Message from the President

Message from the President

Welcome to the new SEIUWest.ca

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the SEIUWEST.ca website.

As our new Local develops, we anticipate that we will enjoy many future positive encounters with you and all others SEIU members. It is our desire to recruit potential leaders, stewards and communicators – I give you my guarantee that your interest in your union will not be overlooked.

First, I am proud to share with you our most recent achievements – on May 26, 2008, the three Saskatchewan Locals of SEIU voted to complete a merger. The vote results endorsed our new model with an overwhelming level of confidence.

Our new local – SEIUWEST is comprised of more than twelve thousand (12,000) members. We represent health care providers, daycare workers, education sector, and workers within other community based organizations. These members work in a variety of over three hundred (300) classifications. We administer over thirty (30) collective bargaining agreements and our worksites range in size from ten (10) to thirteen hundred (1300) workers.

Both our administrative and field staff are very experienced, with many years of involvement in the labour movement. We are dedicated to our members and we want to see them receive knowledgeable and prompt service. However, our very best problem-solvers and communicators will always be the stewards in the workplace. Our representatives are highly skilled in the training/mentoring of stewards, managing contract negotiations and sharing their knowledge of labour relations.

By joining SEIUWEST.ca, you have become a member of one of the most effective Unions in Canada. We have a proud history of fighting for our rights, against injustice and towards the improvement of the lives of our members. We encourage you to explore the avenues for participation and become an active member.

Challenges we face in the upcoming year include the negotiation of revisions to our SEIU/SAHO Provincial Health Care Provider Collective Bargaining Agreement. Our aim is to negotiate a fair Collective Agreement, with a view to achieving equity with other members of the health care team. We have other Collective Bargaining Agreements that will be open in the upcoming year include Extendicare (Canada) Inc.,
Canadian Blood Services, Moose Jaw and District EMS, Métis Addictions Council of Saskatchewan, and Bentley (Regina) among others. Our members are experiencing ever increasing demands at their worksites. Factors such as retention and recruitment concerns, ever-increasing workloads, and safe staffing levels are prominent in all of our proposals. The cost of living has increased dramatically for our members and employers need to understand that the benefits of our economic prosperity must be shared with those who provide our public services.

SEIUWEST is a progressive Union with new innovative ideas. We welcome anyone who is looking for the benefits of an experienced Union whose goal is to put an end to wage and benefit disparity forever.

In solidarity,

Barbara Cape
President
SEIUWEST.ca

SEIU West Website Intro

SEIU West 2009 Website Intro