Date: December 16, 2022
Sisters, Brothers and Comrades,
This is our first update for the upcoming SEIU-West/SAHO 2023 round of bargaining. We’ve been busy already!
We are finalizing the SEIU-West bargaining proposal package. We have canvassed our members employed by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and affiliates for proposals through our bargaining surveys; we noted members’ calls to the Member Resource Center (MRC); we have been meeting regularly with our coalition partners, CUPE and SGEU, to talk about common issues; we canvassed the Union staff where contract language needed to be clarified; and our bargaining conference in October provided a forum for our Union leaders to identify issues and develop proposals to resolve those issues.
We presented our SEIU-West Bargaining Committee at the convention. We’d like to introduce them to you:
Rhonda Bzdel – Scheduler, rural; former Saskatoon Health Region (SHR)
Barbara Bubyn – Pharmacy Technician, urban; former Five Hills Health Region (FHHR)
Brenda Berry – CCA, rural; former Five Hills Health Region (FHHR)
Chris Clark – Security, urban; former Saskatoon Health Region (SHR)
Colleen Denniss – CCA, rural; former Heartland Health Region (HHR)
Teena Foote – CCA, former Extendicare
Jeanne Javinal – LPN, urban; former Saskatoon Health Region (SHR)
Charlene Sarafin – LPN, urban; former Saskatoon Health Region (SHR)
Carla Saworski – MLT, urban; former Saskatoon Health Region (SHR)
Janice Platzke – SEIU-West Treasurer, Food Service Worker, urban/rural; former Cypress Health Region (CHR)
Russ Doell – Deputy Director, SEIU-West Contract Bargaining and Enforcement
Bob Laurie – Director, SEIU-West Contract Bargaining and Enforcement
Barbara Cape – President, SEIU-West
This Committee brings together expansive knowledge, curiosity, engagement, and represents a broad spectrum of our membership. The list of people who wanted to be on the Committee was long and we thank all those who volunteered their time and expertise to be on the Committee. This Committee will be engaging with members, both in their geographic areas and around the province, as we move forward on the work for the next collective agreement.
We are reviewing the language that is common between our SEIU-West agreement, and the CUPE and SGEU agreements to be prepared for common table negotiations. We continue to gather information related to the whole health care system landscape and the impacts on our members: wages, premiums and benefits parity, wages, the rising cost of living, wages, crisis levels of short-staffing, and wages to attract and retain health care workers.
The landscape around healthcare has changed—the pandemic has exposed some significant issues within the system and the public is engaged. Working people aren’t willing to accept crumbs—remember what you are worth!
Stay in touch with the Committee by contacting [email protected] Your questions/comments will be forwarded to President Cape who will share with the Committee.
If you have collective agreement questions or issues, contact the Member Resource Center at 1-888-999-7348 Ext 2298 or [email protected]
In Solidarity on behalf of the SEIU-West Bargaining Committee
Barbara Cape, President of SEIU-West
Your SEIU-West SAHO Provincial Bargaining Committee:
CHR: Janice Platzke (SEIU-West Treasurer) • FHHR: Brenda Berry, Barbara Bubyn • HHR: Colleen Denniss • SHR: Rhonda Bzdel, Chris Clark, Jean Javinal, Carla Saworski, Charlene Sarafin • Extendicare: Teena Foote • Staff: Bob Laurie (Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement), Russell Doell (Deputy Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement • President: Barbara Cape
Click here for a printable version of this bargaining update