Date: February 1, 2023
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
There have been some changes on the Employer side since the last time we met with them and the people and tactics are new and strange. We have a lot to talk about.
The most important thing on the agenda is the pay raise the Employer just provided. That was not negotiated with the Union and they didn’t notify us about it. We are delighted that you got a pay raise and we know you deserve it, but we plan to keep the right to bargain for a still better pay raise and we think you deserve that too.
We met with the Employer for 5 days in January and made a good start on bargaining. Most of what went back and forth was normal for the beginning of bargaining. We will provide details at our unit meeting on Monday but let’s just say that we made a good start on the non-monetary issues, but we have a long way to go.
In the middle of it all we learned about the 2% pay raise retroactive to the 1st of April last year. We know the Employer got exactly that for a funding increase and we’re glad they passed it on but they’re not supposed to do that. It violates the Collective Agreement and the Saskatchewan Employment Act. In a bargaining year they can’t make any changes in the rates of pay or working conditions without negotiating with us. That’s a rule in the Collective Agreement and the Employment Act.
Even though we have the grounds for a complaint and the Employer is out of bounds, we told them there is no way they can take this back because it was a mistake. We also won’t let them use this to get around more bargaining for wages and working conditions. We think a bigger wage increase is overdue and other fixes are too. We aren’t accusing the Employer of trying to get around bargaining, but we won’t let it happen either.
On behalf of the Committee, if you have questions about bargaining and/or your collective agreement contact the Member Resource Centre (MRC) by phone at 1-888-999-7348 ext 2298, by email at [email protected], or by using the contact form.
Your participation in your Union makes us all strong!
In Solidarity,
The SEIU-West Luther Care Group Home Bargaining Committee
Arin Blair (Unit Chair) • Laura Fleming (Unit Vice Chair) • Staff: Kelly Reynolds (Union Representative) • Cam McConnell (Lead Negotiator)
Click here for a printable copy of this Bargaining Bulletin
This Bargaining Bulletin was provided directly to members on February 1, 2023 and posted to the website on September 1, 2023.