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Saskatoon – A new campaign has been launched by SEIU-West to bring attention to the very real safety concerns resulting from ongoing understaffing in the health care sector. Purple billboards will be displayed across the province encouraging the Saskatchewan provincial government to Put Care First: End Understaffing.
“Put care first,” said Barbara Cape, President of SEIU-West. “It’s as simple as that. Not having enough people on a shift at a care home, or at the hospital, or to provide home care services puts residents, patients, and clients at risk. We also see this as a real and imminent threat in our education and community-based sectors.”
Workers Compensation Board data shows that health care is one of the most dangerous sectors to work in—at least as dangerous as working in construction. Injury rates in the education sector are also well above average. “But we can change that,” said Cape, “if we have more people working as part of the staff team. We hope the public will help magnify our calls for safety in the care and classroom environments.”
For years, front line SEIU-West members have been bringing their safety concerns to their MLAs, Ministers in charge of health care and education, and even the Premier. Despite this, recent provincial budgets have failed to address the chronic understaffing issues in these sectors.
“Between the higher workloads, more complex care, and fewer staff to work, our health care system, our education sector and our community based sectors are in crisis,” continued Cape. “Our members are working crushing amounts of overtime because employers have adopted ‘non-replacement’ policies as cost-cutting measures. We need to stop this cycle.”
“We’ve seen more than one budget where the government has put front line public sector worker compensation last while they give themselves raises,” added Cape. “It is simply not fair. MLAs gave themselves a 3.5% pay hike last year, and then a further 2.3% cost of living increase this year. Meanwhile, during these same years, the government has been offering zeroes to the people doing the heavy lifting in health care and education.”
SEIU-West welcomes the support from the many communities where our members work.
Visit EndUnderstaffing.ca to find out more about this issue and to send a letter to decision makers.
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. Purple works in our communities! Visit PurpleWorks.ca to find out more about SEIU-West members.
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For more information, contact:
Karman Kawchuk, Research Coordinator Phone: 306-652-1011 ext. 2232
Click here for a printable PDF of MEDIA RELEASE - End Understaffing: Be Fair to Those Who Care
Saskatchewan – Community workers represented by SGEU, SEIU-West, and CUPE Saskatchewan are asking Saskatchewan people to lend their voices in support of their call on the Saskatchewan government to provide multi-year funding to our province’s Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).
For Immediate Release, April 24, 2019
Saskatchewan’s three health sector provider unions - SEIU-West, CUPE Local 5430 and SGEU Health Providers – held ratification votes on the contract offer of the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO), representing health-sector employers. The unions shared the results with their members on April 18th.
For Immediate Release - April 16, 2019
Swift Current – SEIU-West is proud to welcome approximately 90 new members from Southwest Homes Inc. in Swift Current after an energetic and dynamic organizing drive. Nearly 80% voted to unite together and stand up as leaders in joining SEIU-West.
“The workers of Southwest Homes work extremely hard,” said Lead Organizer, Stacey Lolacher. “These new members are united in demanding fair treatment and respect as they work to benefit the entire community.”
These new members add to SEIU-West’s strength in the Community-Based Organization Sector and are a welcome compliment to the growing list of group home workers who are choosing SEIU-West as their bargaining agent.
“Our new members have dedicated their careers to empowering those with intellectual disabilities to live fuller, more independent lives,” added Barbara Cape, President of SEIU-West. “They have come together, and voted overwhelmingly to join SEIU-West so they can negotiate a fair, enforceable collective agreement.”
SEIU-West represents over 13,000 workers people in Saskatchewan and with over 2.2 Million members, SEIU is the largest union in North America. Our members work in health care, community-based organizations, schools, trades, towns and service based industries all over the Province. They are joined by one colour – purple – and one union – SEIU-West.
If you or anyone you know could benefit from learning how to join SEIU-West, our expert organizers are here to answer your questions at 1-888-999-SEIU.
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For more information, contact:
Karman Kawchuk, Research Coordinator Phone: 306-652-1011 ext. 2232
For Immediate Release, March 21, 2019
Regina – The Saskatchewan government’s budget, released yesterday, ignores a growing crisis that threatens Saskatchewan’s ability to meet the needs of patients, long-term care residents, students, and their families.
For Immediate Release, February 5, 2019
Saskatoon – The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) released the results of its review of security services in the province’s publicly-owned health care facilities today. The final report by Big Leap Consulting includes 27 recommendations with the stated goal of ensuring a safe and secure environment for patients, visitors, and staff. SEIU-West shares this goal, but is concerned that the report sets the table for large-scale privatization of health care security.
For Immediate Release - November 14, 2018
Saskatoon – According to a recent media report, our Saskatchewan Minister of Health, the Honourable Jim Reiter is claiming that the SaskParty government has increased funding to Long-Term Care (LTC) by over 40%.
Regina – Saskatchewan’s labour movement has a new leader! Lori Johb was chosen as the new President of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) at their annual convention on October 25, 2018.
I WILL REPORT: A necessary first step only
For Immediate Release - August 27, 2018
Saskatoon – SEIU-West leaders have viewed the recent video released by the Saskatchewan Association of Safe Workplaces in Health (SASWH) leading their campaign for change, # I WILL REPORT. The message being conveyed is an important one and the goal appears to be to encourage health care staff to report occurrences of violence and aggression as they occur.
For Immediate Release - August 21, 2018
Saskatoon – Members of the SEIU-West Young Workers Committee (YWC) held a satirical public memorial service at Kinsmen Park in Saskatoon today to oppose the many destructive government cuts the people in this province have experienced.
For Immediate Release - August 20, 2018
Saskatoon – On Tuesday, August 21, members of the SEIU-West Young Workers Committee (YWC) are holding a “memorial service” for our public services at Kinsmen Park in Saskatoon to demonstrate the high level of cuts and public service closures in Saskatchewan.
For Immediate Release—July 16, 2018
Saskatoon – SEIU-West announces the release of Our House Needs In-House, SEIU-West’s response to the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA’s) ongoing provincial security services review.
“The evidence is clear,” said Barbara Cape, President of SEIU-West. “The best way to keep patients, staff, and visitors safe in Saskatchewan’s health care facilities is for the SHA to hire and train its own in-house security teams.”
On July 13th SEIU-West submitted Our House Needs In-House to SHA CEO Scott Livingstone, Health Minister Jim Reiter, and several other health system leaders. (Click here to read SEIU-West President Barbara Cape’s submission letter.)
In recent years, Saskatchewan’s health authorities have reviewed health system services like laundry, information technology, and food services, in order to assess their potential for privatization.
“Our members are concerned that yet another vital piece of our public health care system is about to be privatized,” said Cape.
The SHA launched its security review this spring. The consultant hired to conduct the review was previously in charge of security for Alberta’s provincial health authority. While he was in charge, in-house officer numbers were cut, and services were contracted out to a large private security firm.
“Healthcare security is uniquely challenging,” Cape continued. “It’s different than mall security. It’s much too important to the SHA’s mission to just be contracted out to the lowest bidder.”
SEIU-West represents the 100 SHA-employed Security Officers who work at the three Saskatoon hospitals and Parkridge Centre.
As reported in Our House Needs In-House, SEIU-West surveyed SHA employees and members of the public in the Saskatoon region about the state of security at the three Saskatoon hospitals and Parkridge Centre. More than 90% of respondents felt that these facilities have greater security needs than others in the province, and that those needs have risen in the past five years.
“We heard from nurses, care assistants, housekeeping staff, members of the public,” Cape added. “They told us loud and clear: when an incident happens, they trust our in-house teams more than any outside contractor to provide a quick and professional response.”
SEIU-West represents more than 13,000 working people in the province of Saskatchewan. They include members 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. Purple works in our communities!
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