MOOSE JAW — After nearly two years of negotiations, many Saskatchewan health-care workers are still without a renewed collective agreement. In response, SEIU-West union members held a public information picket to raise awareness about their ongoing situation.
To help spread their message, one information picket was held in Biggar, Sask., with a second held concurrently at Extendicare in Moose Jaw on Jan. 15.
“We’re having an information picket to let the public know that health care workers and frontline workers are tired. It’ll soon be two years that we haven’t had a contract,” announced Brenda Berry, an executive board member of SEIU-West representing members of the former Five Hills Health Region that includes Moose Jaw.
The union’s previous contract ended on Mar. 31, 2023, and SEIU-West served a notice to hold a bargaining meeting in January 2023. According to Berry, the meeting was delayed until October 2023, likely due to the government having only one bargaining team since the contract expired.
“That (bargaining team) covers all three unions (in the province), so we’re lucky if we get to meet with them once a month,” she noted.
Berry said the health care system is facing staffing shortages, making overtime the norm.
One of the biggest concerns Berry expressed was the looming possibility of accidents because of tired, exhausted, and overworked health care staff.
If the situation doesn’t improve soon, Berry warned that a growing number of health care workers could simply opt to find work elsewhere.
One of the key issues SEIU-West members would like to see addressed is the introduction of safe staffing levels.
“We want safe staffing levels,” Berry said. “They have safe staffing levels for daycares, and we need safe staffing levels in long term care homes for (members who work directly with) our elderly.”
Berry suggested, “Give us a wage increase and a fair collective agreement and this will all end.”
In response to the information picket, the Ministry of Health offered the following written statement:
“The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to building and supporting a sustainable and responsive health system today and into the future. A key priority for our government is to deliver the highest quality health care to Saskatchewan patients in collaboration with our partners and service providers.
“We value the input of the province’s health care providers and share in the common interest of providing Saskatchewan with the best quality health care system.
“We look forward to collaborating with Saskatchewan’s health-care professionals, listening to their ideas, and exploring opportunities to address shared challenges while ensuring we provide the highest quality care for patients.
“Last week’s meeting between the Ministry of Health and representatives of SEIU-West was productive and focused on many of our common goals.
“The Government of Saskatchewan has met with CUPE, SGEU and SEIU-West representatives to explore the idea of establishing a nursing team task force among the Ministry of Health, Registered Nurses (RNs), Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPNs), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) and Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) and the Unions representing them in the Saskatchewan Health Authority.
“It is our government’s hope that a patient-focused nursing team task force will provide an opportunity to reflect on how patient care is currently provided by nursing teams across the province and to collaboratively work together to meet the needs of patients and families.”
The provincial government did not comment on any specific details of the bargaining process as this is still underway.
In the meantime, Berry said the focus remains on spreading awareness while they await a negotiation date.
“We just have to let the public know that, as frontline workers, we’re tired, and we want the government to get back to the table and come back prepared to deal.”
For more information about SEIU-West visit SEIUWest.ca.
