AUPE warns of health-care layoffs, minister says no cuts planned

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE)saysauxiliary nurses and health-care support staffare growing concerned about reduced hours and layoff notices.

ButHealth Minister Sarah Hoffman says there will be no cuts to frontline workers and patient care in the province.

• Alberta union president warns against cutting health care jobs to save money

"AHS needs to ensure it manages existing staff and resources appropriately. But I have been clear there will be no cuts, just as I have also been clear that we need to find ways to slow the rate of spending growth," Hoffman said in a statement.

In January, Dr. VernaYiu,the interim president andCEO of Alberta Health Services, warned that cuts were being considered in everyhealth department.

AUPE president Guy Smith said Thursday that union members started to raise concerns about cuts last week.

"We were given information by AHS last week that they were looking at massive reduction in hours of services to the people of the province, and obviously that impacts our members who provide those services. So there are layoffs impending and some have already occurred," he said.

"They're trying to spin this in a way that mitigates the impact on services toAlbertans. They're looking at moving and shifting all sorts of positions around all over the place, but the net result is layoffs of people from their current positions, and that's what we're trying to mitigate right now."

Alberta Health Services said in a statement that any staffing changes are being made through attrition and redeployment.

"Because of collective agreements, layoff notices are required to redeploy unionized staff. However, there is no involuntary loss of employment of unionized staff. That is firm."