The Calgary Alliance for the Common Good is pleased to welcome the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 38 (CUPE) as members of our organization.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 38 (CUPE) represents 5,100 Administrative and Technical employees at the City of Calgary, ENMAX and the Calgary Parking Authority.  As an affiliate local of the largest union in Canada, CUPE is committed to improving the economic and social well-being of its members and Calgarians.  CUPE Local 38 is a proud member of the Alberta Federation of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress.  Solidarity is the core belief of the labour movement. Together they lobby, organize and campaign for social justice on behalf of working families for a better quality of life in our society.  By negotiating fair wages and working conditions for its members, through to working with its national union on social justice campaigns both in Canada and abroad for all families, CUPE is committed to building a more just society.

In early January it came to light that the city was going to change a $2.50 fee for online ordering of low income transit passes. To again ask low income people to pay more or alternatively to ask people with disabilities to make a trip to city hall and stand in a long line to avoid the fee makes little sense. Because of the relationships we have built with media – they reached out to us to respond – and we did. Councillor Chahal also spoke out again this fee, then Councillor Farrell raised the issues with administration. The result is that the fee how now been reversed, keeping transit affordable for our city’s most vulnerable residents.

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/new-online-convenience-fee-disappoints-subsidized-transit-advocate

https://livewirecalgary.com/2020/01/13/calgary-transit-to-reimburse-convenience-fee-for-low-income-transit-users/

During the fall of 2019 as City Council was looking to make more cuts and to increase the cost of the low-income transit pass by 250%, we mobilized #KeepCalgaryStrong a second time.