The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is the largest and fastest growing in North America with over 2.1 million members. SEIU-West is the second largest SEIU Local in Canada, and represents more than 13,000 working people in the province of Saskatchewan. They work in health care, education, municipalities, community-based organizations, retirement homes and other sectors.
Pinned
SAHO/ECI Bargaining Survey 2022
It is time for the 2022 SEIU-West SAHO/ECI Bargaining Survey!
This survey is for SEIU-West members who work at (or are on leave from) a Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) or SHA-affiliated workplace or program, including Extendicare.
SENIORITY TOWNHALL – Q & A – SEIUWEST/SAHO collective agreement
On June 7, SEIU-West held a virtual townhall to talk with SHA members about the Letter of Understanding (LOU) that changes our hours-based seniority system to a seniority date system. The difference is that all hours-based seniority will begin to be transferred to a seniority date.
Apply Today: Young Workers' Conference
Do you want to be more active in your union? Are you 35 years old or younger? Great news!! You're eligible to attend the 2022 Young Workers' Conference!
Join the SAHO/Extendicare Bargaining Committee
The next round of collective bargaining with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) and Extendicare Canada Inc. (ECI) will begin in the coming months and we are looking for SEIU-West members to make up our bargaining committee.
National Indigenous History Month
SEIU-West's Aboriginal Committee met on May 31 and has many exciting initiatives coming up.
We'd like to share a list of June events and ask that you join us in celebrations of National Indigenous History Month and work towards Reconciliation in Saskatchewan.
Email [email protected] if you'd like to walk with us in Saskatoon for Rock your Roots for Reconciliation!
Extendicare Pay Rate Update
Elmview, Moose Jaw, Parkside, Preston, and Sunset Extendicare Facilities
PLEASE NOTE:
New pay rates are effective April 17, 2022.
Update to Members: March 25, 2022
Dear Members of SEIU-West:
In an effort to keep you all up-to-date on the recent cyber-attack affecting SEIU-West that we first reported to you on March 11, 2022 and updated you on March 15, 2022, we want to provide a further update on where we’re at with this situation.
Update to Members: March 15, 2022
Dear members of SEIU-West:
We are writing you with an important update related to the recent cyber-attack affecting SEIU-West that we first reported to you late last week on March 11, 2022. We promised to provide you with further updates as more information became available.
Here is what we’ve learned to date:
Notice to Members: March 11, 2022
Dear member of SEIU-West:
We are writing to you with important information about a recent cyber-attack affecting SEIU-West. SEIU-West became aware of this cyber-attack on March, 10 2022, which is believed to have occurred early in the morning of March 10, 2022.
Extendicare Canada Inc. (ECI) Bargaining Update No. 7
Date: March 7, 2022
Greetings Brothers and Sisters who work at Extendicare Canada’s Elmview, Preston, Moose Jaw, Parkside, and Sunset facilities:
We wanted to update you regarding the implementation of the new collective agreement you approved in January, as well as regarding the transfer of these facilities to the SHA.
SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd Edition) No. 24
Date: March 4, 2022
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
At long last, we can confirm that our collective agreement is finalized and at the printer!
Federal Funding for Health Needs Stronger Conditions Provinces Must Meet
Open Letter to Premier Moe: Saskatchewan's Frontline Workers Call on Government to Protect Vital Services
On January 20, 2022 SEIU-West, the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL), the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation (STF), the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN), SGEU and CUPE Saskatchewan joined together to call on the Government of Saskatchewan to protect our healthcare and education systems and other vital public services from the Omicron wave by immediately following the advice of Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab. The presidents of these six organizations held an unprecedented joint news conference. Today, the joint open letter below was sent to Premier Scott Moe, calling for a a public health order to:
- Limit gathering sizes to a maximum of 10 people.
- Limit the frequency of gathering and establish a consistent “bubble” of close contacts.
- Limit non-school and non-work contacts.
- Limit non-essential travel between communities.
President's Message: Cape's Corner - Summer 2018
Our Union’s broad membership sees many different challenges, including underfunding of public services, short-staffing, and threats of privatization. We continue to push back against these challenges so that our members can continue to provide quality services to the highest standards of professionalism. How do we push back? With broad-based campaigns that incorporate all of our members and our solidarity within the labour movement.
Joint Bargaining Update: Coalition Unions will not be intimidated by SAHO
June 27, 2018
Your SEIU-West, SGEU, and CUPE bargaining committees resumed bargaining on June 21, continued bargaining through the weekend, and went late into the evening of June 25.
The Unions and SAHO exchanged proposals on extended health and dental plan funding, joint trusteeship process for the benefit plans, and monetary issues related to general wage increases.
The Union Coalition felt momentum building and was hopeful that a tentative agreement would be reached. However, on the evening of June 25, the positive tone at the table quickly turned. SAHO and the Ministry of Health questioned whether your bargaining committees were committed to reaching an agreement. SAHO made comments that the Coalition was delaying the process and splitting hairs. What this translates into for our membership is that we are not willing to sell out our hard-earned collective agreement protections and benefits to get a deal.
We were close to language that would help us to get joint trusteeship of all of our benefits plans; this is incredibly important in order to ensure the health and long-term viability of these plans. It should be noted that joint governance will be a requirement of the Canada Revenue Agency in 2019, and this joint trusteeship will help both our benefit plans and members by significantly reducing plan taxation liabilities.
Your coalition bargaining committee put forward a proposal on a general wage increase that we believe was fair and reasonable. It took into consideration fiscal restraint of the province. But we were told that we hadn’t moved enough! SAHO and the Government of Saskatchewan have offered health providers less than other public sector workers – yet they are demanding concessions.
It is clear that the government wants to end the 100% employer funding commitment for our Extended Health and Enhanced Dental Plan (EHD) plan and push some of the costs onto you. We believe that the Coalition’s unwillingness to agree to rollback the funding to the EHD plan has triggered SAHO and the Government of Saskatchewan to change their mood. SAHO ended the meeting until further notice. There are currently no scheduled bargaining dates. SAHO did not accept our suggestion to access voluntary mediation to assist in concluding a reasonable collective agreement.
It is clear the Government of Saskatchewan is very much involved in this bargaining process. Please continue contacting your MLAs, Minister of Health Jim Reiter, and Minister of Rural and Remote Health Greg Ottenbreit to insist they treat health care providers fairly and with respect.
Jim Reiter – Ministry phone number: 306.787.7345; Constituency Office number: 306.882.4105
Greg Ottenbreit – Ministry phone number: 306.798.9014; Constituency Office number: 306.783.7275
We’ve informed SAHO that we are going to meet with our members to get clear direction. Please watch for notices of upcoming meetings in your area.
In solidarity,
SEIU-West, SGEU, and CUPE
Celebrate Multiculturalism and Canada Day!
On June 27th we celebrate Multiculturalism Day! Canadians have an international reputation for their cultural diversity that brings all people together. We are renowned for having a better understanding and better supports for people representing minority groups in Canada and beyond.
Win of the Week! June 17 – 23
Congratulations to the SEIU-West bargaining team for achieving a renewed agreement for our members at the Saskatchewan Impaired Drivers Treatment Centre (SIDTC). We are pleased that our members have ratified the agreement that has several language improvements and future increases through wage reopeners over the next couple of years.
Thanks to the bargaining team for knowing their members and getting to the finish line with success. We are stronger together!
Join SEIU-West in Recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day – Saskatoon and Regina events!
Joint Bargaining Update from SEIU-West, CUPE, and SGEU: June 19, 2018
Your coalition bargaining committee met with SAHO in Saskatoon during June 13, 14 and 15 to work to achieve a fair collective agreement that treats our members with respect, and does not include the cuts, rollbacks or concessions that the government wants.
We have achieved agreement in principle on a number of items:
- Professional Fees;
- Recruitment and Retention initiatives;
- A moratorium on changes to our bargaining unit structure;
- A process to deal with transition issues with the Saskatchewan Health Authority;
- Workload (for SGEU and SEIU-West); and
- Interpersonal Violence Leave.
Outstanding is agreement on a joint trusteeship process for our benefit plans and a discussion about monetary issues related to a general wage increase.
We continue to work towards maintaining the current language in our CBAs regarding the Extended Health & Enhanced Dental (EH&ED) Plans. We have heard from you loud and clear that the fully funded benefits plan is a valued benefit.
Your bargaining committees value your continued support. In addition to the bargaining process, we are currently faced with Health Authority initiatives, such as IT transitioning to eHealth and the provincial security services review. The parties continue with the joint review process of the Joint Job Evaluation plan. There is a lot happening, and we need to keep focused on these issues – together.
Keep an eye on your union bulletin board, website and Facebook page for how to get involved in these campaigns and how to show your support for your union bargaining committees. We cannot forget that the Government of Saskatchewan is deeply involved in this bargaining process, so please be sure to contact your MLA, Minister of Health Jim Reiter, and Minister of Rural and Remote Health Greg Ottenbreit. Stay focused and stay connected.
In solidarity,
SEIU-West, CUPE and SGEU
Win of the Week! June 10 – 16
SEIU-West has reached another successful tentative agreement in the education sector! Our members at Holy Family School Division will experience wage increases of 1.25-1-1 & 2% over the next four years! They’ll also have 100% of their EFAP paid for by the employer. They reached better language provisions around breaks and accommodations, and also obtained cell phone allowances and updated OH&S language. This agreement will certainly set a standard for workers across the education and public services sector, and we’re proud of the bargaining team for overcoming the pressured rollbacks and freezes – together, we are indeed stronger!
Member letter to SEIU-West: We Are All Purple Family!
We received a letter from one of our members sharing her daughter’s art work. SEIU-West is proud to have such talented and supportive family members! Check out their message and drawing!
June is National Indigenous History Month!
June is National Indigenous History Month!
Win of the Week! June 3 – 9
SEIU-West is proud to announce a big win for the members who work for Town of Shaunavon! The SEIU-West bargaining committee reached a tentative agreement with their employer, and some of the highlights include a market adjustment for maintenance staff, worth approximately 2.5% and which applies to the majority of the members at this bargaining unit. They also achieved a 1-1 & 2% wage increases over the next 3 years! Members saw their pension plan employer contribution increased, and also saw improvements to working at a higher paid classification. In a climate where rollbacks are pressured, our bargaining team did an excellent job raising expectations for future bargaining.
Thank you to the bargaining team for their hard work in reaching a fair deal!
