For Immediate Release
November 6, 2023
Pinned
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.
Join the JJE Maintenance Committee
SEIU-West is looking to train and support a member who is interested in participating in the Joint Job Evaluation Maintenance Committee as an alternate. We want to broaden the skill set of our member leaders and activists and are posting for this position.
Extendicare - SHA Transition: October 11, 2023
Re: Parties' Closing Arguments Regarding the SEIU-West Successorship Application
On September 29, the final arguments from SEIU-West, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (the SHA), CUPE and SGEU were heard by the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board (SLRB) on SEIU-West’s successorship application to continue to represent the members of SEIU-West at the Extendicare facilities in Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, and the three Extendicare facilities in Regina.
President's Message: Labour Day 2023
Labour Day is a day for us to pause and celebrate the contributions of working people to our society. Not only for those who are in a trade union, but for every worker.
Build Power, Win Justice
The SEIU-West Political Action & Education Department is pleased to invite members to apply for the first ever Build Power, Win Justice two-day conference, taking place at Living Skies Casino in Swift Current on October 18 and 19th, 2023. Interested members can apply by completing this application form.
Convention 2023: Recap
SEIU-West 2023 Convention took place in Saskatoon May 30 - June 1. Below is a summary of some key changes members should be aware of.
Media Release: Public Healthcare for All!
For Immediate Release
June 1, 2023
Saskatoon—Supporters of a strong public healthcare system joined SEIU-West members at the Saskatoon Cabinet Office to highlight the need for government investment in the patients, clients, and residents and the people who care for them in this province.
Extendicare - SHA Transition: April 14, 2023
In our most recent update, we had identified to our SEIU-West members that vacation banks, time in lieu banks and stat/pro-stat banks would be posted in your workplaces by the end of March. Unfortunately, it was only recently brought to our attention that this did not happen
Saskatchewan Health Authority Testing Program Reimbursement
The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and SEIU-West have resolved the outstanding grievances filed in response to the Proof of Vaccination/Monitored Testing Program.
West Park Crossing, Bargainng Bulletin No. 4: February 12, 2019
Date: February 12, 2019
Location: Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Greetings Sisters and Brothers:
On February 11, 2019 your Bargaining Committee attended an Interest Arbitration between West Park Crossing and SEIU-West, in Regina. The purpose of this Arbitration is to settle all the outstanding collective bargaining issues between the parties. SEIU-West’s lawyer did an outstanding job in presenting your issues to the arbitrator.
Bargaining Bulletin No. 1: South East Cornerstone Public School Division
| Date: | February 13, 2019 | Questions? Call the MRC: 1-888-999-7348 ext. 2298 |
| Location: | Arcola, Bienfait, Carlyle, Estevan, Fillmore, Gladmar, Lampman, Macoun, Midale, Ogema, Oungre, Pangman, Radville, Weyburn, Yellow Grass, Wawota, Moosimin and Gladmar | |
Greetings Sisters and Brothers:
Your Contract is Ratified!
Your contract has been ratified by the membership. We spent three days on the road throughout South East Saskatchewan and we also held public meetings in Weyburn and Estevan. We had a great turnout and the contract was ratified by a strong majority of the membership. The agreement should be produced and ready for delivery within the month. We will be delivering these, along with new member kits once they are ready.
We had great conversations when we visited your communities and when you came to the meetings in Estevan and Weyburn. It is important that you follow up with the Member Resource Centre with any of your concerns that are still outstanding.
Below is a list of some of the highlights in your new collective agreement.
Non-Monetary:
- Fifteen (15) minutes for new employee Union Orientation.
- Email and website posting of vacancies during the summer break.
- Clarification of the process for filling vacant bus routes.
- Maintenance employees LOU is now part of the CBA.
- Casual employees LOU is now part of the CBA.
- Ability to take a 15 minute rest periods where possible.
- Bus driver monthly cell phone allowance up to $20 from $10.
- Personal Property damage reimbursement up to $250 from $100.
- Overtime for employees who work beyond 8 hrs on a field trip.
- Employees now need to agree to use a personal vehicle for student transportation
- Completely revamped Occupation Health and Safety language.
- Clear “No Individual Agreements” language.
Term:
- The agreement runs four years from September 1 2018 to August 31 2022.
General Wage Increase:
- September 1 2018 – 1% (retro will be paid up to date of ratification)
- September 1 2019 – 2%
- September 1 2020 – 2%
- September 1 2021 – 2%
If you have any questions about your workplace, please contact the Member Resource Centre (MRC) at 1-888-999-7348 ext. 2298. The MRC Officers will be able to assist you or will refer your question if necessary.
Your participation in your Union makes your Union strong!
In Solidarity,
SEIU-West/South East Cornerstone Bargaining Team:
Patti Langedahl • Kerrie Boyd • Maureen Jackiw • Robert Schultz • Bonita Brenner • Jo-Anne Gorgerat • Staff: Shelley Johnson (Union Representative) • Blair McDaid (Negotiations Officer)
Celebrate Cardiology Technologist Day!
Hearts and Valentine’s Day go hand in hand, so it’s fitting that we celebrate those who look after our hearts on February 14 by recognizing Cardiology Technologist Day!
Tami, a member of SEIU-West, works at Royal University Hospital as a Cardiology Technologist. Cardiology Technologists like Tami are an integral part of the health care team – by caring for our hearts, they help to ensure this vital organ in our bodies is well looked after. Cardiology Technologists test, monitor and assess heart performance. They also engage in difficult techniques of heart monitoring and ensure proper preparation for patients by explaining procedures. They ensure patient comfort and safety during procedures. They are trained to provide resuscitation measures when needed as well. Cardiology Technologists must also keep up to date and adapt to modernized technologies as they help to maintain health care equipment.
Cardiology Technologists are able to examine heart conditions; they provide preventative measures and immediate actions to reduce harm to one’s heart. Tami appreciates her important role on the health care team as she enjoys all aspects of patient care, including the everyday interactions she has with her patients and their families. She especially values the ability to help patients with her education and knowledge.
SEIU-West is proud to acknowledge and celebrate February 14 as Cardiology Technologist Day and in recognition, we want you to tell us why Cardiology Technologists are important to you. Share the love of Cardiology Technologists by sending your responses to [email protected] by February 22, 2019 for your chance to win a gift card! And on February 14, help SEIU-West thank Cardiology Technologists for all their hard work and dedication.
Coalition Bargaining Committees Reject SAHO’s Bully Tactics
Click here to download Coalition Bargaining Committees Reject SAHO’s Bully Tactics
February 11, 2019
Dear Health Care Member:
Your coalition bargaining committees were asked to return to the bargaining table with SAHO, and agreed to do so, on February 8, 2019. The provider unions were ready to negotiate. The only outstanding item was a fair and reasonable wage increase. In December, a substantial amount of members told their bargaining committees SAHO’s final wage offer of (0%, 0%, 1%, 2%) was neither reasonable nor acceptable. Your bargaining committees conveyed that message to SAHO.
SAHO and the employer committee responded with an ultimatum. They said accept the wage offer (0%, 0%, 1%, 2%) by noon on February 15, 2019 OR the items that have been agreed to in principle and the wage offer will disappear. They were specific that the provider unions would be faced with the initial SAHO and employer rollback proposals and their proposed cuts to get to -3.5%.
Of course, the provider unions were extremely provoked by SAHO’s response. The committees felt SAHO’s strong arm tactics were just like schoolyard bullying, such as ‘give me your lunch money or you will get beat up’. These tactics are not good faith bargaining. It seems SAHO and the employer are not truly trying to reach a collective agreement. SAHO’s response is not moving the parties closer together. In fact, their response is moving negotiations backwards to the place we were over a year ago.
Your bargaining committees will be assessing their options in the coming days.
There is no room for bullying at our workplaces, and it is not acceptable at the bargaining table. Now more than ever we ask for your continued support. We want to thank all frontline health care workers for supporting the work of the bargaining committees, and we continue to ask that you remain active in supporting your bargaining committees. Please, continue to make phone calls, send emails, and meet with your MLAs. Do not let this round of bargaining fall off the government’s radar.
Health care providers are fundamental to providing quality patient-centred care. We deserve a wage increase that values the work we do. Let’s continue to work hard to achieve this together.
In Solidarity,
CUPE, SGEU, and SEIU-West bargaining committees
Win of the Week! February 3-9
This week, we have another great win to share! A member was scheduled for a third weekend and in their collective agreement, they should be paid at double time for working three weekends in a row. Our member notified their employer prior to this scheduling issue but the issue was not fixed, so the member worked the shift. The member was then paid at regular time, so SEIU-West filed a grievance – we just resolved that grievance and the member will be paid at double time! It’s vital that we stand up for our rights and with SEIU-West, we know we are Stronger Together!
Join Purple Day February 8!
Our SEIU-West bargaining team is back at the bargaining table this week delivering the message:
NO Cuts! NO Rollbacks! Pay us what we’re worth!
Let’s show we support this message by wearing purple on February 8, 2019!
Take a picture of you and your fellow SEIU-West members to show your purple pride and support for bargaining a fair deal. Take a picture and send it to [email protected] for your chance to win a prize.
We’re Stronger Together!
Union Night at the Blades Game: Contest
On February 23rd, the Saskatoon Blades will be hosting a Union Night themed game to recognize the Saskatoon and area unions, like SEIU-West!
We want to show our purple union pride at this game, so we have 10 tickets to give away! BONUS: each ticket will be given another opportunity to be entered to win the "Suite Life experience" which provides winners a free upgrade to the viewing luxury of a suite!
How to enter: tell us what you like best about being a member of SEIU-West. Email your answer to [email protected] by Wednesday, February 13, 2019!
Good luck!
Media Release: Safe Care Needs In-House Security
For Immediate Release, February 5, 2019
Saskatoon – The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) released the results of its review of security services in the province’s publicly-owned health care facilities today. The final report by Big Leap Consulting includes 27 recommendations with the stated goal of ensuring a safe and secure environment for patients, visitors, and staff. SEIU-West shares this goal, but is concerned that the report sets the table for large-scale privatization of health care security.
Attention SEIU-West LPNs: SALPN is seeking your feedback!
Your regulatory body is seeking your valuable input on a document about LPN practice in Saskatchewan.
Win of the Week! January 27-February 2
SEIU-West is happy to announce a huge win for members across the province: SEIU-West filed grievances at a particular facility when it was reported that the Employer was scheduling shifts of 6.5 hours with no meal break. The Employer countered that the collective agreement language was not clear with respect to those specific shifts. SEIU-West therefore advised members to file complaints with the Employment Standards Enforcement since The Saskatchewan Employment Act (SEA) says workers are entitled to a meal break after 5 consecutive hours of work. The Enforcement Branch responded by saying they were not obliged to represent unionized workers. SEIU-West was then advised that our union is a person before the law (we are our members!) and can also file a complaint as a person. After SEIU-West filed a complaint, the Enforcement Branch assigned an Investigator who determined that the Employer was violating the SEA and must stop. The Employer responded by saying they provide coffee breaks so the shifts are not considered to be 5 hours of consecutive work. The Investigator held that coffee breaks do not count since they are paid time, break or not. The Investigator also recommended that the parties resolve the matter with a letter of understanding (LOU) which will then be reviewed by the Investigator. We have drafted that LOU and are awaiting the Employer’s response. What is vital about this win is the Enforcement Branch has upheld that Employers cannot negotiate a lower standard than what is outlined in the SEA, and that coffee breaks do not count for the purposes of calculating worked hours. Most importantly, we know the Enforcement Branch will take action on unionized workplaces if there is a violation of the SEA. And last but certainly not least, there are several collective agreement provisions negotiated under old legislation which allow for meal breaks only after 5.5 and as much as 7.5 hours of work – all of these will have to be changed or addressed through LOUs, which SEIU-West is currently undertaking. This is a collective win for workers throughout Saskatchewan!
Join Pink Shirt Day 2019!
Each February, SEIU-West members across this province demonstrate their willingness to tackle workplace bullying by participating in Pink Shirt Day.
Pink Shirt Day began after a young student was bullied for wearing pink to school so the next day, hundreds of students came to school wearing pink as an act of solidarity to stand against bullying. From there, Pink Shirt Day has grown International fame.
At SEIU-West, we are amazed at the level of participation each year, and we hope to see it grow in 2019!
This year is extra special as the SEIU-West Young Workers Committee (YWC) has purchased a number of pink shirts with their YWC logo on the sleeve – the reason for their involvement is to support the message that we are all on the same team no matter our age, race, creed, gender or any other variable. You may be one of the lucky members to receive one of the YWC’s limited edition shirts!
So on February 27, Pink Shirt Day, we ask that you wear a SEIU-West pink shirt or a pink shirt of your own. By sending us a photo of you and your coworkers wearing pink, you’ll be entered to win a department pizza party!
How to enter: To request pink shirts, email [email protected] (2019 shirts are in limited supply, so be sure to request early!) Then on February 27, take a picture of you and your coworkers wearing pink shirts by emailing [email protected] or by posting to our Facebook page.
February is Black History Month
February is recognized as Black History Month – its history was rooted in the aim of countering unfair condemnation by acknowledging the accomplishments and contributions made by Black people. In the labour movement we’ve seen a great deal of leadership around diversity, equality, and anti-racism, particularly led by Black people, like the historic labour leader A Phillip Randolph. Randolph became the leader of the first African-American labour union and in the 1940s he and 100,000 black job seekers ensured an executive order that ended race, colour, creed and national origin bias in the hiring of workers in the deferral government – in 1955, Randolph was elected AFL-CIO Vice President.
In Canada, Stanley Grizzle was elected President of his union local in the 1940s, and pushed the Canadian Pacific Railway to open management positions to Black people – he was also a leader in Canada’s civil rights movement in the 1950s – in 1960, Grizzle worked for the Ontario Labour Relations Board and in 1978, he was appointed a Citizenship Judge, a first for an African Canadian.
Today we have many black labour leaders, including our current Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) Secretary Treasurer, Marie Clarke Walker. She is the first-ever racialized woman to serve in this position. She is very active in the social justice community and currently serves as an executive member of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists.
Black History Month also serves as a reminder and opportunity to act on the harmful impacts of racism both past and present, so that communities can progress with respect and justice.
SEIU-West stands against any form of racism, and we are proud of our union’s efforts in working with Black Lives Matters across borders, particularly SEIU Rise – a development program for young members in Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US – whose top priority is racial justice.
Together, we must use our knowledge, words, and actions to stand up against racism and hate. For more information on confronting racism, visit our post about confronting discrimination here.
SEIU-West encourages you to join in the Black History Month celebrations – you can see various activities throughout the province on the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan website here.