A coalition of Alberta unions says recent changes in the rules governing activities of the board of the Alberta Local Authorities Pension Plan (LAPP) has put the pension rights of 125,000 Albertans at risk.
The Labour Coalition on Pensions says some of those rights include the right to early retirement, cost-of-living allowances and workers’ ability to retire when their age and years of service add up to 85.
“While our legal action continues, we believe this is fundamentally a political problem that can be solved quickly by the premier and cabinet,” says a statement from the coalition.
At issue is a new employer-dominated system of governance brought in despite union opposition.
The coalition believes the new rules break a long-standing agreement which required union approval for all significant changes to the policies or governance of the plan.
The old rules required a two-thirds majority and a quorum of eight members of the board, which had to include four employer representatives and four employee representatives. Now only a simple majority is required and there is no need for a labour representative to be present.
The coalition—which represents approximately 125,000 members of the $15-billion LAPP—is made up of the Alberta Federation of Labour, the Alberta Colleges and Institutes Faculty Association, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Health Sciences Association of Alberta, and the United Nurses of Alberta.
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