Media Release: Nursing Week: Celebrating our Family of Nursing
For Immediate Release
May 14, 2025
For Immediate Release - September 17, 2020
Swift Current – Members of SEIU-West who work at Cypress Regional Hospital and the Meadows long-term care facility want to remind the people in their community that they are still without a collective agreement and are frustrated with the lack of progress in negotiations with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) due to the Sask Party government’s refusal to fund a fair deal.
“Our members have been requesting to hold demonstrations in their communities so that they can highlight that they need public support to get a fair collective agreement from this government,” says President of SEIU-West Barbara Cape. “Our shared goal with our clients, patients, and residents is to have a health care system that is robust and well-funded. This investment is necessary if we are going to be responsive to their needs.”
Since the August 12 demonstrations that took place at multiple sites across Saskatoon, SEIU-West members have held events in a number of communities including Biggar, Wilkie, Craik, Davidson and Moose Jaw. Future events have been requested by members to take place in Kyle, Wynyard, Rosetown, Kindersley, Lanigan, Assiniboia, and Lafleche and the list continues to grow.
“Our members need the public to see their display of dissatisfaction so that their neighbours, family, and friends understand that there is something really wrong with how this government is managing our health care system,” adds Cape. “Our members’ working conditions become the conditions in which the public accesses health care services and we all deserve better.”
During these demonstrations, the members of SEIU-West are following Public Health orders by physically distancing, wearing masks, practicing good hand hygiene, and attempting to maintain a maximum of 30 people in any given demonstration area.
SEIU-West members working for the SHA have been without a contract since March 31, 2017.
Service Employees International Union West (SEIU-West) represents over 13,000 people across Saskatchewan. They include people 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. Visit PurpleWorks.ca to find out more about SEIU-West members.
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For more information, contact:
Christine Miller, Communications Coordinator
Phone: 306-477-8733
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