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Gil McGowan Profile picture
Gil McGowan
@gilmcgowan
Proud father of three. President of the Alberta Federation of Labour. My job is to stand up for Alberta workers. https://t.co/4947qWYT2G
jim williamson Profile picture Cora Shaw Profile picture 2 subscribed
Jun 30 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
This is complete BS, Don. Did you talk to a single labour relations expert before writing this column? You clearly want the government to order the mechanics back to work and won’t be satisfied with any other outcome. The disruptions caused by this LEGAL strike are West Jet’s fault. When the mechanics rejected a tentative agreement recommended by their own union, West Jet should have RUSHED back to the bargaining table. Instead, they wasted time trying to convince the Minister to step in.
May 23 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
The business community is starting to acknowledge that Covid is a BIG economic & workplace problem. Unfortunately, here in Alberta, Covid deniers are running the UCP and our government. Who do you believe: Harvard researchers or our Premier, #DenialSmith? hbr.org/2024/05/long-c… Check out these stats! Harvard University economists estimated that long Covid costs the U.S. economy between $160 billion and $200 billion per year in lost wages and increased medical costs.
May 21 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
UCP policies are depressing both living standards and economic growth in Alberta. That’s the conclusion of a new report, entitled Alberta’s Disappearing Advantage. Check out these alarming charts! We need to fight to repair our living standards! #abpoli afl.org/wp-content/upl…
Image The report, authored by one of Canada’s most prominent progressive economists, @JimboStanford, shows that since the UCP took over, Alberta has had the slowest rate of wage growth among all Canadian provinces. We’re number one at suppressing wages! Image
Feb 2 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
I wrote this column back in September, but it’s more important than ever. Danielle Smith’s new anti-trans policy needs to be seen for what it is: part of a global “culture war” being waged by extremists against public services … and democracy itself. thetyee.ca/Opinion/2023/0… The activists behind these (policies) are part of a global network of right-wing extremists who have spent the past 10 or 15 years trying to foment rage and sow seeds of division — all in an effort to destabilize democracies around the world.
Nov 27, 2023 • 24 tweets • 6 min read
I just read the UCP’s cowardly pension workbook. I say “cowardly” because they’re offering this in place of the public town halls they initially promised. So, how bad is the government’s latest sales document dressed up as consultation? Let me count the ways. #AlbertaPensionScam Image First, there’s still no clear question,
like: “Are you in favour or leaving CPP and creating a stand-alone Alberta plan?” Instead we get a loaded question: “If those issues and concerns were addressed to your satisfaction, would you be supportive of moving from CPP to an APP?”
May 24, 2023 • 7 tweets • 4 min read
Thinking of voting UCP “because of the economy”? Think again! New study shows UCP’s “trickle down” policies have hurt, not helped the Alberta economy. Wage growth, economic growth, investment all dismal under UCP. #abvotes #FireTheUCP #abpoli #abvote action.afl.org/press-release-… Image Under the UCP, Alberta had the lowest wage growth in Canada. Image
Apr 19, 2023 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
A tale of two Premiers. Notley and Smith both sat down for separate chats with Calgary Mayor Gondek in front of crowd of 2,000 Calgary business people. In a nutshell: Notley shone; Smith flopped. I almost felt sorry for Smith. Almost. #AbLeg #abvotes #abpoli ImageImage I want to stress that this was a business audience. They didn’t give either politician a standing ovation, but the reception for Smith was positively chilly. And no wonder. When asked about downtown revitalization, Smith talked about the ring road and federal bail conditions.
Apr 17, 2023 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Glad to see this approach from the NDP. As a democratic society, we have to stop playing along with the fiction that outlets like the Western Standard, True North and Rebel Media are legitimate news outlets. They are simply right-wing extremists masquerading as journalists. To be clear, they should be free to continue publishing their nonsense, as long as it doesn’t cross the line into illegal hate speech. But that doesn’t mean that they should be accorded the privileges of real journalists.
Jan 27, 2023 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
Global investment in clean energy tied fossil fuel investment in 2022, for the first time ever. More than a $1 trillion was spent on new projects. We’re in the midst of the biggest economic paradigm shift since the Industrial Revolution. #AbLeg #abpoli bloomberg.com/news/articles/… Here’s a great visualization. This isn’t something that’s “looming on the horizon,” it’s here and it’s happening right now. The question we Albertans need to be asking is this: will we seize the opportunities associated with this massive paradigm shift, or will we be left behind?
Jan 26, 2023 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
The gall of this woman! All of the many Albertans (business, labour etc) who have been meeting with the federal government for the past year have been suggesting these things. And we’ve already convinced the feds to do them, including renaming it the Sustainable Jobs Act. #AbLeg The UCP, under Kenney & Smith, refused to come to the table in good faith and now they’re attempting to take credit for the work done by others. My guess is the oil & gas industry folks told Smith to stop getting in the way of policies that will reduce emissions AND create jobs.
Oct 29, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Conservatives used to be all about upholding the rule of law. But Danielle Smith is the opposite. First, she said she would ignore federal laws she doesn’t like. Now it’s provincial laws. She’s Trumpian in her disregard for our democratic institutions. Alarm bells, folks. #AbLeg To be clear, we went to court to protect the health and safety of workers and kids in the context of a pandemic that’s still going strong. And the court ruled that public health decisions need to be made by experts, not conspiracy-addled politicians.
Oct 28, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Confirmed in Law: The Decision-Maker for COVID-19 Public Health Orders in Alberta is the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Period. Great summary and explanation of yesterday’s court decision overturning the UCP’s approach to ending mask mandates. #AbLeg ablawg.ca/2022/10/28/con… “The legislation does not authorize Cabinet or any individual Minister to issue those orders, and the legislation does not provide that the CMOH is merely an advisor to Cabinet on these public health orders.”
Oct 13, 2022 • 14 tweets • 3 min read
Are you tired of the Sovereignty Act & endless anti-vax rhetoric? Wouldn’t it be nice if our leaders talked about jobs & the economy, instead? Yesterday, we at the AFL released a report aimed at turning the spotlight towards things that REALLY matter. calgary.ctvnews.ca/bold-and-ambit… Here’s our news release and report. Basically, we’re saying that the biggest threat to the Alberta economy and Alberta jobs is the unfolding global energy transition. We can either prepare for change and prosper, or do nothing and be left behind. afl.org/ground-breakin…
Sep 21, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Thousands of kids in Alberta schools are sick and the number is growing. Many of these are almost certainly Covid, but we’ll never know because the provincial government has stopped testing. This is essentially a forced mass infection policy, with no thought for #LongCovid The government barely mentions Covid when communicating with parents, referring only to outbreaks of “respiratory illness.” But here’s the problem: Covid is not just another respiratory disease. It’s a multi-system illness that affects the brain, heart and all other organs.
Sep 21, 2022 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Hey, ⁦@PierrePoilievre⁩! Canada Pension Plan (CPP) deductions are NOT taxes — they’re contributions to only pension most Canadians will ever get (no, not everyone gets a huge MP’s pension). And EI is insurance against unemployment. Again, NOT a tax. ctvnews.ca/politics/poili… Workers actually fought long and hard to get CPP. And we’re the ones who called for the contribution increases, too. They will fund a 25%, inflation-indexed increase in monthly payouts to retired Canadians. What your proposing is an attack on the retirement security of millions.
Aug 29, 2022 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
It’s like clockwork. Whenever a right-wing extremist publicly demonstrates how truly hateful he is, right-wing apologists rush in to say “the Left made us do it!” They don’t want to admit that this is who they’re attracting & enabling. The deflection and denial is truly pathetic. And, no, David, no one ever called the “vaccine hesitant” racist. We said that many of the main organizers of the occupation of Ottawa, the Coutts blockade and other convoy events have ties with known racist groups.
Aug 27, 2022 • 8 tweets • 3 min read
It’s not enough to condemn the actions of the loudmouth bully who accosted ⁦@cafreeland⁩ in Grande Prairie. We need to acknowledge that it’s the inevitable result of the words/framing used by conservative politicians & pundits to demonize & dehumanize their opponents. There’s a name for what they’re doing: stochastic terrorism. And, yes, I’m accusing people like @PierrePoilievre @jkenney & @ABDanielleSmith of engaging in this kind of terrorism.
Aug 27, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Here’s an example of what workers in the Alberta have to put up with. This group of scaffolders refused to work overtime after their 10-hour shifts, but the UCP’s Alberta Labour Relations Board ordered the workers to work the supposedly VOLUNTARY overtime against their will. What part of VOLUNTARY do these guys not understand? This kind of crap is happening across the province. And the UCP’s labour board is using the power of government to push workers around. Where’s the freedom crowd now, huh?
Aug 20, 2022 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
This is an amazing, important thread highlighting recent research on corporate behaviour. Most big corporations are spending ALL or nearly all of their profits on dividends or stock buy-backs, leaving nothing for wage increases for workers or reinvestment in productive capacity. The research is British, but it’s clear corporations are doing the same thing in other countries including Canada and the United States. It helps explain why we’ve had decades of stagnant wages and low productivity.
Aug 15, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Unvaccinated COVID-19 patients put a $61.3-million avoidable burden on the Alberta health-care system during the fourth COVID wave, says University of Alberta study. Their “freedom” is not actually free. They rest of us pay in so many ways. #COVID19AB stalberttoday.ca/local-news/u-o… How does the pro-public health majority pay for the anti-public health minority’s choices? Let me count the ways. Higher health care costs. Higher community transmission & infection rates. More death. More #LongCovid. More labour shortages. More inflation. Slower economy etc.
Jul 20, 2022 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
While everyone is focused on inflation, it’s important to note that low interest rates drive up asset prices. Why have home prices gone through the roof over the past 30 years? Why is the stock market disconnected from reality? Low interest rates. It’s class war by another means. Yes, low interest rates helped many people buy their homes. But we need to ask why those homes were so expensive in the first place. Moderate levels of inflation are NOT bad for workers — as long as they have the bargaining power (eg unions) to get regular wage increases.