Media Release: Strike Notice Served: LutherCare Communities Group Homes
For Immediate Release
April 22, 2024
More Budget Casualties
For Immediate Release, April 12, 2018
Saskatoon – With the release of the provincial budget on April 10, SEIU-West leaders learned about significant changes for their members who provide information technology (IT) services in the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). The government announced that “sometime this summer”, SHA’s IT services will be transferred to eHealth Saskatchewan, along with $39 million of SHA’s budget.
“It is especially disturbing to receive this kind of announcement two hours before the provincial budget,” said Barbara Cape, President of SEIU-West. “This reflects a shocking lack of preparation and transparency.”
Since the decision to create the new SHA, SEIU-West leaders have attempted to work through transition issues with representatives of government, the Ministry and SAHO but have found a real lack of transparency. SEIU-West has made repeated efforts to have open discussions with all stakeholders.
“In the move to one health authority, we have experienced a disregard for process, an undermining of our collective agreement, and a proliferation of many new out-of-scope positions,” continued Cape. “Our members who are left with no real information, feel undervalued and disrespected.”
Members of SEIU-West have not received any clear information about who will be affected; which classifications will be impacted; how many IT jobs are moving to eHealth; whether there will be job loss, or what will be the consequence to their current jobs in their communities.
“Will our members get to keep the rights and benefits they are entitled to under their current collective agreement? What job classifications will be affected? The employer had no answers to these rather obvious questions,” continued Cape.
“We have worked to understand the challenges and put forward practical solutions specific to IT services in the SHA,” added Cape. “This recent announcement was ill-timed; but SEIU-West will ensure that our members’ are treated with respect and dignity in this transition.”
SEIU-West represents more than 13,000 working people in the province of Saskatchewan. They include members who work in health care, education, municipalities, community-based organizations, retirement homes and other sectors. They are joined by one colour – purple – and one union – SEIU-West. Purple works in our communities! Visit www.PurpleWorks.ca to find out more about the members of SEIU-West.
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For more information, contact:
Christine Miller, Communications Coordinator
Phone: 306-652-1011 ext. 8733
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