149 Buttons” have been distributed! For members in Red Deer, “149 Buttons” are what folks in Edmonton & St. Albert are wearing to protest the City of Edmonton’s intention to fire 149 members and contract out their work. These buttons are gaining a great impact. Announcing his candidacy to run for City Council again, Councillor Tony Caterina was wearing an ATU 149 Button.

Please, please, please show your solidarity with these valued members and WEAR YOUR BUTTON until June 07.

Negotiations are underway for two Bargaining Units: Red Deer and ETS Main. This may be the toughest round of bargaining I’ve personally ever experienced. I was involved in the Klein years and I can say from experience, this is tougher. Not only do we have a mean-spirited provincial government, but we have the shattered economy of a pandemic to complicate everything.

We’re further along with ETS Main, a few items agreed upon, but the important stuff, meaning anything involving money, is outstanding. We’re very close to impasse in these negotiations and the next step will be to involve a mediator.

In Red Deer, we’ve had one meeting to exchange proposals and one more scheduled for later this week. We’ll keep you posted, but these talks are no less challenging than the ones in Edmonton.

Stay tuned, everybody! And wear those buttons!

In solidarity,

Steve Bradshaw

President/Business Agent

ATU Local 569