In early December, the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board (the LRB) issued a decision about the five former Extendicare facilities. The decision was based on an interpretation of the regulations that governed a previous restructuring of the healthcare system in 1997, commonly called the ‘Dorsey regulations’. In that decision, the Saskatoon and Moose Jaw facilities remain within the SEIU-West family. However, the 3 Regina-based facilities were moved, without a vote of the membership, into the CUPE 5430 jurisdiction.
Pinned
Notice to Members in the Education Sector - Re: STF Strike
January 12, 2024
Good afternoon,
As you may have heard, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) has announced that its members across Saskatchewan will be conducting a one-day strike on Tuesday, January 16th.
SEIU-West Education Support Staff Stands with the Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation
The Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (the STF) has been bargaining with the Government and Trustee bargaining committee. They have reached an impasse and are unable to make any progress. The STF has notified their members that they will be holding a vote on sanctions against their employer.
Convention 2023: Constitutional Amendments
The following Constitutional Amendments were debated, voted on, and passed during Convention:
Young Workers Committee Vacancies
Two vacancies have arisen on the SEIU-West Young Workers Committee so we are inviting interested members to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form to fill this vacancy.
The successful applicants will have the opportunity to expand their union involvement and activism in this position, and play an active role in engaging young workers into our union.
If you are interested in applying, please complete this online form or this pdf EOI form and submit it to Barb Cape’s attention by Wednesday, November 13 at 1:00pm, 2019 via email: [email protected] or fax: 306 652 1392.
Media Release: SEIU-West Urges Premier Moe: Be Fair to Those Who Care
For Immediate Release - October 31, 2019
Saskatoon – Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe received an open letter today from the Service Employees International Union-West (SEIU-West), urging him to stand up for Saskatchewan health care providers. Based on statements Mr. Moe used in his recent “New Deal with Canada” letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and in the October 23rd Throne Speech, SEIU-West called on him to improve the current state of health care with “a New Deal with Health Providers”.
The open letter highlights critical short-staffing issues in Saskatchewan’s health sector, including at Saskatoon’s Royal University Hospital, described in the letter as “the province’s major tertiary care centre, and a critical resource for the adjacent Children’s Hospital.” The letter asks how Moe’s government proposes “to recruit and retain health providers to work in understaffed facilities that are experiencing shockingly high rates of workplace injury and violence.”
“The Throne Speech talks about investing in public services to provide a better life for Saskatchewan people,” Cape added. “We urge the Premier to keep this promise, by investing in the people who provide the vast majority of front-line care.”
“Due to crushing workloads, ever increasing complex care, and less staff to work, the health care system is set to fail,” continued Cape. “We have asked the public we serve to magnify our calls for safety in the care environment. We need to stop the cycle of understaffed/overworked/injured by creating a health care work environment that attracts people to a health care career. We challenge our Premier to take the initial steps and to respond to our call for real human resource planning.”
SEIU-West’s 12,000 health care providers have been without a contract since March 31, 2017. In spring 2019, SEIU-West members strongly rejected the offer of 0%/0%/1%/2%/2% the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) proposed.
“SAHO is in constant communication with the government during bargaining,” said SEIU-West President Barb Cape, the letter’s author. “No matter what initiatives we’ve brought to the table, SAHO maintains the government’s mandate of rollbacks - two years of zero wage increases and a contract that doesn’t even cover the cost of living. Our members are clear that this is unacceptable. They know the Premier and other members of the legislature gave themselves a 5.8% pay increase over the last two years. They know the base salary for Saskatchewan MLAs has increased by over 50% since the Saskatchewan Party first formed government in 2007. All our members want is a Collective Agreement that lets them afford to work safely in health care.”
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:
Jolomi Gagar, Project Coordinator
Phone: 306-652-1011 ext. 2225
Open Letter to Premier Scott Moe: We Need A New Deal with Health Providers
On October 31, 2019, SEIU-West President Barb Cape sent the below open letter to Premier Scott Moe. Click here to view the signed letter.
Dear Premier Moe:
RE: A New Deal with Health Providers
On October 22, the day after the federal election, you issued an open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau titled “A New Deal with Canada”.
In it, you issued an urgent challenge to the Prime Minister to make good on his commitments to better address the needs and concerns of Saskatchewan people.
In that same spirit, I issue this urgent challenge to you: be fair to those who care.
Over the past several years, your government, through the health sector employers it mandates and funds, has neglected the basic needs of thousands of workers who provide the vast majority of front-line health care services to Saskatchewan people. This strategy has resulted in chronic understaffing in the health care sector, to the detriment of patients, clients and residents. I ask you now to put care first.
In ratification votes held this spring in the former Saskatoon, Five Hills, Cypress and Heartland Health regions, SEIU-West’s 12,000 members soundly rejected the employer’s offer of 0%/0%/1%/2%/2%. In bargaining since then, the employer, with direction from the Ministry of Health, has stubbornly refused to budge from this offer.
The sense of frustration and alienation among our members is now greater than it has been at any point since 2008, when the Government of Saskatchewan introduced essential services legislation which seriously undermined bargaining rights in the public sector—legislation later struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional.
In the Throne Speech, your government committed “to invest in important government services that provide a better quality of life for all Saskatchewan people.” Those are pretty words, but we need action, not words.
It’s time, Mr. Premier, for a new deal with SEIU-West health care providers.
The Throne Speech mentions a new plan for growth, but says little about planning for the effects of growth. If, as promised, Saskatchewan’s population grows to 1.4 million by 2030, its health care needs will grow as well. Do you have a plan to attract and retain the additional health providers needed to meet the growing health care needs of this larger population? Shouldn’t we begin working on that plan now?
The speech boasts of facilities built and professionals hired, but doesn’t even acknowledge the need for additional health care providers in order to run these facilities. It ignores a basic fact: health care in Saskatchewan, including long-term care and home care, depends on the hard work of tens of thousands of workers who are not physicians or registered nurses. The wages of these workers have not kept pace with the rising cost of living. The intransigent bargaining mandate directed to the employers by your Ministry of Health offers current and prospective health care providers no hope that this will change. It is a glaring example of the lack of institutional, financial, educational and emotional support currently faced by health care provider employees. They have consistently expressed to me their overwhelming frustration at being asked by your government to take zeroes, particular when Members of the Legislative Assembly (whose pay has increased by more than 50% since 2007) are not being asked to do the same.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority’s list of “hard to recruit” positions is growing. Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon--the province’s major tertiary care centre, and a critical resource for the adjacent Children’s Hospital—is reporting dangerous levels of overcrowding and understaffing. Many of our rural units report that the Employer simply cannot recruit Continuing Care Assistants to care for residents which lends to a fear of bed closures. How do you propose to recruit and retain health providers to work in understaffed facilities that are experiencing shockingly high rates of workplace injury and violence?
Premier Moe, if you are serious about providing a better quality of life for all Saskatchewan people, here is what you could do right away:
1. Re-evaluate the staffing levels in the health care system (acute, long-term care, homecare and community services) and look at investing more in front-line staff to provide the quality hands-on care needed;
2. For example, through your Health Minister, direct those bargaining on behalf of the Saskatchewan Health Authority that they are no longer bound by the mandate containing zeroes, and urge them to bring to the table a more innovative offer that better meets the needs of our members who are health care providers to ensure a timely address to ongoing retention and recruitment challenges.
I am ready to meet with you at any time to discuss how we can move forward together on these issues. You have indicated that you are Standing Up for Saskatchewan. Our members are ready for you to demonstrate your commitment.
Sincerely,
Barbara Cape
President
SEIU-West
Virtual Townhall Meeting for SEIU-West Health Care Providers 4th and 5th Nov
Save the date for the upcoming Telephone Town Hall meetings!
Given our experience with SAHO and the Employers at conciliation we would like to announce another four live and interactive virtual town hall meetings for our health care sector members.
The calls will be taking place on Monday, November 4 at 2 pm and 7 pm; another set of calls will occur on Tuesday, November 5 at 10 am and 7 pm.
Your SEIU-West SAHO bargaining committee is looking forward to providing you information about the status of SAHO bargaining and our desire to get direction from our membership. Extendicare members are invited to participate as well.
You will be receiving a reminder call from us in advance of the telephone town hall meeting dates.
During the Town hall meeting, you will be able to ask any questions you might have.
How do you get on the call? All you have to do is pick up your phone when we call.
If for some reason you are unable to pick up when we call you, instructions on how to join will be left on your voicemail (if you have voicemail or answering machine).
Visit our events page for more details.
Win of the Week! October 27 - November 2
SEIU-West is proud to announce our latest arbitration win! A member was facing a misallegation that threatened their job and livelihood, which led to a grievance. SEIU-West made every effort to ensure this member’s rights were protected by proceeding to arbitration on this grievance. A mutual resolve was met during this process and demonstrates that when we unite together, we win together!
Political Action & Awareness Committee Vacancy
A vacancy has arisen on the SEIU-West Political Action & Awareness committee as a result of the resignation of a member. The remaining term will be for approximately one year and five months for this position.
We are inviting interested members to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form to fill this vacancy. You can submit your EOI online or via paper. Please forward your EOI form to President Barbara Cape; she will work with the Top Officers who will make a recommendation to the Executive Board to appoint an eligible member to fill the vacancy for the remaining term.
The successful applicant will have the opportunity to expand their union involvement and activism in this position, and play an active role in making the connections for SEIU-West members as to why politics is important.
If you or any of the member in your unit are interested in applying, please complete this paper Expression of Interest form or Online EOI and submit it to Barb Cape's attention by Monday, November 24, 2019. In the meantime, if you or your members have any questions please feel welcome to contact Barb at (306) 693-7922 (ext. 8730) or email [email protected].
Celebrate Health Care Providers Week Oct 27 - Nov 2
Read the latest editorial written by President Barb Cape in recognition of Health Care Providers Week - and don't forget to celebrate this week! You can request funding for your Unit's celebration at this link.
As we celebrate Health Care Providers Week, let’s take the opportunity to pause and think about the incredible amount of work that health care providers do every day across a myriad of classifications for their patients, clients and residents.
This dedicated and caring team of professionals includes technologists with specialized skills to frontline nursing staff who provide direct hands-on care and technical expertise; administrative professionals who manage scheduling, billing, and the ‘behind the scenes’ ebb and flow of work; our environmental services workers who provide a clean, safe and healthy place for our patients, clients, and residents to recover; our food and dietary services staff who ensure proper nutrition; our medical device reprocessing staff who ensure equipment and tools are sterilized; our facility and trades people who manage the infrastructure needs and challenges of our new and aging buildings; and our security officers who keep a watchful eye to ensure everyone in and around the buildings are safe.
They all play a vital role in the provision of health care services. SEIU-West invites you to celebrate every person on the health care team. All members of the team bring value and skill to keeping our public health care system running. This is truly the crown jewel of our provincial public service system as it reaches into so many aspects of our lives.
Unfortunately, our system has been understaffed for far too long.
This chronic understaffing has led to people not choosing health care as a career because of the stagnant wages, which leaves those left in the system to do more with less people – putting them at risk both physically and emotionally.
We are encouraged by the commitment to build new facilities. However, we need people to provide the services that are being offered within these new buildings.
You deserve quality public health care services. We are calling on you, members of the public, to help protect your public health care system and the people who provide the services by telling the government to put care first – end understaffing.
Send your letter of support today; visit EndUnderstaffing.ca.
Please join SEIU-West in celebrating health care providers and the incredible skill and dedication they bring to work every day.
Barbara Cape
President, SEIU-West
Apply to Become a SEIU-West Facilitator!
SEIU-West is in the process of recruiting up to seven facilitators for our internal membership training programs. The successful applicants will excel in communication and leadership skills, and will gain valuable knowledge around their union’s practices and the greater labour movement. Are you outgoing, friendly, approachable, and energetic? If so, this facilitator training opportunity may be for you!
The facilitator training is a four day workshop that will provide sessions on popular education, active listening, class/group dynamics, diffusing situations, and how to deliver education in a fun and interactive way. The facilitation skills you’ll learn will create confidence amongst participants. Most importantly, this confidence will help strengthen the necessary skills to spark action on issues that matter to workers.
The facilitator course will run from February 18-21 at the Saskatoon Office – 747 46th Street West. Applicants must be available to attend all four days of training as well as one evening session on the 19th.
As per our usual practice, your union will cover travel, hotel, and meal expenses. You will also be reimbursed for lost wages or will be provided with an honorarium for your attendance on days not scheduled to work.
Applicants will need to fill out the Facilitator Training Expression of Interest Form and Registration Form and submit them to Catherine Gendron by email at [email protected] or by fax at 306-652-1392. You can apply online or apply via paper. The deadline for applications is November 24, 2019.
Related documents (downloadable PDF format):
EOI/Registration Form - online application
EOI/Registration Form - pdf application
Canadian Blood Services: Bargaining Bulletin No. 1
Saskatoon, October 24, 2019
Click here to download a printable PDF file of Canadian Blood Services: Bargaining Update No. 1
SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 9
Click here to download SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 9
Date: October 24, 2019
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Your SEIU-West bargaining committee met with SAHO and the Employer, along with conciliator Dan Ish in our continued engagement in voluntary conciliation. Despite the parties efforts there was no progress made, so both SAHO and ourselves have agreed to ‘pause’ the conciliation process with the option to resume if we receive any information that indicates there are more resources available at our bargaining table to conclude an agreement.
SAHO and the Employer was given a clear message that they needed to come to the session on the 23rd at 9:30 am – with their proposals to share with us. They did not. The conciliator described an ‘elephant in the room’, which is the potential impact of other public sector agreements. Specifically, the UNIFOR/Crowns tentative agreements where UNIFOR claims to have ‘broken the mandate’. There was reluctance to move forward without knowing the details of that deal and without any assurance additional monies would be made available to SEIU-West health care providers as a result. SAHO has indicated that their government partners have not disclosed the specifics of the UNIFOR settlements regarding the mandate.
Both parties identified disappointment in that more ‘creative’ options to achieve an agreement were not generated. The difference between the message received from our members that money was the outstanding issue and the message SAHO received from their principles (aka the government of Saskatchewan) that they refuse to consider advancing any ‘new money’ curtailed any opportunity for a fair deal.
SAHO indicated that our members shouldn’t expect to see other settlements for other groups of members and believe that it would be applied to them. We indicated our members see additional resources provided to other bargaining tables and significant new money provided for SHA projects, out-of-scope staff and MLAs, and believe added resources need to be committed to their Collective Agreement.
Our bargaining committee has been patiently waiting for SAHO and the Employer to respond to our proposals. Our patience has not been rewarded. So, we have determined (and communicated this with SAHO, Employer and the conciliator) that we will be going to the membership to ask for a mandate for job action.
Your SEIU-West bargaining committee will be setting up virtual townhall meetings and a roadshow to come out to meet with our membership in order to seek a mandate for job action.
While your committee is on the membership roadshow we committed to continuing discussions should there be any movement, progress or information about improvements to the public sector mandate. Please keep an eye on the SEIU-West website, Facebook page, and your union bulletin board for information updates; venues, dates and times for meetings and voting.
And please remember to show your support for our bargaining efforts. You can contact the Minister of Finance, Donna Harpauer (306) 787-6060 OR [email protected]; the Minister of Health, Jim Reiter (306) 787-7345 OR [email protected]; the new Minister of Rural and Remote Health, Warren Kaeding (306) 798-9014 OR [email protected] ; or your very own MLA (http://www.legassembly.sk.ca/mlas/). Explain to them the need for a fair offer; and how an adequate monetary package is necessary to recruit and retain quality staff. If you would like some assistance, call the MRC at 1-888-999-7348 extension 1 and an officer will put you in contact with someone who will help you.
If you have not already done so, you can also add your name to the www.endunderstaffing.ca campaign that has been launched to address recruitment and retention in our health care system. Wages are a critical component to ensure that we have appropriate staffing levels.
Your SEIU-West bargaining committee appreciates your support and engagement.
In Solidarity,
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 Contract Bargaining and Enforcement); Russell Doell (Deputy Dir. of Contract Bargaining and Enforcement); Cam McConnell (Negotiations Officer) • President: Barbara Cape
Win of the Week! October 13-19
Recently, an employer did not adhere to our collective agreement in health care as they placed a full-time employee on the casual list in a different classification. This not only resulted in a collective agreement issue, it led to other members not getting calls for shifts as they would have before. SEIU-West therefore filed a grievance and this issue has been resolved. It is vital that we enforce our collective agreement so everyone’s rights are protected. What a great win!
Win of the Week! October 20-26
SEIU-West is delighted to share that we had a very successful training on Investigations & Formal Documentation, with over 100 participants! Experienced Stewards expanded their knowledge in the steps to a successful investigation and learned what to do and what not to do in the use of applicable documents. They also learned about the importance of preparedness when investigating, recording, and documenting at the shop-floor level.
Some feedback from the workshop included;
“Excellent course! Very helpful tips and information.”
“Everyone needs this!”
“Great session, lots of discussion.”
“Informative, good case files.”
SEIU-West is excited to see these members utilize the skills they gained in order to make our workplaces better places to work. Way to go!