Last year, SEIU created a survey for members about climate change and the impact on your lives.
Pinned
June is National Indigenous Peoples Month. This is a time to honour the rich history, resilience, and diversity of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. It is an opportunity to reflect on historical and current injustices and commit to true reconciliation in Canada.
The First Nations, Métis and Inuit Committee would like to share some events and resources with you and encourage you to participate in events in your area.
SEIU-West is hosting our first Asian Pacific Islander Summit in Saskatoon on September 24-26, 2026 — an event to bring together workers from across Canada and the U.S.
Being an API member in Canada or the U.S can sometimes feel isolating. You might not have seen yourself in leadership. You may not have always felt seen or understood. But you can find a home with us. We believe in you. We see you. And most importantly, you belong.
Welcome home.
There is currently a vacancy on the SEIU-West Executive Board for members that work for the Community Based Organizations Sector.
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.
Date: June 18, 2021
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
I know it’s hard to believe that we’re still providing bargaining updates, but there have been some matters that we wanted to communicate to our members.
We’ve reviewed and corrected some errors in the wage schedules; provided some edits and corrections to the new collective agreement language; and we are having some issues with last minute additions that SAHO put on the new letters of understanding (LOUs). Normally these are signed by SAHO and SEIU-West’s bargaining team, as the parties to the collective agreement; however, now the Saskatchewan Health Authority has been added as a third signatory.
So why does this matter? SAHO is legally the official and exclusive bargaining agent for the healthcare employers and affiliates listed in the Collective Agreement. What does it mean if one employer now is superior to all the other employers in the collective agreement and enjoys potentially the same bargaining position as SAHO, which is supposed to be the SHA’s bargaining agent? Does this mean that the SHA can now withdraw from the LOU that everyone signed? Does it mean that an LOU signed by more Employer entities than SAHO (a potential violation of the Saskatchewan Employment Act) may be deemed null and void, or does it mean that only the SHA’s participation would be voided? The union has asked SAHO for their opinion on these matters, and awaits their response.
Beyond that, bargaining and reaching a tentative agreement is predicated on the notion that all issues have been thoroughly canvassed by the parties and there would be no surprises in the final collective agreement document. There was no discussion between the parties at the bargaining table regarding adding a separate signature line for the SHA in our new LOUs, and in the renewal of one particular LOU which sets out the Employer funding formula for the extended health and enhanced dental benefits plan. The union wants to be absolutely sure that this last-minute SAHO amendment to the LOUs will have no effect on the legality of the LOUs or on the commitments made in those LOUs.
While we resolve this issue, the production of the collective agreement books is being delayed.
As an interim measure, please refer to the current collective agreement and read it in conjunction with the language of the tentative agreement. We provided those electronically, and will put a copy on our website. If you want an electronic copy, just use the ‘contact us’ link on the website and we’ll get one in the mail to you. If you wish to check your rate of pay, please call the MRC for assistance.
In solidarity and respect,
Your SEIU-West Bargaining Committee
To download a PDF copy of this bulletin, please click here.
Your SEIU-West SAHO Provincial Bargaining Committee:
CHR: Janice Platzke (SEIU-West Treasurer) • FHHR: Brenda Berry; Donna Gallant • HHR: Colleen Denniss • SHR: Judy Denniss; Rick Brown; Carla Saworski; Kim Wyatt; Charlene Sarafin; • Staff: Bob Laurie (Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement); Russell Doell (Deputy Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement); Cam McConnell (Negotiations Officer) • President: Barbara Cape
Congrats to our recent contest winners!
Over the past month, we celebrated Paramedics, Disability Service Professionals and Unit Support Workers/Unit Assists.
SEIU-West's Multicultural Mentorship Committee, (MMC) is showcasing an article from FILCAS, (Filipino-Canadian Association of Saskatchewan) on what Independence Day or Araw ng Kalayaan is.
Please take a moment to learn about this very important day!
SEIU Canada stands in solidarity and grief with the people of London and with the Muslim community everywhere who were attacked by this act of terror.
Generations of role models were robbed of life and we share our hearts with everyone whose heart has been broken by hate and Islamophobia.
A beautiful young boy deserved the touch of his family and now our nation must prove to him and all Muslim children that the future will bring change.
We must live up to the example of this beautiful family, to end hate in our communities, and learn to fill pain with love.
SEIU members at Ritz Lutheran Villa mourn for their healthcare colleague who everyday served our elderly with excellence and compassion.
Steph has been a Unit Support Worker (USW) for two years now and has been in healthcare for five. She works in an acute care setting in recovery.
Her typical day at work consists of helping her nurses with patients. Shet takes her patients to where they need to be and makes sure they are comfortable. She keeps the unit clean and stocked of supplies.
What she loves most about her job is the people she works with. She has an amazing team!
Steph was inspired to work as a USW because of her Grandpa. He was the Chief of Surgery for Providence Hospital and Union Hospital in Moose Jaw.
Congratulations to our Above & Beyond Award winners for 2020 and 2021!
Cheryl and Jason have both received their awards. We anticipate a picture from Jason in the coming days.
Linda has worked as a Unit Support Worker (USW) both in acute care and in detox for three years. She loves her job because she gets to watch people transition from a place of pain to a place of hope and faith.
Unit Support Workers ensure that the unit has all the necessary supplies, people go where they need to be, the environment is clean and everyone is happy. They are essentially the parents of the unit!
To celebrate USWs and UAs, we have a contest!
Tell us how many patients you porter in a day or what type of equipment you use the most! Email [email protected] by June 17th for your chance to win a gift card!
To Celebrate Filipino Heritage Month, SEIU-West’s Multicultural Mentorship Committee interviewed Fay Santos-Vargas from Filipino Heritage School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Here is their interview.