There is currently a vacancy on the SEIU-West Executive Board for members that work for the Community Based Organizations Sector.
Pinned
Virtual town halls (VTHs) were scheduled for the evenings of May 27 and 28 to update SEIU-West members about SAHO bargaining and answer bargaining questions. Unfortunately, the VTH on May 27 ran into major technical glitches. We apologize if you were one of the hundreds of members whose experienced this failure. We were not satisfied that the supplier of the VTH platform would be able to properly fix these problems in time, so we decided to cancel the May 28 VTH.
You may have noticed there hasn't been an announcement about bbqs for the summer yet.
The SEIU-West First Nations, Métis and Inuit Committee (FNMIC) is hosting a contest to design an image for orange shirts that the committee provides yearly to members. Submit your design to enter to win a $100 Co-op gift card.
Disclaimer: the following information is based on what SEIU-West found on publicly available federal government websites. This information is subject to change as it comes from outside sources. We will update this post further as information becomes available.
As many of you will have seen, SEIU-West has sent out a joint call with CUPE and SGEU for our provincial government to establish recognition pay to health care workers for the incredible work being done during this pandemic. It’s important to recognize the extraordinary efforts that are being put into place right now, along with the skill and effort that each health care worker brings to the workplace every single day… regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Laurie works as a Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) at a long-term care home in Swift Current. 
Her Home Care/Special Care Aide course has prepared her well for her very busy days which consist of a wide variety of jobs.
In addition to providing a range of personal care support for her residents, Laurie also does laundry, cleans, spends one-on-one time with residents, monitors and orders food and supplies; evaluates mobility and overall health of residents, answers call lights and communicates with the rest of the health care team to ensure they can maintain a safe environment for both residents and staff.
Even though Laurie’s days are hectic, she enjoys her work.
Seeing the smiles on residents and families faces, and hearing “I missed you” from the residents even though she has only been gone for 12 hours makes her day.
It is with pleasure that we celebrate Laurie and all our CCAs who are valuable members of the nursing family and a part of our health care team of front line heroes.
Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) provide hands-on personal care to clients, patients, and residents to support their physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs so they can function at an optimum level during their day. 
As part of nursing week, we’re shining the spotlight on Melody who works as a CCA in home care in rural Saskatchewan. Melody’s education includes Special care aid course, Sociology, and Medical terminology.
Melody loves that she has one on one time with her clients and feels very humbled and honoured to be let into their personal space to help with their needs.
Melody believes the best part of her job is the relationships and special bonds that are created; she realizes that we can learn so much from the residents’ experiences and the stories they tell.
Melody remembers a group of residents she affectionately calls ‘the peanut gallery’ who used to gather in the workplace to talk, even though they could have gathered in the common room.
When she had time, she would chat and laugh with them for a few minutes. “I still see some of them from time to time at the nursing home when we go and bathe clients there,” Melody says. “They still remember me which makes me feel so touched that I will always be a part of their memories and life.”
We are so proud to celebrate our front line heroes like Melody who work as part of the family of nursing and the health care provider team.
Ashley is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) working at a long-term care home in Moose Jaw. 
Since taking her course through SIAST (now Sask Polytechnic), Ashley is continually updating her skills and education.
Whether it be TLR, PPE and infection control or long-term and palliative care, she is adding value to the care she provides to her residents.
In a typical day, Ashley ensures everything runs smoothly on the floor during her shift and deals with any issues that may arise; she troubleshoots with her team to come up with possible plans of action.
Ashley also passes out medication and performs any treatments or procedures that need to be done; she handles admissions, palliative care and Doctors’ orders and changes to medication.
Ashley speaks with the doctor to discuss resident’s needs. Ashley believes in supporting the clients to live the best life they can and is a strong advocate for their needs when they cannot be for themselves.
Her most precious moments on the job is when her clients succeed in their goals. She also enjoys engaging with their families and supporting them when they need her the most.
“Every day is a new day with a brand new adventure,” Ashley says. “There is never a dull moment in long-term care.”
We are proud to celebrate the LPNs who are front line heroes working tirelessly as part of the nursing family of our broader health care team.
Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) provide personal care to clients, patients, and residents to support their physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs so they can function at an optimum level during their day. 
Since CCAs are a crucial part of the nursing team, we’re shining the spotlight on Jacey who works at a long-term care home this Nursing week.
Jacey completed the Health Care Aide Program-Medicine Hat College, CPR/First Aide, and WHMIS. She’s also certified for Dementia Client Care through my program at Medicine Hat College.
Jacey’s typical day comprises shift change report at the start and end of each shift where they share ongoing assessments about care needs for residents. She also physically assists residents with personal care such as daily baths and prepares them for breakfast, takes them for lunch and a lay down for an afternoon nap. Jacey sometimes subs as an activity worker by serving coffee and playing bingo with them.
Jacey’s favourite part of the job is being there for the residents who either have no family or their family can't come see them. She loves being able to make them smile, giving them a helping hand, or just giving them a hug to make them feel better when they're sad.
Jacey is proud of the moments when she is able to make a resident’s bad day better; when she holds their hand, listens to them even when she’s just walked in for her shift.
We are honoured to celebrate the Continuing Care Assistants who work tirelessly everyday as part of the essential front line heroes in Health Care.
SEIU-West encourages health care providers to participate in a 3-minute on-line survey which focuses on employer communications, access to PPE, and mental health supports during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey was designed by Dr. Sean Tucker, an OHS researcher at the University of Regina, in collaboration with our union and other healthcare unions.
The purpose of the survey is to provide information to SEIU-West, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and the Saskatchewan Association for Safe Workplaces in Health, with the goal being to improve health care worker health and safety during the pandemic. We anticipate the survey will be offered every 4 months or so. Findings will be shared with members.
In appreciation of your participation, Dr Tucker has provided an opportunity for you to enter a draw for 1 of 50 $10 Tim Hortons gift cards.
For more information about the survey and to participate, please follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/77CFT9K
SEIU-West is strongly supporting member participation in the survey.
It’s Licensed Practical Nurses Day! 
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) fill important roles in modern health care practices, even more so now during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The primary duty of an LPN is to promote health and healing by functioning as a member of the nursing team, to provide optimum care for clients, patients, and residents.
And to celebrate LPN Day we’re shining the spotlight on Thomas.
Thomas is a Licensed Practical Nurse at a hospital in Saskatoon with a focus on mental health and addictions.
He applies his vast knowledge in addiction care and treatment and nursing skills (including: Initiating IV, Motivational Interviewing, ASIST PART – Trainer, Addiction Care and Treatment - UBC WAVE, Take Home Naloxone – Trainer) to assess clients in Emergency to determine if they are a fit for addiction medicine.
He calls referrals that have been discharged to see if a phone appointment is appropriate.
If a consult call is required from the ward, he assess that as well.
Thomas also performs suicide risk assessments, safety planning, provide addictions support and follow-up with clients post discharge.
What Thomas enjoys most about his job is meeting the people that need his skills and services.
One of his best experiences was, meeting a past client that had gone on to university and has become a social worker.
“It was very gratifying seeing their success and being a part of their journey,” Thomas says.
We are proud to celebrate the LPNs working as part of the family of nursing each and every day and the front line heroes that make up our health care team!
It’s Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) Day! 
Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) provide personal care to clients, patients, and residents to support their physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs so they can function at an optimum level during their day.
And to celebrate CCA Day we’re shining the spotlight on Stephanie who works at a long-term care home.
As a CCA who works more nights and evenings, her day typically includes working tirelessly to ensure the residents are comfortable, safe and taken care of through the night.
Stephanie also gets a number of residents up to start their day (a minimum of four) so she is the first person they get to see.
Stephanie finds her work highly rewarding and is comforted in knowing: “I can make a difference every shift I work by seeing the progress in our residents. Comforting a young resident during hard times, and knowing that they will come to me next time they have a problem is satisfying.”
Stephanie goes above and beyond each and every day for the residents.
We are proud to celebrate our CCAs who are an energetic part of our SEIU-West family of nursing and health care heroes every day of the year.
It’s National Nursing Week! 
And to celebrate National Nursing Week, we’re shining the spotlight on Patricia. Patricia is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at Lanigan Union Hospital.
Since receiving her LPN diploma a mere 26 years ago, Patricia has forged an impressive career.
She’s kept up her certification and expanded her knowledge by attending many workshops, in-services, and reading many career-relevant articles.
Patricia’s day involves all duties related to caring for long-term care residents, as well as assisting with acute care, and emergency room patients.
As hard as her job may be some days, Patricia enjoys the relationship-based nursing aspects of her work.
Patricia recalls an event that a smile to her face:
“Actually it was a fall incident. I heard a noise coming from a resident's room. I went to check it out. There he was, sitting on the floor, laughing. Trying not to immediately laugh myself, I asked "What happened?" He said "You won't believe it, but I was dreaming and I slipped right out of my recliner, and here I sit!" He had been sitting in his recliner, with a pillow underneath his legs, and the recliner just dumped him right onto the floor, landing his bottom right onto the pillow.
I asked if he was okay, stifling the impending giggles, and he said "Well, sure hun, but you do NOT want to know what this old guy was dreaming about!" We then were literally in stitches....lol. (My partner and I helped him up and he had not one scratch on him.)”
We all depend on LPNs to take care of us and we would like to give special thanks to them for holding strong on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic.
We are proud to celebrate our CCAs and LPNs who are a vibrant part of our SEIU-West family of nursing and health care heroes every day of the year.
Dear Honourable Premier Moe,
I am unsure if you are aware that CCAs in long term care, in many facilities, are working everyday with staff shortages, some are planned and some are unplanned. CCAs play an important role in providing quality of life to our seniors who are residents.
We provide personal care (this includes getting people up, bathing residents, personal hygiene needs, feeding assists & so many other care tasks) and most of the time we are rushed to do so, not because we want to get it done quickly, but because our help is continuously needed by others in wait.
In some circumstances, we are unable to attend to all of our residents. Did you know that we have CCAs who are required to work alone (for portions of a shift) to provide care in some instances? This is unsafe when it comes to Transfer, Lift and Reposition of residents. We also work alone on our night shifts. This is unacceptable! For some reason, the SHA has approved this.
How come we are alone while having the responsibility to take care of others? What if something happens to us, who helps us? Who helps those people if no one knows something happened to us? What if we can’t call for help in some kind of emergency situation? Unpredictability is always an ongoing concern in our line of work; some residents become agitated and can become violent. This is not a “Zero tolerance” workplace for hazards that have the potential to occur. Where is the OH and S priority and why is there no oversight to ensure that safe care is the priority?
You should also know that we now have cooking and cleaning added to our job duties. This is not because we have spare time to do these extra duties. And we have never received a pay grade upgrade for the added duties. This is simply so that the employer can eliminate the jobs that previously provided support in the care environment...and it was done to save money.
The health facility planning involved our positions providing personal care, and we are expected to cook the food ”restaurant style” with multiple different kinds of meals for people if they do not wish to eat the meal selected for us to cook and serve to the whole house. We also are responsible to take into account the different diets and textures; as well we are expected to provide at a temperature regulated rate. This is beyond stressful and not always realistic but that's just how that goes.
We need higher wages and we need more staff. We need to make sure transfers & lifts are always involving two persons. You need to fund long term care like you care about our seniors who are residents and bring more staff on the floor to improve their quality of life. We also need our support staff positions returned so that we have cooks, food service workers and environmental services workers. We are over-worked and underpaid; our residents need more time spent with them, not less. We need you to fix our underfunding crisis.
Finally, we have had no contract for 4 years - it's time to use your authority to ensure that we receive a fair offer from SAHO so that we can get an increase from our 2016 rates of pay.
Make this a priority. Our residents and my co-workers cannot wait any longer.
Respectfully,
Brett Berger
John is a recreational worker at a long-term care facility and another one of our SEIU-West Front Line Heroes. 
Providing fun activities during a pandemic is not easy but John is offering some advice from his Extendicare headquarters: “Keep on smiling and let your love shine through.”
John loves to engage with the residents and he said “I love to know that I am part of the reason that they are smiling”.
John also helps residents with their emotional, social, spiritual and physical aspects of their lives by providing recreation programs.
One of John’s favourite memories was when they raised money for Telemiracle in their workplace and appeared on TV to make their donation on behalf of the long-term care home and resident council.