Thread by @Bacque40

Update: Multiple Alberta Agriculture and Forestry ministry employees confirm the Oct. 15 deadline is firm; it hasn't been extended (was previously pushed back twice) and cuts will begin anytime now, probably starting Monday. THREAD

If you work for Alberta Ag and Forestry, you may soon be out of a job. The 277 cuts can now begin at any time. The cuts represent 40% of the total cuts to the entire gov't this year. Cuts to be complete by March 31, 2021

There were already about 50 jobs lost in the past year, which included many extension positions. Before cuts were made, though, morale had substantially dropped, according to 10-plus ministry insiders I spoke with

Some in ag have praised the cuts and told me me it's great gov't will cut "paper pushers" in downtown Edmonton, but, as one research scientist said: "farmers have no idea that the people who will lose their jobs are the ones doing the real work."

Yes, some office folk in AF could lose their jobs, but many more are the practitioners in labs and fields. There aren't enough universities/research institutes to hire them all, I'm told. So, unless they switch careers, they may look past AB for ag jobs

It is unclear what the breakdown will be until all 277 are gone and the office/non-office worker tally can be done

The biggest fear those who conduct work in labs and fields tell me is the possibility of a very large gap in research, which they think will severely impact farmers/ranchers. Everyone I spoke with is furious at gov't, sad for producers

You can read about what a few insiders thought of the environment in my @westernproducer article here: producer.com/2020/07/anxiet…

One prominent AF researcher most producers would know and have benefited from their work, told me yesterday: "I am confident that I will be let go next week." Another says Monday most everyone will get served

Other people at AB research facilities this week said they have "no clue" what was going on and that they "have not heard anything" in terms of their job/their rsch portfolios etc. It's radio silence, I'm told

Lots of announcements going on this week by the ministry, so plausible guesses may be made as to who may lose their job and where they may go, but nothing is official.

Financial amounts given to different post-secondaries may be one-, two- or three-time payments, but most ministry insiders say those are effectively transition payments. Post-secs will presumably be on their own after that

If you are a ministry employee and want to speak with me, my DMs are open and I want to hear from you and/or your colleague! So, pass this on please! /end