(Click here for a printable PDF of this Bargaining Bulletin.)
Date: August 22, 2019
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Your SEIU-West bargaining committee met with SAHO and the SHA Employer on August 19, 20 and 21 in Saskatoon. Our goal – our mandate – at these negotiations is quite simple: we represent you, our members, at the bargaining table and you have indicated that you want a fair and equitable collective agreement that treats you with respect and that you can accept.
There are very few items that are outstanding; but one pretty outstanding issue is getting a fair monetary package.
The parties are close on the last few language issues related to interpersonal violence leave; Disability Income Plan; and meal periods. Some of these changes are driven by the Government of Saskatchewan changing The Saskatchewan Employment Act; we want to make sure that we are compliant.
When our members voted against the last tentative agreement, we heard you loud and clear it was because it was wholly insufficient to address the rising cost of living; it contained no plan to address getting and keeping an adequate staff complement to manage the increased workload and reduce the stress members are experiencing on the frontlines of health care; and we heard your demand for fairness and equity. We have explained this in very clear terms to elected politicians, SAHO and the SHA. But they don’t seem to be hearing your message!
SAHO has continued to hold to the same mandate that our members have rejected. We need you to provide clarity to them. You can contact the Minister of Finance, Donna Harpauer (306) 787-6060 OR [email protected]; the Minister of Health, Jim Reiter (306) 787-7345 OR [email protected]; the new Minister of Rural and Remote Health, Warren Kaeding (306) 798-9014 OR [email protected]; or your very own MLA (http://www.legassembly.sk.ca/mlas/).
Explain to them the concept of fairness; how a fair monetary package can be used to recruit and retain quality staff. And don’t let them dazzle you with their ‘new’ math comparing their base wage of over $98,000 to our wages (www.seiuwest.ca/respondtomofputcarefirst); don’t forget that they get allowances, benefits and premiums for additional responsibilities. If you would like some assistance, call the MRC at 1-888-999-7348 extension 1 and an officer will put you in contact with someone who will help you.
You can also add your name to the www.endunderstaffing.ca campaign that we’ve launched to address recruitment and retention in our health care system. Wages are a critical component to ensure that we have appropriate staffing levels.
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
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