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
Build Power, Win Justice 2024!
The SEIU-West Political Action & Education Department is pleased to invite members to apply to attend Build Power, Win Justice. This two-day conference will take place at SEIU-West in Saskatoon on March 19th and 20th, 2024. Interested members can apply by completing this application form.
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:
Joint Health Provider Bargaining Update from SEIU-West, CUPE and SGEU: April 9, 2018
Click to download a printable PDF of Joint Health Provider Bargaining Update with SEIU-West, CUPE, and SGEU
Your health providers coalition bargaining committee met in Saskatoon this week from Thursday, April 5 to Sunday, April 8. We remain focused on getting the best possible collective agreements.
Both the unions and SAHO provided multiple proposal packages over the last four days. Questions were raised, and a great deal of discussion took place as we spent time reviewing the impact of proposed language changes and the introduction of Letters of Understanding to address new and emerging processes.
Some of those processes include the development of a joint trusteeship of all of our benefit plans (such as Extended Health and Dental; DIP) and addressing the new operational phase of the Saskatchewan Health Authority. In both examples, CUPE, SGEU and SEIU-West feel that it’s important to have your unions at the table to ensure that our members’ issues are raised, that your voices are heard, and that we have an opportunity to contribute to improvements.
The coalition of unions is also providing support and solidarity to one another in the form of shared language, such as the development of a workload committee or electronic call-back. With workload, this is an on-going and critical issue that we need to work together to address. It involves reviewing policies and practices, proper reporting of workload concerns, short-staffing and staff retention, and an avenue to address the concerns of not only our members, but the concerns of the patients, clients, and residents we care for each day. The health authority has an obligation to meet the OHS regulations, and as unions, we are adamant about this.
At this time, we have deferred the discussion of monetary provisions in order to focus on items that we believe will be easier to agree on.
April 10 is the day that the provincial budget will be delivered by the Minister of Finance. We strongly encourage you to listen/watch for further updates on the impact to health care and our collective bargaining process. We need to stand strongly together to say “NO” to cuts/rollbacks/concessions! We are proud of Saskatchewan health care workers who deserve to be treated with respect and paid what we are worth!
On another note, we honour and salute the health care workers and emergency responders of every union who performed so incredibly during the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash on April 6. To the first responders, medical professionals and volunteers, we owe you our deepest gratitude. You comforted and cared for the injured and dying. You hugged families, friends, and other staff in their time of need. You have cried, worked tirelessly on your feet, grieved, and, at times, found the strength to smile. We are honoured to represent you and to know you. We are proud of the care you provide every day and especially in times of crisis. Never doubt the incredible value that you bring to our health care system. Thank you all.
In Solidarity,
SEIU-WEST, CUPE, and SGEU Bargaining Committees
Day of Mourning 2018: April 28 Events
Day of Mourning 2018: April 28 Events
MEDIA RELEASE: Support Workers Expand Withdrawal of Service
Support Workers Expand Withdrawal of Service
Win of the Week! April 1-7
SEIU-West developed a new course for members who have never participated in any SEIU-West training before, called Unionism 101. Over the last few weeks, many members in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon joined this one-day training opportunity and we’re happy to report the course received rave reviews! Members highlighted the importance of getting to know the benefits of belonging to SEIU-West, and enjoyed learning about the social justice issues SEIU-West advocates for.
It’s certainly a win when members become engaged in their union, and we’re excited for the next Unionism 101 course in Swift Current next week!
President's Message: Cape's Corner - Spring 2018
Over the course of 2017, hundreds of SEIU-West members reached out to government officials at various levels to share their experiences of the impact of health care funding cuts to their patients, residents, themselves, their families and their communities.
Joint Bargaining Update from SEIU-West, CUPE, & SGEU: March 29, 2018
Your union bargaining committees met this week from Sunday, March 25 to Wednesday, March 28. We continue to remain focused on getting the best agreement possible.
There was a great deal of development work on both sides of the table to review, prepare and respond to proposals. We face many challenges, including grave concerns about short staffing protocols and processes, lack of investment in the provincial health care system, the threat of the -3.5% rollback, and the transition to the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). Your bargaining committees are thinking about these and how they impact our members every single day.
There are real bread and butter issues that our members feel passionately about, which we are trying to address through bargaining. These include: recruitment and retention, workload, professional fees, electronic call back, maintaining our Extended Health and Enhanced Dental Plan (EHDP), and creating a joint trusteeship to ensure that the funds of the EHDP are invested for the plan’s long-term access.
We are also looking at long-term goals and strategies that will ease the anxiety of our members and create a sense of stability within the health care system. We are advocating for a formal structure to deal with issues arising from the transition to the SHA; we need to tackle what a provincial health authority means for our members’ ability to bid on jobs, transfer seniority, and maintain their benefits throughout the province.
We hope that the Government of Saskatchewan recognizes that it is health care workers who provide the care, keep the buildings running, and comfort the sick, vulnerable and dying. But health care workers are running on empty, and we need the support and investment from our government to make a difference.
The SEIU-West, CUPE and SGEU bargaining committees want to thank all of you who have written, called or visited your MLA to talk about the work you do and the importance of a fair collective agreement. We are calling on you to continue to reach out to get the message out to the Government of Saskatchewan, which funds health care. Our next bargaining dates are April 5, 6, and 7. So ring those phones, send those emails, and pay a visit to your MLA to tell them health care providers need a raise.
In Solidarity,
Your SEIU-West, SGEU and CUPE bargaining committees
Purple Day: April 5!
Win of the Week! March 25-31
Princess - Continuing Care Assistant at St. Ann's Home
"I enjoy working with the residents to maintain their independence" - Princess.
Win of the Week! March 18-24
SEIU-West, SAHO, and the new Saskatchewan Health Authority have reached an agreement with respect to Medical Care Leave, often a grievance issue.
Medical Care Leave will be calculated on a calendar year, rather than a fiscal year. That has been the practice of payroll for several years, which violated the CBA (collective bargaining agreement). The 16 hours will be available to all employees under the SAHO/SEIU collective agreement, including casuals, and will not be pro-rated. Agreement is effective as of January 1, 2018. Way to go!