OK for Alberta labour minister to support striking postal workers, premier says
Premier Rachel Notley is dismissing criticism of Labour Minister Christina Gray for posing in photos with striking postal workers in Edmonton early Monday morning.
Notley said Gray's actions would have been inappropriate if the dispute was under the jurisdiction of the provincial government.
"When there is something where we actually have a decision-making role, we don't engage this way and we listen to both sides," she said.
Gray and Janis Irwin, NDP candidate in Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood and director of stakeholder relations in the premier's office, visited the picket line where members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers were on a 24-hour rotating walkout.
Irwin subsequently posted the photos on Twitter.
"I was happy to join with Minister @ChristinaNDP in support of members of @cupw Local 730," Irwin wrote.
"Postal workers across #yeg walked off the job this morning. Show your support today in their fight for a fair contract by dropping by the picket line."
As minister of labour, Gray's job is to work with workers and employers. Grant Hunter, MLA for Cardston-Taber-Warner and UCP labour critic, said he was surprised to see Gray "picking sides in this fight."
"The Canada Post strike will negatively affect Albertans — both individuals and businesses," Hunter wrote in a tweet.
"It speaks to poor judgment for the current government of Alberta to seemingly intervene in a federal labour dispute."
Hunter's boss, UCP Leader Jason Kenney, also weighed in.
"Strange that Alberta's labour minister and the premier's director of stakeholder relations are seemingly taking sides in a federal public-sector strike," Kenney posted on Twitter. "At the very least, speaks to poor judgment on the minister's part."
When asked if Gray's actions suggest Alberta employers won't get a fair hearing in a dispute, Notley said her government has a record of consulting widely on labour issues.
She suggested Gray was simply following the NDP government's practice of supporting workers.
"Our government supports working people generally and would reach out to provide — not institutional or any kind of determinative support — but simply to provide moral support to folks who are involved in campaigns," she said. "That's not particularly new."
Gray was not available for comment Monday. Instead, spokesman Ben Lof issued a statement on her behalf.
"I can confirm the minister was there to support Alberta workers on the picket line," he wrote. "She was not taking sides in the dispute. The hope of the provincial government is that this is resolved soon."
