The Opposition NDP and labour groups are hopping mad at the UCP for limiting debate over Bill 9, or the government's Public Sector Wage Arbitration Deferral Act.

The UCP say they plan to delay wage arbitration talks with public sector union workers until the Fall, after they've had a chance to go over the books.

Livingstone-Macleod MLA Roger Reid says his talks with government workers here in the Foothills about the issue have been positive.

"You know once we sat them down and explained it, outside of the rhetoric from the opposition, they seemed to get it. We don't want to see the same thing we saw in 1992, where there were no full-time jobs for three or four years for some people. You know we want to make it sustainable, so it may take some time to do that."

Reid says he understands it's frustrating for local school boards who need those numbers now to put together their Fall budgets.

"We know the timing of things is difficult for school boards because at this point they would have put their funding together and we understand. Those kind of things are impacting the decisions that are being made by school divisions. But you know it's really hard to tell them what the numbers are going to be until we know what the numbers are. And that's just a reality for our government right now."

Reid says public sector workers will still be paid now and into the future.

"Any changes in the pay then are retroactive, regardless of whether we go to arbitration in November or December, those wages become retroactive is my understanding. You know, again, trying to read through all these things and get a handle on them in the midst of drinking from a fire hose. It's really trying to do it in good faith so that when we come in we make a deal that's long term and positive."

The UCP shut down debate on the issue, infuriating the opposition.

 

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