Recent Research
A Thumb on the Scale
Alberta Government Interference in Public-Sector Bargaining
In 2024, about 200,000 public-sector Alberta workers will be negotiating new contracts. This report examines the ways governments, and specifically the Government of Alberta, interfere in public-sector collective bargaining. It also explores how this growing interference may impact the 2024 bargaining round. The report concludes by offering several options for how public-sector workers and their unions can respond to growing government interference, both at the bargaining table and through increased political pressure.
Failing to Deliver
The Alberta Surgical Initiative and Declining Surgical Capacity
Through Freedom of Information requests, statistical analysis, and a review of the research literature, this report evaluates claims made by the Alberta government about the effectiveness of the Alberta Surgical Initiative in reducing wait times and the role of for-profit surgical outsourcing. Based on the research evidence, the report recommends that the provincial government shift away from for-profit surgical delivery and fully commit to public system improvement.
Recent Blog Posts
Misleading Narratives
Pay-to-play queue-jumping won’t fix surgery wait times
This blog post critically responds to a recent Calgary Herald opinion piece on surgical wait times in Alberta. It shows how spending taxpayers’ money in private surgical centers not only failed to resolve the issue but also made it worse. The post also presents evidence-based solutions to reduce wait times in the public system.
Method in the Madness
The UCP’s plan for Alberta
So much has been happening in our politics that Albertans can be forgiven for feeling disoriented. It’s easy to focus on the latest bombshell as previous pronouncements fade. But it’s important to take a step back to see what patterns emerge. When we do, we find that the government’s flurry of activity indicates something more methodical is going on.
Sunshine Lists in Review
Shine the light on senior executives, not average workers
Almost a decade after the NDP government passed the Public Sector Compensation Transparency Act (PSCTA), the act is under review. The PSCTA created the so-called “sunshine lists” hoping public disclosure would work to curb financial excess by senior executives. But it needs changes to protect average public-sector workers.