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.
A year ago, a member went on unpaid leave following a workplace injury as her workers compensation claim was denied. The member then applied for the Disability Income Plan with the assistance of a SEIU-West Rep. Recently, the member found out that she has been approved. She will now receive back-pay since she had to leave work last year! What great news!
An Employer was hesitant to accommodate the most senior member in awarding a posted position. Once SEIU-West intervened, the member information supported a formal accommodation and they were awarded the new position they were entitled to. Great work!
Cuts Too Deep
We have an excellent win to report on behalf of a new Unit Chair. This Unit Chair was just elected and within 5 days in their leadership role, they successfully resolved an issue after taking part in a Step One Meeting with the Employer. We’re very proud of this new leader!
A member who experienced a longstanding issue in their JJE classification was just awarded $27,000 after SEIU-West and the Employer went to the Dispute Resolution Tribunal. This member had just retired as well – what a great retirement gift! Thanks to the persistence of this member and their union!
"I love seeing participants become more comfortable in the pool!" - Rebecca.
SEIU-West is happy to see that Saskatoon has its first Accountable Care Unit (ACU) and are proud of our Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) members who are newly certified in Structured Interdisciplinary Bedside Rounds (SIBR), one of the defending features of ACU. Way to go LPNs!
2017 Year in Review!
Like the incessant high-pitched buzz of a mosquito in the darkness of a summer’s night, try as you might, slapping yourself silly, the mosquito triumphs, until such time as you turn on the light in order to quash its very existence.
Like a reoccurring cold, yet another virus has wielded its head. There is no defending against this plague, as you’re aware of its imminent arrival, one is simply not given an itinerary.
Sick time usage.
Health-care services should not be publicly undermined. Health-care workers should stay home when sick.
A hospital setting is hardly a place for ill employees, as it compromises patient safety.
But, alas, the court of public opinion will take the spotlight once again. The plague of sick time usage will have its day in the sun, and the critics will have their 15 minutes of fame.
What they neglect to speak about though is the lack of safety in the health-care environment. In particular, the cause of the injuries has so much to do with the insufficient staffing levels and the ‘attendance management’ strategies where management push the ill to attend work to the detriment of infection control.
When will the conversation change to acknowledge the source of the problem? Sadly, we wait for this to occur and it never does.
Yet, eventually, the hype will settle down, things return to normal, until one day, the python strikes again. It’s venom, enough to make you ill.
Martin Been
Saskatoon
Published in The Star Phoenix, Dec 22, 2017