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:
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.
Celebrate National Therapeutic Recreation Month!
SEIU-West is proud to join the celebrations of National Therapeutic Recreation Month in February! Our members who work as therapeutic Recreation Coordinators and Recreation Workers are an essential piece of the health care team. Their work ensures residents, patients, and clients are able to reach their full potential and members like John, love what they do.
John, a therapeutic Recreation Coordinator at Parkside Extendicare, loves providing the residents a great quality of care and being able to engage in their daily lives. As a Recreation Coordinator, John provides programming that benefits the residents’ emotional, physical, spiritual, and social aspects of their daily lives. He particularly appreciates seeing the smiles on residents’ faces.
In recognition of National Therapeutic Recreation Month, SEIU-Wests asks that you tell us why Therapeutic Recreation is important to you. Let us know by emailing Catherine.Gendron@seiuwest by February 28, 2019 for your chance to win a prize from a selection of gift cards!
Notice: T4 Slips under the SHA
Did you know that legally, your employer needs to provide you with your T4 slips on or before the last day of February following the calendar year to which the slips apply.
So, you should receive your 2018 T4 on or before Thursday, February 28, 2019.
This year, for employees of the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), the Employer is providing copies of T4s in electronic format through Gateway Online and will not be automatically sending out paper copies.
If you are expecting a 2018 T4 from the SHA and do not want to or cannot use the gateway online system, you can request a paper copy from your manager.
Make your request in writing and date it (the Employer may have a form for this) and then give it to your manager.
After receiving a request, the Employer must ensure that it provides two copies of the T4 slip, in paper format, to the employee in person or by mail.
For more information on T4s visit: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/payroll/completing-filing-information-returns/t4-information-employers/t4-slip/distribute-your-t4-slips.html
If you have questions related to this topic or your collective agreement, contact your Member Resource Centre (MRC) at 1-888-999-7348 ext. 2298.