Tag Archives: Tri-Union

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; or Bonnie Erickson 541-3549

Saskatchewan – A new poll shows strong public support for health care providers in their contract dispute with the Saskatchewan government and health employers.

The Viewpoints Research Survey commissioned by CUPE, SEIU and SGEU, shows 61.2 per cent of Saskatchewan residents support health care providers, while only 21.8 per cent support the government and health employers.

“These results confirm our belief the public strongly supports a fair agreement for health care providers,” says Gordon Campbell, President of the CUPE Health Care Council.

Saskatchewan’s 25,000 health care providers have been without new collective agreements for more than two years. In December, the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) broke off negotiations. A month later, SAHO produced a final offer and cancelled conciliation talks.

The telephone survey of 402 Saskatchewan residents shows most people (51.2 per cent) blame the government for the lengthy delay in achieving contract settlements. Only 17.5 per cent hold health care providers responsible.

Bonnie Erickson of SGEU says she is pleased the public holds the government and employers responsible for stalled contract talks, adding public pressure might help to break the impasse.

The poll also shows 70 per cent are concerned the shortages of health care providers will get worse unless contract improvements are negotiated.

Barb Cape, President of SEIUWEST, says the poll demonstrates the need for SAHO and the government to get back to the table and negotiate an equitable settlement, one that addresses staff recruitment and retention concerns.

The survey carried out April 15 – 21 is accurate ± 4.9%, 19 times out of 20.

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

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CONTACT:

 Gordon Campbell 539-0661; Barbara Cape 631-4713; or Bonnie Erickson 541-3549.

For copies of the poll go to: CUPE’s website

PDF version of this release: Poll shows strong public support for health care providers

Saskatchewan - Conciliation talks on behalf of 25,000 health care providers in the province collapsed this afternoon after the Saskatchewan government and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) presented a “take it or leave it offer” to conciliator Doug Forseth, cancelled bargaining dates, and then contacted the media.

Representatives of the three health care provider unions were bitterly disappointed by the employers’ actions, saying it showed a tremendous disrespect to health care providers. “Can you imagine them treating teachers or registered nurses this way?” asked Gordon Campbell, President of the CUPE Health Care Council.

Last Thursday, the health care provider unions presented a new offer of settlement to conciliator Doug Forseth. SAHO and the health employers said they would respond today – a week later.

Instead of receiving a response, however, the employers produced a final offer – one that increases the wage offer by a paltry .1% (to 9.5% over four years) and is loaded with concessions.

“It was a charade. The Saskatchewan government and SAHO only came to these talks to make an appearance,” said Campbell. “They had no interest in resolving the outstanding issues to achieve a settlement.”

Barbara Cape, President of SEIU-West, said the Saskatchewan government must be held accountable for the fact that health care providers still don’t have a resolution to staff recruitment and retention issues that impact the delivery of a ‘Patient First’ model of health care, after 17 months of contract negotiations. “The Sask Party government ensured that our sisters and brothers in the Sask Union of Nurses, who we work side by side with, had a generous offer after two months of negotiations. Yet they continue to insist that our members accept an insulting monetary package and major concessions,” she said.

The 25,000 health care providers in the province have been without new collective agreements for almost two years. They include special care aides, licensed practical nurses, food services workers, laundry, housekeeping and activity personnel, maintenance, administrative, clerical, emergency medical personnel, therapeutic and diagnostic technologists, and recreational workers. Bonnie Erickson, Negotiating Committee Chair of SGEU, blames the government’s essential services legislation for the employers’ arrogant attitude. “The legislation has given all the power to the employers so they have little interest in addressing our workplace concerns.”

All three unions, which have strong strike mandates, plan to hold membership meetings in the coming weeks to discuss ways to achieve fair contract settlements.

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

SEIUWEST represents approximately eleven thousand members across the province working as health care providers within acute care, long term care, home care and the emergency medical services sector.

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CONTACT:

Gordon Campbell 539-0661, Barbara Cape 631-4713 or Bonnie Erickson 541-3549

PDF version of this release: Press Release: Health employers present disgraceful offer and cancel conciliation