Mr. Speaker, at this very moment, there are thousands of workers rallying for respect and for their collective bargaining rights at the legislature in Alberta.
Members of CUPE local 3550 were stripped of their rights to strike by the Alberta government after they voted 97% in favour of job action.
Education assistance, administrative staff, librarians and student support staff are the backbone of our education system. They make our schools run; they support our teachers; and, most important, they help our children. However, they are not being treated with the respect they deserve. These workers, mostly women, as 94% of local 3550 members are women, work difficult, stressful jobs while making poverty wages. Now their most basic rights are being denied.
Workers are tired of subsidizing funding cuts with poverty wages. Today and every day, I stand with the dedicated workers of CUPE local 3550 and all workers across Canada and Alberta.