For Immediate Release - October 29, 2020
Humboldt & Wakaw – SEIU-West health care providers are reminding the public that they are still without a collective agreement. It’s been over 1300 days and they are frustrated with the lack of progress in negotiations with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO). This is due to the Saskatchewan Party government’s refusal to fund a fair deal.
“Though we are now entering conciliation, it remains to be seen if the newly elected SaskParty government will finally hear the voices of our members and the public who want to see investment in our public health care services,” says President of SEIU-West Barbara Cape. “We know that maintaining quality health care remains a priority, as people need reliable, timely health care services and they want these services to be provided by health care workers within their home communities.”
If the campaign promises laid out by Premier Scott Moe are genuine, his government will invest in our public health care system to make it strong in all of our communities.
“I’m hopeful that this government will take their responsibility to the people of Saskatchewan seriously,” adds Cape. “We need responsible stewardship within our public health care system. This means that Cabinet Ministers and MLAs need to be willing to meet, listen, take seriously the concerns of the people on the front lines and follow their advice. Our members will no longer tolerate the systemic underfunding which is cause for chronic understaffing, increased wait times for services and the dismissive attitude of those who are accountable to ensure quality health care services are available to the general public.”
“I think it will be interesting to see if we’ll have the same tired responses we’ve been getting from the previous version of this government,” continues Cape. “Or if they will actually take the recent election results as a bold call for them to address the crisis that has been building in our health care system due to an inability to recruit. We need the public to promote a positive resolve if they want to avoid a disruption to their community health care services.”
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
Click here to download a printable PDF file of SEIU-West's media release Humboldt and Wakaw Health Care Providers are #DoneWaiting for Fairness.
The SEIU-West Workers of Colour Multicultural Mentorship Committee (WoCMMC) and the Young Workers Committee (YWC) have been partnering for the past few years to give away Stop Racism shirts to our SEIU-West members.
Members are sharing their reasons why they wear their shirts all year round. Have a read:
On September 23, 2024, SEIU-West staff member Dennel joined the Speak Up Saskatchewan campaign and sent a letter to her MLA, who offered to meet with her.