Thomas Lukaszuk

Who leaked the Alberta government's response to AUPE's complaint, and why?

| May 15, 2013

Who leaked the Alberta government's response to the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees' unfair labour practices complaint to an Edmonton Journal political reporter, and why?

This is an important question because at the time the leak took place, the government document questioning AUPE President Guy Smith's personal honesty in harsh and colourful terms was being kept confidential by the Alberta Labour Relations Board.

This was done as a fairly routine part of the board's effort to effect a settlement of AUPE’s complaint that the Alberta government had broken an agreement it made to end the illegal strike by about 2,500 jail guards on May 1.

Athabasca University board to Athabasca U Faculty Association: Drop dead

David J. Climenhaga

| May 13, 2013

It took Athabasca University's rubber-stamp board less than 48 hours to tell the university's faculty association to forget about its suggestion an interim president be appointed to get the distance-learning institution back on track while a replacement is found for President Frits Pannekoek.

Alert readers will recall that Dr. Pannekoek, the subject of an overwhelming non-confidence motion last year by the university's faculty and another by a staff union, has announced his intention to resign, but not until his replacement is found -- a process professors fear could take up to two years, with potentially disastrous results for Athabasca.

Negotiating with Alberta's PC government? Better bring witnesses!

David J. Climenhaga

| May 11, 2013

Advice to anyone who tries to negotiate a deal with Alison Redford, Thomas Lukaszuk or any member or official of their government: take witnesses with you, and make sure you also bring a tape recorder.

You might want to bring a piece of paper, a pen, a Bible and a notary public as well. One-on-one meetings ending in "handshake deals" with these people? I don't think so!

Fixing Athabasca U: A chance for tough-guy Tom Lukaszuk to do something constructive

David J. Climenhaga

| May 9, 2013

Athabasca University's Faculty Association called yesterday for the institution's president to be replaced by an interim president chosen from among senior staff.

On the face of it, this idea makes a lot of sense, since the president in question -- Dr. Frits Pannekoek -- announced back in December 2012 he's going to retire anyway, although a date has never been set for a departure that is certain to be greeted with relief by staff and faculty whenever it comes.

Premier explains Alberta politics to children: 'Opposition Leader, what big teeth you have!'

David J. Climenhaga

| May 3, 2013

Once upon a time, while Alberta's premier was telling fairy tales to impressionable children, some of her senior officials were spinning fairy stories of their own.

Actually, this all happened yesterday.

The premier told a group of Grade 1 students at an Edmonton school library a story about a good princess named Alison, who built schools for children just like them, and a very bad princess named Danielle, who wouldn't build any schools at all!

The Alison in question, of course, is Premier Alison Redford herself, the one telling the story. The Danielle is Danielle Smith, leader of the Opposition Wildrose Party. And maybe Redford didn't use exactly those words, but you get the general idea.

All lawbreakers will be punished … unless they happen to be Alberta Conservatives

David J. Climenhaga

| May 2, 2013

In Alberta, lawbreakers must be punished, and they will be punished -- unless, of course, they happen to be supporters of the ruling Progressive Conservative Party.

So, the government announced yesterday, it will be going after the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees for the full cost of the wildcat strike by 2,500 jail guards -- a figure the government ministers were somewhat fancifully suggesting yesterday will be about $6 million.

It was the government that blinked: Defiant Alberta jail guards have every right to declare victory

David J. Climenhaga

| May 1, 2013

Even without last night's deal with the Alberta government, Alberta's defiant jail guards would have been entitled to declare a victory in their illegal five-day wildcat strike.

And that was before the illegally striking guards reached the agreement to end their walkout largely on their terms.

Breaking News: Victory and vindication for Alberta jail guards

David J. Climenhaga

| April 30, 2013

Illegally striking Alberta Union of Provincial Employees jail guards have reached an agreement with the government of Premier Alison Redford in “discussions” that Deputy Minister Thomas Lukaszuk said would never happen.

AUPE announced five minutes ago that it had reached ago a deal with the provincial government that includes no retribution for any AUPE member who walked off the job and a full occupational health and safety review of all issues raised by the Correctional Peace officers in the new Edmonton Remand Centre.

Craziness in Alberta jails continues -- and may get worse today

David J. Climenhaga

| April 29, 2013

With Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk at the helm, the stalemate in Alberta's provincial jails continued through the night with wildcatting Correctional Peace Officers still manning picket lines and the government making dubious claims guards were returning to work.

The dispute started months ago over occupational health and safety concerns about Edmonton's just completed $580-million Remand Centre, turned into a strike Friday when two CPOs were disciplined for complaining about them, and quickly spread to the province’s other seven provincial Correctional facilities.

Deputy Premier Tom Lukaszuk: The wrong man to solve Alberta's jail crisis

David J. Climenhaga

| April 28, 2013

"You know what a tense, sensitive and dangerous situation like an illegal strike at a prison needs? Thomas Lukaszuk."

So Tweeted well-known Edmonton New Democrat Lou Arab yesterday, the self-described political geek, Internet junkie, father, husband and smartass sarcastically nailing the problem with the Alberta government's borderline bizarre response to the wildcat strike by provincial jail guards at eight correctional facilities across the province.

Stompin' Tom Lukaszuk? The guy the Edmonton Sun once dubbed Mr. T. when he chased a car full of kids he reckoned were breaking the law through the snowy streets of an Edmonton bedroom community? The master of the ill-considered Tweet?

Thomas Lukaszuk

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