Alberta Union of Public Employees (AUPE) president Guy Smith will keep a close eye on the provincial government after rumours emerged last week of government intentions to privatize workplace health and safety inspections. Smith claims staff from the Ministry of Human Services reported to him that the assistant deputy minister was charged with the responsibility of drawing up a business plan to privatize Occupational Health and Safety.

Shortly after, AUPE reacted by distributing a press release alleging the government had imminent plans to commercialize OHS, which the government has since denied.

“We think it’s really important when we hear noise about privatization to jump on it really quickly,” says Smith. “When the minister tells me directly that they’ve got no plans to privatize, I have to take him at his word.”

Reassurances aside, Smith says AUPE will continue to monitor the situation because the government has a history of what he believes is ideologically motivated public service privatization.

“I think that the reason they get out of certain areas of the public service is to abandon direct accountability... It’s never saved money and it’s never resulted in increased services, ever. It usually results in staff turnover and staff morale hitting rock bottom,” Smith says.

He also fears that with privatization, a sector loses the wealth of experience from longtime public staff as they are exchanged for less experienced workers who will accept a lower wage, allowing the private enterprise to turn a profit.

The government continues to deny plans to privatize. It recently announced hiring an additional 30 workplace inspection officers and extending officer hours to evenings and weekends so they can inspect businesses open at those times.