After recent allegations of financial mismanagement major staffing cuts leave Glenbow Museum employees reeling
Employees at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1645, received notice of layoffs and drastic job reductions August 15.
Front-line staff are being slashed by the equivalent of 9.9 full-time positions. Fourteen employees received layoff notices, two front-line staff lost their jobs entirely, and the remainder will have their hours significantly cut.
While on the management side, there will be a reduction of the equivalent of 2.4 full-time positions, however no current manager will lose their job. Two long-standing vacant management positions will be eliminated, and one recently hired manager has been hired at a 0.6 full-time equivalency.
CUPE Local 1645 President, Kim Hallis was made aware of today’s cuts one month ago, as required by the union contract, just before “Fast Forward Weekly” reported on July 19 that former staff of the museum are alleging financial mismanagement. Hallis explains, “As staff we have feared this day for years. We all knew the deficits for the last three years have been over $1 million.”
Hallis stresses, “Our members are passionate about the museum collections and keeping our history alive.” The cuts will severely impact the museum’s collections and the museum’s ability to serve the public. “So in addition, to the hardships the affected workers and their family will endure, the remaining employees will work in an increasingly stressful environment and Albertans will see a very different Glenbow Museum.”
Hallis further explains that the union executive has gone to management repeatedly to voice their members’ concerns about the budget and workload. Hallis concludes, “Today our members are taking the hit for poor financial decisions made by management and the Board over the last several years.”
