Last Thursday, 11 AUFA members and friends joined a solidarity picket of over 40 people outside Cessco Fabrication and Engineering in Edmonton. Boilermakers at Cessco have been locked out since June 28th.
The lockout occurred after two and half years of bargaining failed. The employer is demanding wage cuts, major pension rollbacks, and the elimination of seniority clauses. Cessco started to bring in scab workers on July 6th, with buses and vans.
The solidarity picket comprised predominantly post-secondary staff. In attendance were workers from the Athabasca, NAIT, and U of A faculty associations, CUPE 3911 (AU tutors), and the Non-Academic Staff Association at the U of A. There were also other non-PSE unions present.
This picket demonstrates that it is possible to effectively picket an employer during COVID. The picket held up a van and a bus for 10 minutes each. Earlier in the week, Boilermakers were meeting scabs at the morning pick-up point and held up transport for over two hours. Thanks are due to the AUFA members and friends who attended.
Designation update
Last week, AUFA sent a letter to President Neil Fassina signed by 185 members who would be de-designated under AU’s revised designation policy. This letter (signed by roughly 70% of affected members) indicated that the signatories wished to remain in AUFA.
As with an earlier letter signed by academics and sent to Provost Matt Prineas, there has been no response to this letter.
Bob Barnetson, Chair
Job Action Committee