Saskatoon - The three unions representing 25,000 health care providers in the
province presented a new offer of settlement in contract discussions today with
the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO).

“Our comprehensive offer of settlement provides reasonable solutions to SAHO’s
concerns while ensuring equitable treatment for health care providers,” says
Gordon Campbell, President of the CUPE Health Care Council.

The unions’ offer was developed in response to “the amended final offer” SAHO
presented last week.

The offer recognizes and values the full range of professional skills offered by
health care providers, says Campbell. “These are key people who schedule
surgeries, test for cancer or H1N1, provide skilled nursing care and therapy
services, ensure quality infection control and nutrition services among many
other health care services.”

Bonnie Erickson, the Chairperson of the SGEU Health Providers Negotiating
Committee, says SAHO and the health regions continue to table the same offer
for her members. “They have made no movement at all and refuse to address
the disparities created by the employer and the SaskParty government.

“Why is it that our members are the only ones in the health sector that are
expected to pay more for licensing, even though they earn less each day? It is
these types of equity issues the unions addressed in their offer,” she says.
Erickson hopes SAHO seriously considers the unions’ comprehensive offer
because “we believe it would be acceptable to our membership and worthy of a
vote.”

Barbara Cape, SEIU-West President, points out that SAHO has adamantly
refused to take any of the significant SEIU-West rollbacks off the table. “Their
latest effort to persuade the public they are negotiating is merely a facade,” she
says.

“SAHO continues to dismiss us when we warn them that more and more of our
members will exit the health care system due to increasing frustration – our
members are overworked, understaffed and disrespected. Vacancies will remain
unfilled until an equitable resolve is achieved. SAHO’s recent actions display a
tremendous amount of disrespect for our members and the role that they play in
the delivery of health care services in this province,” Cape says.

The unions point out that the cost of addressing the equity issues in their
comprehensive plan is minimal and does not put health care providers above the
compensation rates applied to others in the public sector.

The province’s health care providers include special care aides, licensed
practical nurses, food services workers, laundry, housekeeping and activity
personnel, sterile processing workers, maintenance, administrative, clerical,
therapeutic and recreational workers, and medical technologists and technicians.

SEIU represents 11,000 health care providers in four health regions. SGEU
represents 2,000 health care providers in three health regions. CUPE Health
Care Council represents 12,600 health care providers in five health regions.

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Contact: Gordon Campbell 539-0661
Barbara Cape 631-4713
Bonnie Erickson 541-3549