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:
Environmental Services Week 2022- Kendel
There is a lot of work that goes in to keeping a hospital clean, which is why each year we celebrate Environmental Services Week. They are the team behind keeping areas germ-free and tidy—a task even more vital the past few years. We spoke to Kendel, an Environmental Service Worker (ESW) at a rural acute care centre in the middle of Saskatchewan, to tell us what work in her area has been like.
Letter to the Editor - Martin Been August 30
Better uses for resource windfall
The recent announcement by the Saskatchewan Party government to share resource revenue is suspicious. If you recall, Saskatchewan experienced a record resource revenue boom from 2011 to 2014 and no one saw either cheques in the mail or an improvement of public services. We saw squandering.
The decision to dish out a ‘share-the-wealth’ $500 payment this fall won’t even cover the increases for many that the Saskatchewan Party government has quietly imposed, such as a new school fee to make up for a shortfall in funding for our education system, provincial sales tax on children’s clothing and used cars and transportation costs to find health care out of province.
A simple injection of much-needed dollars would go a long way to clear the backlog of surgeries that health care is experiencing right now. An investment in education is investing in the future of this province.
Finance Minister Harpauer insists that investments in our public services are not sustainable, but I argue that if it was a priority, it would be sustainable.
The Saskatchewan Party tells us that they are keeping Saskatchewan strong and on the right track. It appears we are on the track for a two-tiered health-care and education system, much like the United States.
Our message on the tragic events at James Smith Cree Nation
The tragic events of the past week that began on James Smith Cree Nation have impacted our entire province and have resonated throughout Canada. Though we may never understand the reasons behind the attacks, it’s important for us to grieve for everyone involved. The victims who lost their lives, the survivors recovering from their injuries and coping with living through such horrible events, the families and friends grieving the loss, while supporting their loved ones and communities, the first responders, police, health care providers, and all people in the communities impacted by the horrific events.
Labour Day Message 2022
When we celebrate Labour Day, it should be more than another Statutory Holiday or signal the end of summer. It should be a celebration—a moment to lift up, with pride, our skill, our craftsmanship, and our labour that contributes to the success of our team, our communities, and our families.
Joint Media Release: Health care provider unions concerned about new health care recruitment Crown: more red tape is not the answer
For Immediate Release - September 1, 2022
REGINA: The unions representing health care providers in Saskatchewan are questioning the creation of the Saskatchewan Health Care Recruitment Agency.
Labour Day 2022 Events
Labour Day is right around the corner and we've collected a list of events sponsored by district labour councils around the province.
Apply now! Activist Training Camp 2022
The SEIU-West Education Department is pleased to invite members to apply for the Activist Training Workshop, happening both in-person and online.
The course will take place on:
- September 20 in Sasktoon
- September 22 in Swift Current
- September 23 online
Apply Now! SFL Convention 2022
This year, the annual Convention of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) will be held in Regina on October 26-28, 2022.
This year's Convention includes elections for several leadership positions. The SFL Convention is a wonderful opportunity to get involved in Saskatchewan’s labour movement, and advocate for better social, economic and environmental policies.
As in past years, the SEIU-West Executive Board has agreed to sponsor up to 30 SEIU-West members to attend the Convention as delegates. This includes the registration fee, lost wages or honoraria, and any associated costs in accordance to our policies.
If you are interested in attending, please fill out this Expression of Interest form, no later than August 26, 2022. We will notify those who are selected to attend.
The SFL represents over 100,000 hard working union members in Saskatchewan, from 37 national and international unions. Its goal is to improve working people’s lives throughout the province, whether organized or unorganized, and regardless of affiliation to the SFL.
Letter to the Editor - Martin Been July 30, 2022
An article published in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix on July 25 titled “Saskatchewan will pay private clinics to help close surgery gap,” explains the Saskatchewan Party government wants a privately run orthopedic surgery clinic to be built in the province in an effort to clear a record backlog of postponed procedures.
The article states: “The province will issue a formal request to a private company to build a site focused on increasing operating room and bed capacity for in-patient joint replacements, as well as a variety of day surgery procedures.”
The Ministry of Health says it is also exploring contracting an existing private surgery clinic outside of the province to perform hip and knee surgeries for residents on the province’s waitlist.
This from a government that once proudly proclaimed that Saskatchewan is a “have” province.
Timing of this announcement, coinciding with the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Tommy Douglas’ medicare, should be more than concerning.
With the plan to build private clinics and outsource publicly funded surgeries to private clinics, is this government signalling the end of publicly funded and administered health care?
If allowed to proceed with this plan, this government will add health care to the list of items people in Saskatchewan can no longer afford.
Martin Been
Saskatoon
Find the published article in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix here.
International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2022
Letter to the Prime Minister 2022- Martin Been
Martin Been, Member of SEIU-West Political Action and Awareness Committee, has upped his game in response to the lack of response from his letter to his Member of Parliament, as well as letters to the Editor of the Star Phoenix: Investment Must Stay With Long-Term Care in Saskatchewan and concerns expressed over private healthcare in Saskatchewan and the poor response from the Provincial Health Minister.
Read on!
Apply to Attend: SACLXT Fall Conference 2022
The SEIU-West Education Committee will be sponsoring up to two delegates to attend the Saskatchewan Association of Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technicians (SACLXT) Fall Conference on October 22, 2022 at the Sandman Signature Hotel in Saskatoon.
They will reimburse registration costs, lost wages, travel costs and meal expenses for those who are selected to attend according to our policies.
Space for these courses is limited, so get your Expression of Interest in soon. Your completed Expression of Interest form must be received in our office on or before August 29, 2022 in order to allow us to complete the registration and selection process.
You will be required to submit a report within 30 days to SEIU-West's Education Committee.
More Information about the event can be found here:
2022 AGM Agenda
2022 SACLXT Conference Agenda
2022 SACLXT Registration Form
*Once you've been notified that the Education Committee is sponsoring you, you'll still need to register for the conference. We will book you a hotel if required and we will send you our Member Expense Form to reimburse your costs.