Click here to download SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 11
Date: February 19, 2020
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
Your SEIU-West bargaining committee met with SAHO on February 13 and 14 in Saskatoon. SAHO came prepared to talk about some new concepts regarding our collective agreement in an effort to get a collective agreement that we could take to our members for a vote.
The parties identified that we have some outstanding issues. There are still unresolved issues regarding the 2010 Unfair Labour Practice and the decision of the Saskatchewan Labour Board that needs to be heard. Issues regarding union seniority as it relates to the health care providers of SEIU-West, CUPE and SGEU working under the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) as one employer, and the need to reach a tentative agreement that our members can vote on.
The parties explored a new way of looking at the issues we face with a more ‘global’ view. Some of them don’t directly impact our membership – but speak to our principles as a union. Others, like seniority, are fundamental to how members identify working within SEIU-West or the other health care provider unions. For example, how do we calculate seniority in an understandable and transparent way, and apply it within SEIU-West bargaining units and across the province.
We received a proposal package from SAHO that contained new ideas related to resolving grievances and providing education funding that the SEIU-West bargaining committee is reviewing.
The SEIU-West and SAHO bargaining committees have agreed to the dates of February 25 to 28 to meet again to bargain.
Let your MLA; the Minister of Health, Jim Reiter at (306) 787-7345 or [email protected]; and the Minister of Rural and Remote Health, Warren Kaeding at (306) 798-9014 or [email protected] know that health care providers have been waiting too long for a fair deal and that an adequate monetary package is necessary to recruit and retain quality staff. Tell them to put care first and end understaffing.
In Solidarity,
Your SEIU-West SAHO Provincial Bargaining Committee:
CHR: Janice Platzke (SEIU-West Treasurer) • FHHR: Brenda Berry; Donna Gallant • HHR: Colleen Denniss • SHR: Judy Denniss; Rick Brown; Carla Saworski; Kim Wyatt; Charlene Sarafin; • Staff: Bob Laurie (Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement); Russell Doell (Deputy Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement); Cam McConnell (Negotiations Officer) • President: Barbara Cape