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.
Happy May long weekend!!!
Thank you to everyone who has submitted their entry into the SEIU-West ‘Whoops’ contest. This contest was geared toward discovering your best recommendations on how we can all enjoy the 2021 May long weekend, in such a way that we don’t get another wave of COVID infections!
SEIU-West members have come up with some innovative recommendations and here are the top 5:
1. Exploring Saskatchewan with a Drive to a Community Never Visited Before
2. Getting Your Grill On and Bar-b-que for some Quality Family Time
3. Sparking some Creativity with Yard Renovations
4. Taking in some FRESH air with Hiking and Picnicking
5. Digging some Rows for the Love of Gardening
SEIU-West wishes everyone a safe and crazy wonderful May long, hoping that whatever you decide to do to add a sense of adventure, even amidst our current public constraints, will bring you a great dose of refreshment!
Congratulations to our contest winner: Mandie Clancy!!!
Brian has been a Biomedical Clinical Engineering Tech for 28 years, the last 4 have been in a supervisory capacity. Brian and his coworkers are a team of five in his Acute Care facility. Working together, they fix all sorts of machines when they break down.
Brian explained the dynamics of the team as an analogy to an escape room. His team works really well; each has different ideas and abilities to come up with a solution to get to their end goal – proper functioning equipment. The team spirit of cooperation and common need to meet a challenge makes this work enjoyable. Brian looks forward to going to work every day.
Make sure to read our profiles of Biomedical Engineering Techs this week for clues!
Laura has been a Biomedical Engineering Tech for 10 years; her role is to repair and maintain equipment at her acute care site. Her and her coworker have worked well as a team for the past decade and love coming to work to find out what equipment they need to work on that day.
As some of you may have noticed, our 2021 pocket calendar has Victoria Day listed as taking place on May 17, 2021, instead of on the 24th, which is the real date. We apologize for the error!
For years, SEIU-West has marched in pride parades. As a union, we celebrate and fight for equality and diversity. This year will look different with COVID 19 restrictions, but there are still ways to participate. Here are some activities throughout the province that will be updated as we get times and locations confirmed. HAPPY PRIDE!
It's an important message and one we can't hear enough: get vaccinated!
Click here to download either the 8.5"x11" or 11"x17" version of the We Are Sick of This Too! campaign poster, encouraging everyone to finish strong in their battle against COVID-19, for the union bulletin board in your workplace.
May 13, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(SASKATCHEWAN) As Saskatchewan celebrates National Nursing Week, health care provider unions are urging the Saskatchewan government to remember and recognize one key component of the nursing team that is often overlooked – Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs).
“In Saskatchewan, LPNs are front line care nurses that are responsible for managing patient care plans in collaboration with registered nurses and doctors,” said Tracey Sauer, SGEU president. “They perform much more than basic patient care, and are often specialized in critical areas, such as hemodialysis care, peri-operative care and advanced orthopedics. Many LPNs also received additional training and have been an integral part of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.”
There are approximately 3,400 LPNs working in long-term, acute and home care across Saskatchewan. Each one of them has benefitted from higher learning and is certified by the Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses (SALPN), under a scope of practice set up in the LPN Act.
“Despite training and regulation, many LPNs are not able to work to their full scope of practice because of employer policies limiting the role of LPNs,” said Sandra Seitz, CUPE 5430 president. “This means there are dedicated health care professionals who are unable to use all their skills in providing patient care. This is a concern every year, but especially in a pandemic that has seen resources across the health care system stretched thin.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been greater public appreciation of the work done by nurses and all health care workers, but LPNs are often not acknowledged for their contributions.
“Health care providers who are working through the pandemic are rightfully being seen as heroes – but that recognition needs to extend to every member of the health care team,” said Barbara Cape, President of SEIU-West. “This Nursing Week, we call on the government and the employer to acknowledge LPNs and work on a strategy to bring all members of the health care team to their full scope of practice.”
Together, SGEU, SEIU-West and CUPE represent approximately 30,000 health care providers working in acute care, home care and long-term care across Saskatchewan.
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To download a printable PDF copy of this release please click here.
For more information, please contact:
Carolyn Rebeyka
Communications Officer, SGEU
Phone: 306-519-2903
Christine Miller
Communications, SEIU-West
Phone: 306-477-8733
Tria Donaldson
Communications Representative, CUPE
Phone: 306-531-6247
Karen has been a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) since 2002 and a Continuing Care Assistant for three years before that. Every day, she looks forward to coming to work to assist in bringing babies into this world. She absolutely loves her job. She works in Labour and Delivery in Swift Current. Her team has seen an increase in babies since December, they now deliver 40-45 babies per month!
Connie was a Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) in the Philippines for three years before coming to Canada, where she has been a CCA for the past eight years.
For Connie, she ensures that she listens to the needs of the residents and does her best to put a smile on each of their faces. Care plans include Activities of Daily Living (ADL) where she encourages independence as residents are able and appreciates the uniqueness of each resident. For someone with dementia, they may be able to brush their teeth, for example, but they wouldn’t remember to do it by themselves. Others need total care. To be a CCA, Connie says it is crucial to have a compassionate heart. You must go to work with a positive attitude each day.
The first years of a child's life are crucial to their overall development. Early childhood educators lead children in activities to stimulate and develop their intellectual, physical and emotional growth and ensure their security and well-being. We know that early childhood educators are a precious commodity in the future development and success of our next generation.
To Celebrate Early Childhood Educator Appreciation Day, email [email protected] a pic of you with your favorite childhood book and tell us who read it to you or tell us a story about your favourite Early Childhood Educator by May 19 for your chance to win a gift card!
Samantha has been an Early Childhood Educator (ECE) in a child care centre for the past three years. She started caring for children as a part time job and soon found that it was her calling.