SEIU-West is proud to celebrate Health Information Professionals Week March 22-28, 2020!
In recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8, SEIU-West is participating in the Labour & United Way Partnership’s 4th Annual Tampon Tuesday collection drive. 
Many people face a monthly challenge due to lack of access to, or affordability of, feminine hygiene products. Sometimes it's often a choice between food and sanitary products especially for the homeless. Some girls are missing school attendance due to inability to afford sanitary products.
We can do our part to help by getting our friends, family and colleagues and start a collection drive for much needed feminine hygiene products for those in our community.
That’s why each SEIU-West office is once again participating in Tampon Tuesday, a collection drive that provides SEIU-West members the opportunity to collect and support the provision of menstrual products to women in need.
For a chance to win a Hillberg & Berk 'Venus' pin, send us pictures of your collection.
Email [email protected] or post your picture to our Facebook page with #TamponTuesday2020 by March 10th, 2020.
WHEN: All SEIU-West Offices will be collecting products until March 10, 2019.
WHERE:
Saskatoon Drop-Off Location (items will be donated to the United Way Saskatoon and Area for distribution):
#200 – 747 46th Street West
Open Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm
Moose Jaw Drop-Off Location (items will be donated to a local women’s shelter):
39 Athabasca Street West
Open Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm
Swift Current Drop-Off Location (items will be donated to a local women’s shelter):
333 Central Avenue North
Open Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm
You can also take up your own workplace tampon collection drive! Click to download the Collection Drive Registration form.
If you’re in Saskatoon, there is a special Tampon Tuesday event on March 10th as well – hope you can make it! Let’s end the stigma and work together to ensure access to menstrual products
SEIU-West is proud to be a union that supports and lives by social unionism – we understand our role is not just to improve the working lives of our members, but to improve the communities in which we live as well.
In that sense, we strive to support and get involved in community events and organizations striving for social justice. It is our members that lead the way – they volunteer, organize, and get involved in both their union and communities every day – in other words, Purple Works in Our Communities!
In recognition of the member volunteering, we held a contest to highlight this important work over the summer – check out this statement from our winner Julie:
I have been a board member volunteer for about 14 years in Naicam and I help run our community thrift store with about eight other board members and approximately 40 volunteers. The money raised will go to projects such as the school music program, the playground summer program, the STARS air ambulance, and communities in bloom among others. We sell gently used items and we sort and organize our store. We are very proud of our community thrift store. If you are ever out this way stop in for a look and cup of coffee!
Dwayne Kindt works in maintenance at Royal University Hospital and also volunteers as a firefighter out of Asquith. We’re proud to call him our Member of Distinction after his efforts in the Biggar wildfires this past Spring.
Dwayne got the call after local Biggar firefighters had been battling the fire all afternoon and night – he and a group of volunteers from Asquith responded to the state of emergency call for aid immediately so they could relieve the personnel that had been there since the fire
started. Dwayne and his fellow volunteers arrived at 5:30 am and fought the fires continually until 9:00 pm that night. For more than 15 hours, Dwayne helped put out the fires; he also helped save at least one home and workshop by redirecting the fire, all the while surrounded by flames.
The whole community came together to combat the fires, and we’re proud of volunteers like Dwayne who put their life at risk to aid a community in need. While he was not alone in his efforts, his bravery is just one example of how every person can make a positive
difference. Thank you Dwayne!
Send your MOD nominations to [email protected].
Members Seniority Re-Instated after SEIU-West Files Grievance
A member had all of their 18 years of seniority removed from the recent seniority list. The Employer did not respond when member advised them of the situation. A grievance was filed and the Employer corrected the seniority list right after receiving the grievance. This is a good reminder to not be silent. Speak up! You have the strength of SEIU-West behind you!
Member Awarded Position Denied due to Pregnancy
An Employer denied a member from taking a temp position because the member was pregnant and expecting in January. This employer had a past practice – if a pregnant employee couldn’t work 50% of the temp, they would not be awarded the position. Prior to filing a grievance, the Union raised both discriminatory action and Human Rights issue as arguments for the employer to stop this action. The employer agreed and awarded the position to the expectant mom – what a great win!
The United Nations has established each December 3rd as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD). The theme 2019 is The Future is Accessible. IDPD is a day intended, “to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.”
SEIU-West is committed to ensure that people with disabilities do not face exclusion and discrimination. Ensuring inclusion empowers them to fully participate and contribute to society. We must all do our part in removing those barriers so those with disabilities can lead full and productive lives.
On December 2, front line workers Community-Based Organization (CBO) workers representing SEIU-West, SGEU and CUPE, were at the Saskatchewan Legislature to present petitions calling for multi-year funding in their sector – read more here.
CBOs are non-profit groups that work at a local level to help improve life for residents by providing vital services to some of the most vulnerable people in our society including providing support for the disabled. – watch this video to find out more about CBOs.
There are limited resources for people with disabilities as it is and CBO’s are currently one of the few available to them. CBO’s often work to develop innovative solutions on a very restricted budget and to ensure that they continue with their service, find out more about these Sask People Who Care.
SEIU-West helps member that was passed over despite seniority
A member who works as a casual housekeeper was denied a posted position they were qualified for and found out that a less senior person was awarded the position. Their Unit Chair and Rep met with employer. The employer argued that this person wasn’t senior because of the last seniority list but the Rep insisted that the employer look at day of seniority and based on that, the employer agreed to give the position to the member who brought forward the issue. It was a win that the employer listened as we described the problem and agreed to fix it.
November is National Home Care Month!
SEIU-West would like to celebrate all our valued Home Care members who work really hard to ensure that their clients are well taken care of every day. 
With an aging population and crowded hospitals, adequate home care is now a vital health care service.
Home care provides assistance which allows people to continue to live safely and independently in their homes; and recover from medical procedures at home.
Home care requires trust.
Health care providers who work in home care assist people with their most intimate care requirements including but not limited to: meal preparation, personal grooming, assisting with medications, and observation or ongoing assessment.
Unfortunately, stagnant wages, a lack of guaranteed hours and dangerous workloads in the sector have led people to leave for other jobs.
Add to that the rising cost of education and it makes it difficult to attract new people.
To all our SEIU-West Home Care Health Care Providers, we thank you for all you do particularly in light of the limited resources you have.
Tell the government to be fair to those who care; as our elected leaders they need to do more to ensure that people get the home care services they need. Our public health care sector needs to be fully funded and staffed to meet the needs of Saskatchewan’s growing population. Send your letter today at EndUnderstaffing.ca.
November 20 is Universal Children’s Day!
This Universal Children’s day is extra special because it marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This legal framework states that children are not just objects who belong to their parents and for whom decisions are made, or adults in training. Rather, they are human beings and individuals with their own rights. Also children must be allowed to grow, learn, play, develop and flourish with dignity.
SEIU-West celebrates all children because we are fighting for their future.
As adults who are their mentors and guides, we need to ask ourselves how much have we invested in their future? What are we doing to safeguard a livable planet for them? What are we doing to ensure that when they grow up they would be guaranteed a livable wage and safe working conditions?
It’s our job to hold ourselves and the government accountable now to secure our children’s future.
Let’s promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare.
Check out this inspiring video: