sentences:  Membership that year grew past 45,000 and the union began to rebuild its defense fund.By the 26th annual convention in 2002, membership was approaching 50,000 and AUPE was bargaining for over 19,000 health care employees.In March 2003, AUPE faced what seemed to be another setback when the Alberta government introduced Bill 27, the Labour Relations (Regional Health Authorities Restructuring) Amendment Act, which forced amalgamation of health region bargaining units.