January 23, 2026
Dear Members,
From January 19 to 23, the bargaining committees of the three Health Provider Unions (HPUs) met with SAHO for both individual and common table negotiations.
SAHO presented detailed proposals on moving workers and bringing in contractors. SAHO wants the arbitrary power to move you and your job across SGEU, CUPE, and SEIU-West boundaries with no consultation or consideration that workers have families and responsibilities.
We all know that a staffing crisis exists. The Employer simply will not agree with the Unions on workable plans to recruit and retain needed staff. The Employer’s proposals are workarounds and not solutions. Moving an overworked, underpaid employee from one short-staffed facility to another does not fix the shortage. It’s a deliberate strategy to hide the extent of the crisis from the public.
You take pride in your work. It’s hard to maintain pride in your work when you don’t know where you’re going to be working from day to day.
We know you’re frustrated. SAHO and the Employer have made you wait too long. Your bargaining committees share that frustration. We’re pushing hard at every session to move these negotiations forward. You can be confident that your support and strength makes a difference at the bargaining table too. Your bargaining committee values your patience.
The three health provider unions continue to work together while protecting our individual collective agreements. Your unions will not be divided.
The parties are scheduled to meet February 5 to 6 and February 17 to 20. We will continue to push for the wages and working conditions you deserve.
Your CUPE 5430, SEIU-West, and SGEU bargaining committees.
Click here for a PDF version of this Joint Bargaining Update.