Letter to Premier Moe: Staffing Crisis in Health Care

SEIU-West, SGEU, and CUPE have sent a letter to Premier Scott Moe to once again reach out about the staffing crisis in Saskatchewan's health care system and are proposing the creation of a Health Human Resources Council. Read the full letter...

Oct 22, 2021 Update: SHA Employee Proof of Vaccination Policy Directive

UPDATE TO SEIU-WEST MEMBERS RE: SASKATCHEWAN HEALTH AUTHORITY (SHA) EMPLOYEE PROOF OF VACCINATION POLICY DIRECTIVE

October 22, 2021

Since we last updated members, we have pressed the SHA for further details about the declaration form you’ve been asked to fill out, the “monitored testing” program for those who don’t get vaccinated, and what the SHA’s next steps are.

We have received some information we want to share with you, as well as update you on what questions remain unanswered.

THE DECLARATION FORM

• So far, 38,000 staff have completed the declaration:
  • 98% are already vaccinated or committing to get vaccinated
  • less than 2% are seeking an accommodation;
  • 1% are participating in the monitored testing program.
• A further 15% of SHA staff have not responded to the declaration form.
  • The SHA will be following up with them via email to remind them of the need for compliance with the policy. There is a warning in the email that failure to comply with the vaccination policy may result in discipline up to and including termination. There is no acknowledgement of the structural deficiencies in the declaration form, nor instructions on how to provide their response. 
• Outstanding issues:
  • Who will SHA share employees’ vaccination information with?
  • How does an employee respond with their declaration as the form is no longer available and no alternate method of communication has been identified?
  • What scientific data is the SHA relying on as proof that the currently available vaccines are effective?

THE TESTING PROGRAM

• This will be a phased in process with a go-live date of November 15.
• Will be using the Rapid Antigen tests 3x week (Sunday/Tues/Thur). Staff in this program can test, upload a screen shot of the results with name/date to their MyConnection.
• The tests provided by the federal government for free aren’t able to be used for this program.
• The $225/month testing fee is a flat rate, regardless of whether you are full-time, part-time, or casual.
• Outstanding issues:
  • Will employees be sent an invoice, or will there be a payroll deduction?
  • If by payroll deduction, how will casuals who may not be working get a payroll deduction done?
  • What about employees who are on a leave?
  • Is the cost of the test tax-deductible?

We will continue to follow up on our outstanding questions and report back to the membership.

Respectfully,

Barbara Cape

President

SEIU-West

SEIU-West Q&A Follow Up: Town Hall October 14, 2021

(For a link to the Q&A from the Town Hall event held October 13, 2021, please click here.)

On October 13 and 14, 2021 President Barbara Cape and Director of Contract Bargaining and Enforcement, Bob Laurie, answered members' questions about the SHA Proof of Vaccination Policy Directive. The Zoom meeting was recorded to ensure accuracy in responding to these questions. All participants were encouraged to put their question in the chat – and questions from members were gathered prior to the meeting…many with the same themes.

SEIU-West Q&A Follow Up: Town Hall October 13, 2021

(For a link to the Q&A from the Town Hall event held October 14, 2021, please click here.)

President Barbara Cape and Director of Contract Bargaining and Enforcement, Bob Laurie, answered members questions about the SHA Proof of Vaccination Policy Directive.  The Zoom meeting was recorded to provide accuracy in responding to these questions.  All participants were encouraged to put their question in the chat – and questions from members were gathered prior to the meeting…many with the same theme.

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 23

Date: June 18, 2021

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,

I know it’s hard to believe that we’re still providing bargaining updates, but there have been some matters that we wanted to communicate to our members.

We’ve reviewed and corrected some errors in the wage schedules; provided some edits and corrections to the new collective agreement language; and we are having some issues with last minute additions that SAHO put on the new letters of understanding (LOUs). Normally these are signed by SAHO and SEIU-West’s bargaining team, as the parties to the collective agreement; however, now the Saskatchewan Health Authority has been added as a third signatory.

So why does this matter? SAHO is legally the official and exclusive bargaining agent for the healthcare employers and affiliates listed in the Collective Agreement. What does it mean if one employer now is superior to all the other employers in the collective agreement and enjoys potentially the same bargaining position as SAHO, which is supposed to be the SHA’s bargaining agent? Does this mean that the SHA can now withdraw from the LOU that everyone signed? Does it mean that an LOU signed by more Employer entities than SAHO (a potential violation of the Saskatchewan Employment Act) may be deemed null and void, or does it mean that only the SHA’s participation would be voided? The union has asked SAHO for their opinion on these matters, and awaits their response. 

Beyond that, bargaining and reaching a tentative agreement is predicated on the notion that all issues have been thoroughly canvassed by the parties and there would be no surprises in the final collective agreement document. There was no discussion between the parties at the bargaining table regarding adding a separate signature line for the SHA in our new LOUs, and in the renewal of one particular LOU which sets out the Employer funding formula for the extended health and enhanced dental benefits plan. The union wants to be absolutely sure that this last-minute SAHO amendment to the LOUs will have no effect on the legality of the LOUs or on the commitments made in those LOUs.

While we resolve this issue, the production of the collective agreement books is being delayed.

As an interim measure, please refer to the current collective agreement and read it in conjunction with the language of the tentative agreement. We provided those electronically, and will put a copy on our website. If you want an electronic copy, just use the ‘contact us’ link on the website and we’ll get one in the mail to you. If you wish to check your rate of pay, please call the MRC for assistance.

In solidarity and respect,

Your SEIU-West Bargaining Committee

To download a PDF copy of this bulletin, please click here. 

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. 22

Date: May 10, 2021

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,

Your SEIU-West SAHO Bargaining Committee has concluded negotiations regarding a Letter of Understanding (LOU) to transition the SEIU-West seniority system from an hours based system to a seniority date system.

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 21

Click here to download a printable PDF file of SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 21.

Date: April 8, 2021

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,

Your SEIU-West bargaining committee continues to work with SAHO and the Employer on the final details related to bargaining: checking to make sure that all of the new or changed language is included in the collective agreement, checking the wage schedules, and managing format and grammar issues.

 

 

FAQ: New Collective Bargaining Agreement SAHO

SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 20

Click here to download a printable PDF file of SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 20.

Date: January 18, 2021

Greetings Sisters and Brothers,

Between January 11, 2021 and January 15, 2021, SEIU-West members who work for the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) or an Affiliate voted on the question of whether to accept or reject the tentative agreement reached between SEIU-West and SAHO.

Q&A No. 5: SAHO Tentative Agreement Information Sessions