Contests

UFCW Co-op Solidarity Contest!

UFCW members who work at Co-op in Saskatoon are on strike, and SEIU-West stands behind them every step of the way.

Workers at Co-op are saying ‘NO!’ to two-tiered wages. Two-tiered wages are an unfair and divisive employer tactic that devalues newer employees to Co-op – it is completely out of the question pay a different wage to workers doing the exact same job – but that is what Co-op is trying to do. 

The Co-op has a long history in Saskatchewan – the people in our communities are part-owners of this organization and from that, we expect more. The Co-op Board of Directors should know better – they are meant to represent our communities who are looking for good, secure, and non-discriminatory jobs. We do not want to see new employees punished, and we do not want to see employers who exploit their staff every chance they get.

As a demonstration of our solidarity, SEIU-West is proud to launch our UFCW Co-op Solidarity Contest!

Tell us: what values draw you to support Co-op and how are they being taken away during the UFCW strike for fairness? Email [email protected] to enter!

BONUS: take a selfie of you at a UFCW picket line and send to [email protected] by December 31, 2018! We have SEIU-West flags at each of our union offices, so please bring one along as well as a friend (or two!)

Enter by December 31, 2018 for your chance to win a gift card and SEIU-West swag!

Click to download the poster! 

Festival of Trees Saskatoon: Decorate Our SEIU-West Tree!

SEIU-West is excited to be back at the Festival of Trees in Saskatoon this year! Thousands of visitors to the Festival are delighted when they arrive to see a collection of beautifully decorated trees, including our very own SEIU-West tree!

SEIU-West is especially proud to support this popular event as proceeds will benefit Saskatoon City Hospital’s Medical Imaging Department with an upgraded Fluoroscopy Suite. They’ll also replace the department’s aging portable x-ray unit with digital technology. Having the newest and best technology means clearer imaging, faster diagnoses, more efficient treatments, and improved safety. 

As is the Purple way, we want to support this great cause with the use of a contest! We know decorating a tree is a wonderful way to spread holiday cheer  –  that’s why we’re holding a contest to determine who will be our SEIU-West Tree Decorating Team! If your team wins, you’ll all be invited to join the decorating day at the Western Development Museum on November 22 helping to make our union’s tree, “I’m Dreaming of a Purple Christmas”, become a reality! All your lost wages and expenses will be covered by SEIU-West! Decorations will also be provided.

How to enter?

• Teams can be no more than 2-4 people, and all team members must work at the same facility.
• As a team, we ask that you answer the following questions:
  1. Why does your team think SEIU-West is the best union in Saskatchewan?
  2. How does your team build solidarity and Purple Pride at your workplace?
• Send your team answers to [email protected] 

Deadline?

The deadline to enter is November 12.

Bonus!

The winning team will not only get to decorate the tree, but they’ll also win the SEIU-West decorated tree that will be on display at the Festival of Trees to showcase at their workplace!

Join Purple Day October 18!

Our SEIU-West/SAHO bargaining committees are returning to the table this week on October 18-19. We are continuing to deliver the message: NO Cuts! NO Rollbacks! Pay us what we’re worth! In order to demonstrate support for this message, we ask that you wear purple this Thursday, October 18! Take a picture of you and your fellow SEIU-West members to show your purple pride and support for bargaining a fair deal. You can then post that picture on our Facebook page or email [email protected] for your chance to WIN A PRIZE!

Celebrate Pharmacy Technician Day!

SEIU-West is proud to recognize October 16, 2018 as Pharmacy Technician Day! Members who work as Pharmacy Technicians are essential to our public health care team; they prepare, check and distribute medications and pharmacy supplies to ensure patients are safely supplied their prescribed predications or over the counter medicines. They also help share proper patient information with other health care professionals.

Pharmacy Technicians assist both Pharmacists and patients, residents and clients requiring medications as they demonstrate their valuable contribution to health care outcomes. They work to progress our communities to better health, and we thank them for all their incredible efforts each and every day!

To celebrate Pharmacy Technician Day, SEIU-West asks that you to participate in the Pharmacy Technician Day Contest! Simply tell us how a Pharmacy Technician has helped you/your family – email [email protected] by October 22, 2018 for your chance to win some awesome prizes!

Celebrate Facilities and Engineering Week!

SEIU-West is excited to celebrate Facilities and Engineering Week October 14-20, 2018!

Those who work in Facilities and Engineering are an integral part of the health care team. Patients, staff and residents rely on quality heating, water and lighting systems to be functional and well-organized in order to support safe health care environments. Members who work in Facilities and Engineering work in a variety of fields including:  Building and Energy Maintenance, Construction, Waste Management, Groundskeeping and Landscaping, and Clinical and Plant Engineering. 

Members like Zoe, who works as a Facility Maintenance Operator, enjoy the new challenges that occur each day in the health care sector.

In recognition of the hardworking people who strive to keep our health care environments safe and operational, we encourage you to participate in the Facilities and Engineering Week contest! We ask that you nominate a member who works within Facilities and Engineering and tell us why they’re important to you. By taking part, you will both be entering to win a number of great prizes including concert tickets, gift cards, and more! Just email [email protected] by October 22, 2018 for your chance to win!

Celebrate Medical Device Reprocessing Week!

From October 15-21, 2018 SEIU-West is proud to recognize Medical Device Reprocessing (MDR) Week! Those who work in MDR are vital to ensuring the safety of patients and residents as their job is to prepare health care equipment so it’s safe and ready to use.

There’s a lot of work behind this job – they must examine, construct, sterilize and decontaminate all used health care equipment. Because patient and staff depend on the cleanliness and functionality of the equipment, our members who work in MDR must be highly focused and thorough in their work.

As we extend our greatest thanks to those who work in MDR, we ask that you participate in our MDR Week Contest! Just complete the word search below and send to [email protected] by October 22, 2018! 

 

 

Health Care Security and Safety Week: A Member Story

October 8-14, 2018 is Health Care Security and Safety Week and in recognition, we have an incredibly moving story from one of our proud Security Officers, Teegan Hunter. The whole health care team contributed significantly throughout the Humboldt tragedy, and this member story is a glimpse to the resilience of this amazing community we call home.

We understand the importance of quality, public health care at all times but particularly during heartbreaking events, when communities need it most. We thank the whole health care team for their efforts and would especially like to extend our gratitude for the hardworking Security Officers, like Teegan, who passionately work to ensure our health care environments are safe for all. Please be sure to give your thanks to your local Security Officers this week and support them by adding your voice to ensure strong security services in our care environments. You can also enter our Health Care Security and Safety Week Contest – just email [email protected] and let us know why public Security Officers add value to your care environment. The deadline to enter is October 17, 2018 and there are many great prizes to be won!

 

Celebrate Therapy Assistants Week!

SEIU-West is excited to share in the celebration of Therapy Assistants Week from September 17-23, 2018!

In SEIU-West, the members who work as Therapy Assistants are classified as Occupational Therapy Assistants and/or Physiotherapy Assistants. Their work is invaluable to the success of improved health.

Therapy Assistants assist patients, residents, and clients (PRC’s) in their aim of increasing physical movement. By improving physical health, PRC’s are better able to expand their day-to-day activities. They also assist in the PRC’s mental state as enhanced mobility helps increase the self-confidence of those requiring care. In this sense, Therapy Assistants help rehabilitate PRCs to their fullest potential.

In recognition of Therapy Assistants Week we encourage all members of SEIU-West to complete this sentence by filling in the blank:

“Therapy Assistants are vital to the health care team because _____________.”

Get your answers in by September 23, 2018! Just email [email protected]

Celebrate Environmental Services Week!

SEIU-West is thrilled to recognize September 10-16, 2018 as Environmental Services Workers Week! Environmental Services Workers (ESW) are an essential part of the health care team.

ESW’s like Dennis, work to ensure patients, residents and clients are cared for and treated in a clean, safe environment. Check out how members like Dennis contribute to the health care team:

Dennis completed his TLR (Transferring, Lifting and Repositioning), WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System), and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) training. He has also completing specialized courses, including the training to provide cleaning services to isolated patient rooms.

Dennis cleans patient rooms, utility areas, and maintains the floors. He also manages garbage and bio-hazardous material pick-up and disposal.  He loves all parts of his job, but especially enjoys the interactions between staff and patients.

When a patient or visitor compliments Dennis on the outstanding job he’s done, or when he is being appreciated and recognized by his coworkers, Dennis knows of the important affect his work has on the health care team.

We couldn’t agree more, and we want to thank Dennis and all ESW’s who work so hard to ensure our health care environments are safe for all.

And as a special thank you, we encourage you to participate in the ESW Week Contest! Just by liking and sharing this post on Facebook, you’ll be entered to win a co-op gift card and SEIU-West swag! Deadline ends September 16! If you don’t have Facebook, just send an email to [email protected] letting her know why you appreciate ESW’s!

Your Super Union Needs A Superhero! Contest

Want to attend the Saskatchewan Entertainment Expo in Saskatoon September 15-16? Here’s your chance! SEIU-West has two sets of tickets for 4 lucky SEIU-West members. How to win?

We ask that you create a name for our SEIU-West superhero and let us know their superpower! This is an excellent and fun way to share your creativity and love of superheroes!

Here’s an example to start you off: Purple Woman – when she touches something, it’ll turn a lovely shade of SEIU-West purple!

Now it’s your turn!

Let us know your SEIU-West superhero name and superpower by September 6 for your chance to win. Just email [email protected] with your entry.

All entries will be placed into a draw – good luck!

Race For The Cure – Group Contest!

SEIU-West is pleased to announce a group contest for upcoming event – Race For The Cure at the Wyant Group Raceway on August 25^th at 6 pm, so act quick!

To participate, send us a picture of you and your workplace ‘pit crew’ (you know those people you rely on every day so you can win your workplace race) and come up with a name for your racing pit crew team.

Be creative! And involve as many colleagues at work as you can, since all of you will be entered for a chance to win.

The group that wins will get 10 tickets to enjoy the race from a Chalet (courtesy of CTV Saskatoon).

Maybe it will be your pit crew? You can take your family, colleagues and friends to the race.

Send your pictures and your pit crew name to [email protected] by August 21, 2018 for a chance to win!

International Self-Care Day – July 24!

We often get so busy we forget to take care of ourselves and end up having too much stress in our lives. Most of us can relate to this reality. This is why SEIU-West is celebrating International Self-Care Day! This day is earmarked for us to take time for ourselves.

There are many definitions of Self-Care. Something simple like visiting your doctor is also considered to be self-care. Here is a definition provided by World Health Organization: ‘Self-Care is what people do for themselves to establish and maintain health, and to prevent and deal with illness. It is a broad concept encompassing hygiene (general and personal), nutrition (type and quality of food eaten), lifestyle (sporting activities, leisure etc.), environmental factors (living conditions, social habits, etc.) socio-economic factors (income level, cultural beliefs, etc.) and self-medication.’ For more information on Self-Care you can visit the official website of the International Self-Care Foundation.

Here are seven pillars of Self-Care provided by International Self-Care Foundation:

1. Health literacy – includes: the capacity of individuals to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions;
2. Mental wellbeing, Self-awareness & Agency – includes: knowing your body mass index (BMI), cholesterol level, blood pressure, and engaging in health screening;
3. Physical activity – practicing moderate intensity physical activity such as walking, cycling, or participating in sports at a desirable frequency;
4. Healthy eating – includes: having a nutritious, balanced diet with appropriate levels of calorie intake;
5. Risk avoidance or mitigation – includes: quitting tobacco, limiting alcohol use, getting vaccinated, practicing safe sex, using sunscreens;
6. Good hygiene – includes: washing hands regularly, brushing teeth, and washing food; and
7. Rational and responsible use of products, services, diagnostics and medicines – includes: being aware of dangers, using responsibly when necessary.

 

Contest!

To celebrate International Self-Care Day, SEIU-West is inviting you to participate in this word search puzzle! Send the complete puzzle to [email protected] and be entered to win tickets to the Regina Folk Festival 2018. There cannot be anything better than Self-Care through music.

The deadline to enter into the ticket draw is August 3^rd! One winner will be selected to receive a pair of tickets for a fun weekend at the festival, so make sure you send in those completed puzzles before the deadline!