Date: October 23, 2023
Sisters, Brothers and Friends,
Your SEIU-West Bargaining Committee had our first meeting with the SAHO bargaining committee on October 17, 18, 19. SAHO has only one committee this round to meet with all three provider unions. Previously there was an Employer committee for each bargaining table. The SAHO strategy means bargaining will be drawn out.
Your Bargaining Committee put forward a bargaining proposal that built on our Collective Agreement and responded to the needs of our members: we hear you loud and clear that inflation is crushing us all and wages have to beat, not meet, the cost of living in Saskatchewan.
We clearly hear over-workloads are intolerable and proposed ways to allow SEIU-West members to move to fill vacant positions and maximize hours. We have proposed initiatives like market adjustments for hard to recruit classifications and families of jobs, full coverage of professional fees, improved compensation for shift/weekend pay, and increasing OT at 2x. We want a fair and reasonable wage increase as well as recognition for those who have committed long term to a career that will make sure our health care system is the best it can be for those who need our services. We want to ensure those who provide those services are properly recognized and compensated.
The SAHO initial proposal has a quite different theme. What SAHO proposed was to basically eliminate our Collective Agreement and the gains we have made over the years. SAHO wants a combined SEIU-West, CUPE, and SGEU provincial seniority list, unfettered movement of employees through all three unions including postings and layoff/bumping, and the ability to contract in and contract out work at the Employer’s discretion. SAHO wants to eliminate our call-in language and instead implement a system that demands a commitment from staff to be ready to work but with no commitment from the employer that work will be made available. The Employer no longer wants to pay penalties when they make errors in scheduling or offering overtime—you are supposed to schedule yourself to work more. If you can’t find the time to do so, then you forfeit any penalty.
Our SEIU-West package seeks to expand your rights and benefits. But it appears the employer is looking to eliminate your rights and impose on health care provider employees the absolute lowest and worst terms and conditions of employment.
We have scheduled additional bargaining dates in November and December. This is going to be the round of bargaining we predicted, and we will all need to stand up and stand together in this round of bargaining.
Stay tuned, we will be issuing further bulletins and updates as information becomes available.
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
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, Jeanne Javinal, Carla Saworski, Charlene Sarafin • Extendicare: Kevin Martin • 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 copy of this Bargaining Bulletin.