SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 9

Click here to download SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 9

Date: October 24, 2019

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Your SEIU-West bargaining committee met with SAHO and the Employer, along with conciliator Dan Ish in our continued engagement in voluntary conciliation. Despite the parties efforts there was no progress made, so both SAHO and ourselves have agreed to ‘pause’ the conciliation process with the option to resume if we receive any information that indicates there are more resources available at our bargaining table to conclude an agreement.

SAHO and the Employer was given a clear message that they needed to come to the session on the 23rd at 9:30 am – with their proposals to share with us. They did not.  The conciliator described an ‘elephant in the room’, which is the potential impact of other public sector agreements. Specifically, the UNIFOR/Crowns tentative agreements where UNIFOR claims to have ‘broken the mandate’. There was reluctance to move forward without knowing the details of that deal and without any assurance additional monies would be made available to SEIU-West health care providers as a result.  SAHO has indicated that their government partners have not disclosed the specifics of the UNIFOR settlements regarding the mandate.

Both parties identified disappointment in that more ‘creative’ options to achieve an agreement were not generated.  The difference between the message received from our members that money was the outstanding issue and the message SAHO received from their principles (aka the government of Saskatchewan) that they refuse to consider advancing any ‘new money’ curtailed any opportunity for a fair deal.

SAHO indicated that our members shouldn’t expect to see other settlements for other groups of members and believe that it would be applied to them.  We indicated our members see additional resources provided to other bargaining tables and significant new money provided for SHA projects, out-of-scope staff and MLAs, and believe added resources need to be committed to their Collective Agreement. 

Our bargaining committee has been patiently waiting for SAHO and the Employer to respond to our proposals.  Our patience has not been rewarded.  So, we have determined (and communicated this with SAHO, Employer and the conciliator) that we will be going to the membership to ask for a mandate for job action.

Your SEIU-West bargaining committee will be setting up virtual townhall meetings and a roadshow to come out to meet with our membership in order to seek a mandate for job action.

While your committee is on the membership roadshow we committed to continuing discussions should there be any movement, progress or information about improvements to the public sector mandate. Please keep an eye on the SEIU-West website, Facebook page, and your union bulletin board for information updates; venues, dates and times for meetings and voting.

And please remember to show your support for our bargaining efforts.  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 need for a fair offer; and how an adequate monetary package is necessary to recruit and retain quality staff. 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.

If you have not already done so, you can also add your name to the www.endunderstaffing.ca  campaign that has been launched to address recruitment and retention in our health care system. Wages are a critical component to ensure that we have appropriate staffing levels.

Your SEIU-West bargaining committee appreciates your support and engagement.

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 Contract Bargaining and Enforcement); Russell Doell (Deputy Dir. of Contract Bargaining and Enforcement); Cam McConnell (Negotiations Officer) • President: Barbara Cape

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 8

Click here to download SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 8

Date: October 10, 2019

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Your SEIU-West bargaining committee was scheduled to meet in Moose Jaw on October 7-10 with SAHO and the Employer, for voluntary conciliation. The parties had agreed to use Dan Ish as conciliator in order to see if we could find common ground to reach a tentative agreement. Unfortunately, the parties did not make any measureable success that we can report.

During the brief time we spent face-to-face with SAHO, we talked about the issues, concerns and challenges in the bargaining process over the last two and one-half years. We reiterated the statement we heard loud and clear, over and over again on the roadshow, “There is not enough in this offer to make me vote Yes”.  Your bargaining committee was prepared to be creative in our proposals if we had the ability to do so.

The conciliator met separately with the parties many times to shuttle ideas and concerns between SAHO/Employer and SEIU-West committees.  Ultimately, the conciliation session ended when it became apparent that there was not going to be enough creativity at this session to find new proposals that will help us reach a tentative agreement.

SAHO and the Employer are to meet with us and the conciliator on October 23.  The committees have to engage in building proposals that deal with this round of bargaining and this Collective Agreement.  The committees need to come prepared to be flexible; they need to present realistic and acceptable ideas; and they need to have the authority to make decisions, or to have a decision maker readily available if we are to conclude bargaining this collective agreement.

Our bargaining committee (and our members’) patience is at a premium. We have spent a lot of time fighting for a fair collective agreement. We have talked to politicians, signed postcards, written letters, joined rallies, and shared our experiences working on the frontlines in health care. We are done waiting...

Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement.  And please remember that together we need to let SAHO know it’s not acceptable to present the same mandate that our members have rejected. We need you to provide clarity to those who control the purse strings. 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 need for a fair offer; and how an adequate monetary package is necessary to recruit and retain quality staff. 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 Contract Bargaining and Enforcement); Russell Doell (Deputy Dir. of Contract Bargaining and Enforcement); Cam McConnell (Negotiations Officer) • President: Barbara Cape

Media Release: Rally to Put Care First, End Understaffing

For immediate release: September 29, 2019

Saskatoon – As part of their Put Care First: End Understaffing campaign, SEIU-West members held a rally at Kinsmen Park in Saskatoon Sunday to talk with members of the public about chronic understaffing in the health care sector.

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 7

Click here to download SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 7

September 26, 2019

Your SEIU-West bargaining committee met with SAHO and the Saskatchewan Health Authority representatives in Saskatoon on September 24, 25 and 26, 2019.

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 6

Click here to download SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulleting (2nd edition) No. 6

Date: September 16, 2019

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Your SEIU-West bargaining committee met with SAHO and the Saskatchewan Health Authority representatives in Saskatoon on September 11, 12, and 13.

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 5

(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

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 4

(Click here for a printable PDF of this Bargaining Bulletin.)

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 3

(Click here for a printable PDF of this Bargaining Bulletin.)

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 2

(Click here for a printable PDF of this Bargaining Bulletin.)

 

We Need To Ask: Where's The Fairness?

Want to know why your elected Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) think it’s okay to mandate rollbacks and offer zeroes to health care providers while at the same time giving themselves a 3.5% wage increase last year and a 2.3% raise this year? Now is your opportunity to find out.

Your SEIU-West Political Action and Awareness Committee (PAAC) has identified a number of MLA BBQs occurring this month, and we encourage you to attend in order to speak to your MLA about how their actions devalue the hard work of those who provide health care in this province. There will be members of the PAAC there so if you’d like to meet with your fellow health care workers, please email [email protected] to coordinate.

Here are the details:

• Don Morgan – MLA for Saskatoon Southeast (and Minister of Labour): Free BBQ May 21^st from 5-7pm at St Bernard School (203 Whiteshore Crescent, Saskatoon) 
• Don Morgan – MLA for Saskatoon Southeast (and Minister of Labour): Free BBQ  May 22^nd from 5-7pm at St. Luke School (275 Emmeline Rd, Saskatoon)
• Don Morgan – MLA for Saskatoon Southeast (and Minister of Labour): Free BBQ May 25^th from 11:30am-2pm at the Independent Foods in Briarwood (315 Herold Rd, Saskatoon)
• Lisa Lambert – MLA for Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood: Free BBQ May 27^th from 4:30-6:30pm at the Nutana Kiwanis Park (3003 Porter St, Saskatoon -across from Market Mall)

SEIU-West is also able to provide a series of questions if you’d like assistance. Again, just email [email protected] in order to get a copy.

SEIU-West members understand that while we bargain with Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO), it is our government that provides the budget SAHO has to work with. When we see MLAs give themselves raises while offering us zeroes, and when we know that the same budget that funds MLA salaries, funds ours – we must ask: where are the increases for health care providers so we can keep our heads above water?

It is vital that every health care provider have their voice heard. We hope you will attend at least one of the above-mentioned BBQs and if you are aware of any other MLA BBQs occurring, please let us know by emailing [email protected]