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.
Celebrate Medical Radiation Technologist (MRT) Week!!
For the week of November 8-14, SEIU-West is proud to celebrate the important role of MRTs in health care.
The work of MRTs are vital for quality patient care as MRTs perform imaging and radiation-related therapy, which is so often needed in our public health care system. MRTs deliver safe and professional care by relying on the important skills and experience they’ve gained in their line of work and education – MRTs will start IVs, prepare equipment, perform biopsies, angiograms, feeding tube placements and support a proper diagnosis for their patients – just to name a few responsibilities!
In recognition of their valued work, SEIU-West invites you to participate in the MRT Week Contest! We ask that you tell us – why MRTs are vital to the health care team? Email [email protected] with your answer, and you’ll be entered to win a Visa gift card or SEIU-West swag!
Contest Deadline: November 15, 2020
Want to be featured as a MRT Frontline Hero? Fill out a profile here – be sure to include a photo!
Good luck!!
Click here to download a PDF file of SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 18
Date: November 6, 2020
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
In the October 6, 2020 bargaining update, SEIU-West informed our members that we had served formal notice of impasse to the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety after facilitated discussions with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) failed.
As part of the process set out in The Saskatchewan Employment Act (SEA), the notice must contain information about essential services that will need to be maintained in the event of a job action. Another part of the impasse process is that the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety needs to appoint a third party as a conciliator to assist the parties in reaching a deal.
SAHO indicated that they were unable to bargain during the election period due to the requirements to adhere to their past practice in following the Caretaker Government Convention. While we dispute this requirement, we agreed to meet via video platform in order to engage in mandatory conciliation October 29 and November 2. The Ministry of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety appointed Peter Suderman to act as conciliator in this process. We also agreed to some ground rules that needed to be negotiated as SAHO voiced some displeasure with the amount of information we shared with our members in our last updates. To that end, while the parties engage in the conciliation process, we all will honour both a confidentiality and a media ban, so there will be no bargaining in the media.
In the conciliation process, we have exchanged proposals with SAHO a couple of times to find a way forward to reach a tentative agreement. We have been very clear about the importance of our current set of proposals to our members. Many of you have shared your thoughts, concerns and colourful language about our proposals and the employer’s reluctance to accept them – we shared this information, in general, with the Employer.
The substance of SAHO’s proposal hasn’t changed from what was discussed in our October 6 update. That proposal contained significant “last minute” concessions and takeaways which will cost our members, now and in the years to come. We are firm in our resolve that the proposal SAHO presented was a significant impediment in our attempts to find common ground to achieve a settlement.
SEIU-West’s proposal hasn’t substantially changed; we have put forward proposals that we believe will form the basis of a tentative agreement that we can bring to you for your consideration and a ratification vote. We all understand that the creation of one provincial health authority introduced, for example, the need for the portability of benefits including seniority and the need for a common way to calculate seniority for all provider unions’ members. We firmly believe that this discussion must include our partner unions, CUPE and SGEU, and the Employer, in order to find a mutually agreed to way forward on this and other transition issues.
Your bargaining committee is also aware that this delay in resolving our collective agreement is frustrating for you. Your patience and determination are clear to us and we have ensured that this message has been shared with the conciliator and SAHO.
We are continuing to work on preparing for essential services negotiations, as that is a necessary part of the impasse process in getting to a position where we can take job action. We continue to ask for members to submit essential services questionnaires to provide us with a more robust picture of the different aspects of your work. You can download that form here.
Our next dates for conciliation discussions are November 16 and 17. We will provide further updates at that time.
We encourage you to reach out to your newly elected or re-elected MLAs and let them know that you are done waiting for a fair collective agreement and demand that settling this contract should be their priority.
Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the Member Resource Center by phone 1-888-999-7348 ext. 2298 or through our contact form on SEIUWEST.ca.
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 Bargaining and Contract Enforcement); Russell Doell (Deputy Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement); Cam McConnell (Negotiations Officer) • President: Barbara Cape
SEIU-West is proud to recognize the dedicated members who work in the community-based organization (CBO) sector.
In celebration of Community Worker Appreciation Day, SEIU-West CBO workers joined their fellow CBO workers from across Saskatchewan for their online 2020 CBO Worker Conference on November 5, 2020.
Hosted by the CBO Committee comprised of SGEU, CUPE, and SEIU-West members, the day gave the chance for CBO workers to dig deeper in order to improve their working lives and the vital care they provide to others.
This discussion led to a deeper dive into how to better understand the six basic human needs – certainty, variety, significance, love/connection, growth, contribution – and how communication improves when we understand which of these six needs is motivating ourselves and others around us.
Our members told us that the speaker, Natasha Finell-Sukarukoff, was enjoyable and made the content fun and relatable. One attendee said: This day allowed me to pause and reflect on how the pandemic has affected me and that self-care is not selfishness. Taking care of myself means I can be better at taking care of others.
We’re delighted CBO workers were able to gather in solidarity and we can’t thank them enough for their dedication in the work they do – whether that be in a group home, a crisis centre, a child care facility, or an addictions treatment centre – the work they do is invaluable!
In recognition of Community Worker Appreciation Day, SEIU-West invites you to enter our contest! Let us know why CBO workers are important to your community – by entering, you could win a Visa gift card or SEIU-West swag!
Email your entries to [email protected] – the deadline to enter is November 13, 2020!
November is Home Care Month and SEIU-West is proud to celebrate alongside our valued Home Care members.
Home Care is an essential part of our health care system – it allows people to stay in the comfort of their home while ensuring their health care needs are met. Health Care Providers who work in Home Care visit clients’ homes to ensure they have assistance with their personal care including medication administration or assistance, dressing changes, oral care as well as non-medical needs such as bathing and meal preparation. Importantly, those who work in Home Care also provide valued relationships that enhance clients’ lives. As many clients face the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, these relationships are especially vital. It’s no wonder those who provide home care services are called frontline heroes.
Yet those in power have seen home care services cut by 8% since 2014 in Saskatchewan – it is vital that we connect with our newly elected MLAs to let them know this important service for seniors must be restored.
In recognition of Home Care Month, we invite you to participate in our contest! Let us know how a Home Care Worker has benefited your wellbeing – those who enter could win a Visa gift card or SEIU-West swag! Please note: only SEIU-West members are eligible to enter.
Please send your entry to [email protected] – the deadline to enter is December 1, 2020.
To all our SEIU-West Home Care Health Care Providers, we thank you!!
The SEIU-West Political Action & Awareness Committee (PAAC) followed the lead of the Saskatoon & District Labour Council (SDLC) and the Regina & District Labour Council (RDLC) and sent a series of questions to Swift Current and Moose Jaw municipal election candidates. Below, you will find the SDLC, RDLC, and PAAC candidate recommendations for the municipal election - be sure to visit www.purplevotes.ca for more information!
The SEIU-West Political Action & Awareness Committee (PAAC) followed the lead of the Saskatoon & District Labour Council (SDLC) and the Regina & District Labour Council (RDLC) and sent a series of questions to Swift Current municipal election candidates. While some did not respond, below are the candidates' who did respond favourably to the PAAC's questions:
The SEIU-West Political Action & Awareness Committee (PAAC) followed the lead of the Saskatoon & District Labour Council (SDLC) and the Regina & District Labour Council (RDLC) and sent a series of questions to Moose Jaw municipal election candidates. While some did not respond, below are the candidates' who did respond favourably to the PAAC's questions:
Jamaal James
- Is involved with his union; supports core values of labour movement – solidarity, the Fight for $15, reduced cost of public transportation, and keeping infrastructure public in an effort to create local, ‘good paying’ jobs.
- Supports environmental causes and understands the intersection of economics and climate change.
- Supports palatable solutions for social issues: safe injection sites, increased mental health support, and pressuring the provincial government to treat workers fairly through the bargaining process.
- Strongly supports diversity and the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and implementing them locally where possible.
Doug Blanc
- SGEU elected officer; supports the values and aims of the labour movement.
Jamey Logan
- Logan is known for his involvement in the community-based organization (CBO) sector, as well as for being a local business owner who is respected by both workers and bosses.
Read and share the below Letter to the Editor written by retired SEIU-West member, Ron Flach:
I recall the new Sask. Party government and the Minister of Labour, Rob Norris, who introduced the Sask. essential services law very quickly after the 2007 election. This was likely the first broken Sask. Party promise as they had pledged during the election campaign that they would not legislate essential services.
There was no consultation with any of the working people it would impact or their representatives prior to introducing the bill and no real openness to changes.
This same law was overturned seven years later by the Supreme Court of Canada as it was deemed unconstitutional. Where was his notion of fairness towards the working class when he did this? And is this type of misadventure really a proper use of public funds? What is the actual cost?
I know firsthand that changes to labour legislation have created barriers to achieving collective agreements for health care providers. This is why we have critical shortages on the front line — who wants to work at 2016 rates of pay?
Do we really want someone who uses public funds to strip away our rights as our next mayor? I think not.
Ron Flach
Saskatoon
Below you will find the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and Regina District Labour Council (RDLC) list of endorsed candidates for the Saskatchewan Municipal Election.
