Win of the Week! Cheshire Homes Collective Agreement
Collective agreement reached between Cheshire Homes of Saskatoon and SEIU-West
SEIU-West members are constantly doing more with less and face workload issues on a daily basis. So for this week’s win, we’re so happy to share a win related to workload. Members who work in a Community Based Organization (CBO) were struggling to ensure the quality of care they wanted to provide for clients due to workload. TLR (transferring, lifting, repositioning) was a particular struggle and they needed to add another shift to properly complete this task. These members therefore called their Union Representative who then called the Employer – these members also met with their Employer soon after to talk about their concerns. As a result of their initiative, the Employer added the requested coverage and this change went into effect just a few days after their meeting. While we struggle to address workload across the province, it’s important that we celebrate wins in order to encourage further action to address workload issues. When we fight back together, we win together!
Collective agreement reached between Cheshire Homes of Saskatoon and SEIU-West
While COVID-19 is taking over much of our work lives, this win is a reminder that we must remain diligent in ensuring employers adhere to both our collective agreements and the Saskatchewan Employment Act (SEA). This week, a member informed SEIU-West that their employer was selecting Occupational Health Committee (OHC) members and that the worker co-chair was out of scope. As the SEA outlines, workers/their union have the right to select/elect their own worker representatives and there must be one employer co-chair, and one worker co-chair. As a result, SEIU-West drafted an urgent letter informing the employer of this right and immediately, the employer adjusted their behaviour. The right to have balanced worker representation on each OHC is vital to enforce as we know safety is a number one priority, and we must not let the employer forget that. If you are experiencing the same issues at your workplace, please contact the Member Resource Centre (MRC) through our website https://www.seiuwest.ca/contact or by phone 1-888-999-7348 ext. 2298
We couldn’t wait to share this win of the week that occurred over the weekend! When we arrived to our Moose Jaw office on Monday morning, we found out a member of the general public in Moose Jaw surprised us with a thoughtful gesture. In bold, purple chalk was a message of thanks to SEIU-West members, alongside a large heart. It certainly warmed our hearts, and we hope it does for you too! Thank you, as always, to each of our members who are providing public services and demonstrating true leadership during this time of crisis.