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.
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Health Care Workers Underappreciated by Provincial Government
I think the health care workers in Saskatoon deserve a huge thank you from our community. So far these individuals have successfully prevented any COVID-19 outbreaks in our long-term care homes and hospitals. Compared to other provinces, these dedicated people have done an impressive job.
Most of the health care workers in Saskatoon are members of SEIU West. These members include laboratory technologists, LPNs (nurses), continuing care assistants, housekeepers, and many other professions too numerous to mention. The sad fact is these people have been working without a contract for more than four years. They are not walking out or striking because their jobs are too important to walk away from.
The provincial government takes advantage of this dedication and throws crumbs at them. The current contract offer is five per cent over five years with the first two years having no increase at all.
If our teachers are worth six per cent over four years and our city employees are getting 6.9 per cent over four years, how can the province offer less over a longer period of time?
The offer to the health care workers is insulting and disrespectful. They are there for us to do all of the necessary testing, keep our facilities clean and safe for patients, and care for our loved ones, but the government is not there for them when a fair contract is overdue.
It’s time for the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) to treat these people with respect instead of kicking them in the butt.
Shame on you Premier Moe for turning your back on this essential service group.
Trevor Gordon
Saskatoon
For Immediate Release - June 8, 2020
Saskatoon – The members of SEIU-West were alarmed by the public statements made by both Premier Scott Moe and the Minister of Health, Jim Reiter, that Saskatchewan Long-Term Care (LTC) sector does not have systemic staffing issues.
During the 2020 Nursing Week from May 11-17, SEIU-West highlighted the importance of the entire Nursing Team. However, on May 11, Sharon Garratt, (Chief Nursing Officer of the Saskatchewan Health Authority) shared a public thank you note that left out the vital role of Continuing Care Assistants (CCA) on the Nursing Team. In response, a CCA and member of SEIU-West named Michelle, sent a letter to Ms. Garratt inquiring about this omission - you can read that here. In response, Ms. Garrat send this letter, to which President Barb Cape responded to due to the lack of apology and acknowledgement for CCAs. We continue to await a response.
On June 5, Michelle's letter was shared as a letter to the editor, which became the letter of the day - check it out here.
June 4, 2020
Sent Electronically
Honourable Premier Scott Moe
Honourable Minister of Labour Relations & Workplace Safety, Don Morgan
Honourable Minister of Health, Jim Reiter
Honourable Minister of Rural & Remote Health, Warren Kaeding
Saskatchewan Legislative Building
2405 Legislative Drive
Regina, SK S4S 0B3
Dear Honourable Premier Moe & Ministers Morgan, Reiter & Kaeding,
I write to you today on behalf of the over 12,000 members who work as health care providers in the former Saskatoon, Five Hills, Heartland, and Cypress
Health Regions, along with their families, friends, and supporters.
Below are answers to the questions we were not able to answer live due to time constraints as well as some we thought should be included that were answered live during the call.
As always, if you have questions regarding the status of bargaining or a question about your SEIU-West collective agreement, contact our Member Resource Centre (MRC) 1-888-999-7348 ext. 2298 or use our website contact form.
Click here to check out the questions that were answered during our evening session.
Below are answers to the questions we were not able to answer live due to time constraints as well as some we thought should be included that were answered live during the call.
As always, if you have questions regarding the status of bargaining or a question about your SEIU-West collective agreement, contact our Member Resource Centre (MRC) 1-888-999-7348 ext. 2298 or use our website contact form.
I’ve spent days wandering around in a daze, feeling bloody helpless to support and be an ally to my fellow humans, my brothers and sisters who are people of colour. And even in saying that phrase, I know it’s controversial. But it’s not about me… it’s about people who feel and experience racism and discrimination every single day in obvious and not so obvious ways.
Below are answers to the questions we were not able to answer live due to time constraints as well as some we thought should be included that were answered live during the call.
As always, if you have questions regarding the status of bargaining or a question about your SEIU-West collective agreement, contact our Member Resource Centre (MRC) 1-888-999-7348 ext. 2298 or use our website contact form.
As a recap, here's an overview of what happened during the virtual telephone town hall:
Barbara Cape provided this summary of what has occurred in bargaining.
About a year ago, we brought out a tentative agreement for our members to vote on. We didn’t make any recommendations on whether to accept or reject it – we left the decision in the hands of the membership. Ultimately, our members rejected the tentative agreement. The primary reason for this rejection was clearly communicated to the bargaining committee….the monetary package was inadequate.
We continued to bargain, including undertaking voluntary mediation, until it was clear that SAHO had no authority or mandate from the Government of Saskatchewan to address the outstanding issues of our members. In December, we came to our members asking for a job action mandate and you gave us overwhelming direction that you were in favour of that strategy. We advised SAHO and subsequently, they came back with a proposal for us to consider. The proposal was a lump sum payment – described informally by the employer as being between zero and $500, in exchange for agreement that we withdraw an outstanding unfair labour practice and agreement that we change our seniority system from the current system of accumulating earned hours to one based on date of hire.
Talks broke down when we tabled a proposal to SAHO that included a Health/Lifestyle spending account into the collective agreement; an education/training fund; medical verification notes requested by the employer being paid for by the employer and increasing premium pay from four days to five, when the posted and confirmed work schedule is changed by the employer due to emergency circumstances. This proposal did not include giving up our seniority system.
When SAHO was done delivering a message that we were bargaining in bad faith, that they were beyond disappointed and that they did not believe we were trying to achieve a collective agreement, they did the virtual equivalent of walking out of the room and slamming the door: they hung up on us and kicked us out of the video conference.
Then Bob Laurie set out the next steps required under the Saskatchewan Employment Act:
We would like to you to know that it is the opinion of the bargaining committee that the Saskatchewan Health Authority or SAHO do not have any real authority to conclude negotiations on our collective agreement. They made it clear they report to the government of Saskatchewan’s various ministries for their direction. The Government of Saskatchewan has indicated they do not want to put more money into bargaining to settle this agreement.
Right now, negotiations are at a standstill because SAHO and the employer group has refused to bargain with the union unless we are prepared to put forward a proposal that would meet with their favour, prior to any further negotiations. We have written to the SAHO group to demand clarification about the conditions regarding bargaining they have set. Depending on their response, we may have reached the point where a collective agreement cannot be achieved. Should that be the case, we would then need to embark upon the process set out when the parties are at an impasse.
There needs to be notice served that impasse has been reached. There needs to be a separate notice that sets out, what essential services must be maintained in the event of a strike or lockout.
Then there is a requirement to participate in mediation or conciliation, mandatory this time with the mediator or board of conciliation appointed by the Ministry of Labour. If mediation and conciliation is not successful (either the recommended terms of settlement are not acceptable to either one of the parties or there are no recommended terms of settlement proposed) and get a report from the conciliator before a one or 2 week cooling off period prior to serving 48 hours strike notice.
There is also a provision in the Sask Employment Act that sets out no strike or lockout can occur unless there is an essential services agreement between the parties. There is a list set out in the act that identifies what an essential services agreement must consist of.
Briefly, the agreement must identify the essential services (not workers) that are needed, the classifications of employees who would provide essential services the number of positions needed, where those positions would be needed, and the way to let which employees know they need to report to work, taking into account employees who could provide the service and are not members of the bargaining unit.
Of course, there is language that sets out what might happen if the parties cannot negotiate an essential services agreement. An essential services tribunal must be struck, they must hear representations by the parties regarding essential services and then they must make a decision on what essential services would be required to be maintained during any strike or lockout.
If, because of the provision of essential services that must be maintained, the strike or lockout is not effective, either party can appeal to the tribunal for decision that essential services agreement has interfered with the exercise of the right to strike or lockout. If the tribunal agrees then we can move to mediation – arbitration to conclude a collective agreement. All of these actions are legally required and, as you can imagine, will take some time.
Because they are legally required, we can’t simply serve notice and walk off the job without an essential service agreement. The government’s legislation sets out the penalties if we should do so. Individual members can face fines of $2000 for the first day and $400 for each day after that. The union would get a fine of $50,000 for the first day and $10,000 for each day after that if we fail to comply with the legislation. It’s not like the ‘old days’ or as simple as the President or the Bargaining committee saying when we commence job action.
For Immediate Release - June 3, 2020
CUPE, SEIU-West, and SGEU – three Saskatchewan unions representing health providers – are calling on the provincial government to provide a wage top-up for all health care workers, who are working hard to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. An online petition, expressing support for a wage top-up has been set up to send a message to Premier Scott Moe and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs).