Brunswick adopted tax reforms; it’s obvious that they’ve failed workers of this province.

According to CUPE NB President Daniel Légère, the government needs to go back to a progressive tax system where individuals and companies pay their fair share of taxes.

“Decreasing taxes for big businesses and for high income earners has taken hundreds of millions of dollars away from the province.”

“At the time, the Liberal government said that this tax reform would attract new families and businesses to the province. The government completely ignored warnings from economists and civil society. Tax reform didn’t spur the economic growth that the government predicted and our main resources, our workers, continue to leave the province to earn a living,” said Légère.

“Since tax reform was adopted, the government has surrendered hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues every year. It’s not enough for the Alward government to cancel the last tax reduction called for in the tax reform. They’ve got to change directions and go back to a progressive tax system!”

“Last week, Horizon Health Network cut 65 positions. Cutting jobs means cutting services. In this case, the rural regions will be the ones that pay. The community health centres in McAdam, Blacks Harbour, Minto, Harvey and the Tobique Valley will offer fewer services. New Brunswickers are paying the price of this tax reform and are suddenly finding themselves with fewer essential public services like health care! These reductions in services are the result of the two percent budget cuts imposed by the government.”

“Health care professionals are demanding improvements in community health care, not cuts. This is a very backward step.”

“Premier David Alward has adopted the same approach as his predecessor: an approach that favors big businesses over people. He’s attacking public services instead of fixing the source of the problem: tax reform!” Légère concluded.

FREDERICTON: The Union representing the hospital workers, the New Brunswick Council of Hospital Union – CUPE local 1252 is appalled by the announcement this morning that another 14 positions held by its members are being cut in hospitals and community health centres in the province.

“This time, the government is targeting the rural communities. Community Health centres in McAdam, Black Harbour, Minto, Harvey and Tobique Valley are being hit, as well as major hospitals in the province, mainly Miramichi and Dr. Everett Chalmers in Fredericton”, said Norma Robinson, President of CUPE 1252.

“We were also informed that the hours of operation at those centres will also be reduced. The government should be ashamed to target small communities which already received the minimum of health care services.”

“The ones who are going to suffer the most are the seniors and the low-income citizens. These centres are away from major facilities. Most of the seniors don’t have transportation or they don’t have someone to drive them to facilities hours away. Also, some of those centres are the front line services to the forest industry.”

“Ironically, the government stated not long ago that there would be no cuts in certain areas of the province like Miramichi and today, we were told they are cutting 2 positions in that facility.”

“At the Tobique Valley Health centre, they are reducing the staff by half. What will come next: The closure of that centre? There is nothing left. They are being cut to the barebones.”

“Last August, the government cut 4 positions and now they added another 14, not counting the people they send home by attrition. When are they going to stop?” asked Robinson.

“At the end of the day, job cuts mean reduction of services. There’s no way around it.”

“This employer shows a complete disrespect for its employees. We didn’t receive any notice, we were advised 20 minutes before the pink slip was handed to the workers”, concluded Robinson

 Fredericton: The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) appointed CUPE Representative, Gordon Black, as Regional Director for the Maritimes region.

Gordon Black has been involved with CUPE for more than 33 years; first as a member in the late 1970s while he worked for the Department of Transportation. He became a shop steward in 1978 and Area Vice-President in 1986. He served as the CUPE 1190 Treasurer in 1989.

In 1992, Gordon Black took a position as a CUPE servicing representative for New Brunswick. Before becoming the Regional Director, he was the head negotiator for the nursing home workers and the hospital workers.

Gordon Black said he was looking forward to the challenges of this position, which there will be many. “Unions have a very positive impact on society. Most of the benefits workers receive, whether they are union members or not, came from the continuing struggle of Unions”, said Black.

“CUPE and Unions in general are facing unprecedented attacks. Labour unions are the last line of defense for working people and we need to build solidarity”, concluded Black.

FREDERICTON – The Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ (CFIB) call for de-indexing pension plans is a position that would lead to the impoverishment of the hundreds of thousands of Canadian workers.

“The position of the CFIB is neither new nor surprising. This organization’s goal is to bring down taxes, wages, pensions and all other benefits for all workers”, said CUPE NB President Daniel Légère.

“The CFIB call for pension plans to be de-indexed would mean that retirees would not receive any pension increase and would not be able to keep up for the rising cost of living. Also, for the workers, it would create a two-tier system where some people would have full indexation, others partial indexation, and others no-indexation.”

“De-indexing pension plans would also have a very negative impact on the Canadian Federation of Independent Business members and the economy. When people get less money and can’t keep up with the cost of goods, they spend less money. We just have to remember when the employment insurance benefits were reduced; many small and independent businesses had to close their doors in our province,’ said Légère.

“Instead of trying to lower the standard of living of the Canadian workers, the CFIB should work to protect benefits of workers. Better pension plans means a stronger economy,” concluded Daniel Légère.

MONCTON: The first-ever Eastern Municipal Conference wrapped up with another round of excellent speakers and a successful public event on CETA – the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement.

Mario Fontaine, president of Quebec Provincial Council for the municipal sector started the day off by sharing the experience of bringing Sherbrooke’s solid waste collection back in-house and gave concrete ways to fight back. He cautioned that although the private sector costs might look lower, once a municipality gets rid of their expertise and equipment, residents face cost increases.

Fontaine explained the campaign his local ran in Sherbrooke and said that to fight privatization, locals need to gather good information with accurate facts and figures. Locals must defend the services they provide through their collective agreements, by joining together with coalition groups, having a good relationship developed with media, and getting the public on our side.

Public joins members for CETA event

Conference attendees were joined by members of the public for a town hall meeting on CETA, the Canada-European Union trade deal being negotiated behind closed doors.

CUPE National President Paul Moist told the crowd of about 300 that as well as being an attack on public services, CETA is unlike any trade deal ever negotiated. “CETA is about access by the European Union to all levels of government and procurement, the services that all of our governments put out for tender. Be it federal, provincial, local government, crown corporations, public transit, airlines, health and social services – most things that were exempted from the free trade agreement with the United States and the agreement between Canada, Mexico and the United States – are being put on the table,” said Moist.

Intellectual property protection extensions in CETA mean that Canadians will pay almost $3 billion more annually for prescription drugs to protect European multi-national pharmaceuticals. “The people of Canada don’t want drug prices to go up, we want drug prices to go down through new and revised policies and a national pharmaceutical program provided to all Canadians,” said Moist to the applause of the crowd.

Ken Thompson, vice president of the Moncton and District Labour Council, shared the experience of the community of Moncton’s fightback against privatization of water ten years ago. “CETA will further erode our rights and public services, and take away local decision-making,” said Thompson. “Canada must implement a national water policy to curb the greed of the privateers.”

Council of Canadians National Chairperson Maude Barlow said that Europeans want permanent access to resources. “It’s a grab for diamonds, gold, oil, natural gas, uranium, potash, nickel, coal – and fish,” said Barlow. “Europe is seeking to remove export restrictions on raw fish and to gain full access by European companies to buy up fishing licenses currently restricted to Canadians.”

A recent study by the World Bank said that by 2030 the world demand for water will outstrip supply by 40 per cent. “Are we going to declare our water in the world to be a commons, a public and human right? Or are we going to put it on the market like running shoes or Coca-cola to the highest bidder?” asked Barlow. “CETA will enable resources like water to be a marketable commodity.” Participants were invited to sign a postcard opposing CETA. Pensions, water and political action

The afternoon ended with presentations by three more speakers. CUPE researcher Kevin Skerrett talked about pensions in today’s context, explained the differences between defined benefit and defined contribution plans, debunked pension myths, and suggested 10 pension strategies.

CUPE Nova Scotia President Danny Cavanagh spoke about water and the dangers of contracting out. “Water is a human right and should be guaranteed to all people. Water is vital to people’s health and our livability,” said Cavanagh. He noted that “the table has been set” and talked about our challenges in the face of contracting out.

New Brunswick Federation of Labour President Michel Boudreau was the final speaker. He spoke about political action and reminded delegates, “You are the only group who have the chance to elect your bosses.” Boudreau said that rather than spending your time trying to beat a few bullies, to spend your time electing others who will support you.

Marc Doiron, president of the Council of Municipal Employees of New Brunswick, said that almost 50 Locals were represented at the Eastern Municipal Conference. “We had good information about what’s happening – information that we don’t always have when we work in small municipalities – about privatization, CETA, pension plans. The more that we talk about it, the more we learn.” Doiron noted that the conference was relevant and valuable and they hope to hold another one next year.

FREDERICTON: The Canadian Union of Public Employees, New Brunswick Division (CUPE NB), is joining the public outcry and asking the Alward government to change its decision to abolish the Advisory Council on the Status of Women.

“We believe that the decision to do away with the Advisory Council is a way to muzzle women in our province,” said Daniel Légère, President of CUPE NB.

“Over the years, the Advisory Council has cried out against injustices and inequities in this province. The Council has done an exceptional job with scanty resources to make sure that the government can’t forget pay equity, childcare services, the place of women in politics, discrimination and violence, to name only a few of its concerns. The Council plays an essential role, and it has been a source of information and analysis on the status of women in the province for the past 35 years.”

“Abolishing the Council to save a few thousand dollars is inacceptable, and it will silence a strong, independent voice for women in the province.”

“Over the past few years we’ve seen Stephen Harper’s Conservative government try to muzzle advocacy and women’s groups like the NB Coalition for Pay Equity and the NB Child Care Coalition by cutting their funding. David Alward’s Conservatives are going even farther by completely abolishing the Advisory Council.”

“The Conservatives’ election platform talked about transparency and made a commitment to work closely with the Advisory Council. This decision certainly wasn’t transparent.”

“The Premier needs to reverse this budget decision and show that he is really listening to people,” Daniel Légère concluded.