June is Pride Month, an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community, while acknowledging the historical and ongoing violence and discrimination faced by this community.
Pinned
3SHealth: Employee and Spousal Optional Life Insurance
3sHealth offers optional employee and spousal life insurance to eligible SEIU-West members. Enrolment is open for Employee Optional Life Insurance and Spousal Optional Life Insurance from May 1, 2025 - June 30, 2025.
Have Your Say! SEIU Climate Survey
In 2024, Canada experienced yet another record-breaking. year of extreme weather events driven by climate change, including heat waves, wildfires, and floods. Scientists project an increase in these events in the coming years.
N/52nds Overpayment
If you are an SEIU-West member working for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and you receive a communication from your employer indicating that you owe them money back for an N/52nds overpayment, please:
Info Pickets
Info pickets provide an opportunity for SEIU-West members to send a message to their employer and to the general public, that bargaining needs to progress and SEIU-West members deserve a fair contract!
MEDIA RELEASE: Properly Funded Health Care, Wish You Were Here
Properly Funded Health Care, Wish You Were Here…
Win of the Week! May 6-12
SEIU-West recently held Technical Course on Investigations & Progressive Discipline courses for member leaders who currently hold unit positions. This advanced course was designed and facilitated by SEIU-West representatives who worked alongside our trained member-facilitators who ensured the material was delivered well. Last week, we held two courses in Saskatoon and this week we’re hosting the course in both Swift Current and Moose Jaw! We’ve received rave reviews from the attendees – hear what some members had to say:
Some of our course participants!
“I was impressed with the practical scenarios to work through throughout the day.”
“This was an excellent course loaded with helpful information!”
“It was very enlightening and educational. I will walk away today with a better understanding of the proper procedures.”
We are delighted to hear that our member leaders are all the more prepared to effectively represent their coworkers in the workplace.
President’s Message: Recognize & Celebrate Nursing Week
President’s Message: Recognize & Celebrate Nursing Week
Win of the Week! April 29 – May 5
In a recent labour board decision, SEIU-West demonstrated our commitment to due process and fair representation of our membership – SEIU-West is proud of our history which includes our devotion to fair process that is accessible for all and our due diligence as we work to meet the responsibility of member representation.
Resilience and Women: Elmwood Group Homes Support Workers
Resilience and Women: Elmwood Group Homes Support Workers
Joint Health Provider Bargaining Update from SEIU-West, SGEU, and CUPE: April 27
Your SGEU, SEIU-West, and CUPE health care bargaining committees met with SAHO on April 24 and 25 in Regina to continue our work to achieve a fair and equitable collective agreement for our members.
This was an epic session as we finished our last meeting at April 26 at 1:30 am. The bargaining committee members remain committed to ensuring that your rights and benefits remain intact as we move through the transition of the new Saskatchewan Health Authority. Our work is complicated by the fact that two of SAHO’s lead negotiators are retiring at the end of April, and we do not know who will take over bargaining.
Since the April 10 provincial budget announcement, we have seen a number of initiatives introduced that affect our members in a most direct way. Government and the employer say they are ‘works in progress’ as we don’t have much information at this time.
Some regional IT services are going to be transferred to eHealth. While the SHA doesn’t have much direct and clear information, your unions are committed to ensuring that we see our members treated fairly in this transfer and that IT members receive recognition for their skill, rights and benefits under their collective agreements. We will be meeting with SHA and eHealth to demand basic information such as how many employees will be affected; what classifications will be transferred; and what the transfer process will look like.
The SHA also announced a province-wide review of security services. We are aware that numerous reviews have been previously conducted, on both a regional and facility perspective, but never acted upon. We are cautious about the anticipated outcomes of this review and have reached out to our partners and allies in other areas and provinces who’ve been subjected to a security service review. We support our security officers throughout the province in making sure their voices, experiences and advice are taken into account in the planning of a seamless security service in rural and urban settings.
Our bargaining session saw us exchange a number of proposals that reinforced to the Employers that our Extended Health and Enhanced Dental (EHD) plan is a valued benefit and source of pride for our members. The provider unions have worked to ensure the financial health of the plan and quality of benefits for our members and we are not willing to jeopardize the plan we worked so hard to get. SAHO and the Government of Saskatchewan want to use the surplus that the plan has earned to reduce their amount of contributions to the plan, but they do not want to commit to maintaining the current status of the plan once those funds are depleted. The provider unions insist the plan be administered solely for the benefit of YOU as the beneficiaries.
We believe we have made significant progress regarding language to work together to address recruitment and retention issues in all of our classifications and facilities; we have an agreement in principle on interpersonal violence leave provisions that will see access to other paid leaves in our collective agreements; we are close to finalizing a specific process to identify and resolve workload issues for our members and provisions for electronic callback (specific to CUPE).
Issues still outstanding are the creation of a steering committee to establish a proper joint trusteeship over all of our benefit plans; joint recruitment and retention initiatives for employees; and a moratorium on changing bargaining unit structures. This last item is of benefit to our members so that we can work to implement this agreement and build a bargaining association that will guide our provincial work together. And, of course, other issues that have not been resolved include negotiations over monetary provisions regarding professional fees, the status of funding for our EHD plan; and general wage increases.
We have offered dates for further bargaining in May.
As we approach the National Day of Mourning on April 28, for workers who have been killed or injured on the job, we ask you to pause and remember to work safely, recognize when your colleagues may be struggling with a workplace injury and encourage your co-workers to work in a manner that allows them to return home safely and soundly.
In Solidarity,
SEIU-WEST, SGEU, and CUPE Bargaining Committees
SFL: Youth Activity Coordinator (YAC) Application
SFL: Youth Activity Coordinator (YAC) Application
Win of the Week! April 22-28
After 4 years of delays, SEIU-West has resolved a long outstanding grievance for one of our health care members. Their Employer implemented a multi-site position without first negotiating with the SEIU-West as per our collective agreement, which resulted in a large number of missed shifts for our member. A compensation agreement was just reached to the delight of our member. Way to go!
Provincial Budget: Moe of the Same
Provincial Budget: Moe of the Same
Win of the Week! April 15-21
Another member successfully received their disability claim after SEIU-West fought diligently and helped ensure this member achieved fairness. We’re stronger together!