Labour federation worried SaskTel will be sold off
It’s been a year of highs and lows for the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, president Larry Hubich said in his opening speech at the annual convention in Regina on Wednesday. From changes in the federal government to threats of the sale of SaskTel, the organization was kept busy.
A resounding topic in Hubich’s speech was the federation’s fear of the sale of Crown corporations, SaskTel in particular.
“Those are decent jobs for Saskatchewan citizens. The profits from our Crown corporations go right back into community services to provision of health and education ... the revenue generated from those entities, those corporate entities, are to the benefit of all Saskatchewan citizens,” Hubich said.
The issue of the sale of SaskTel was raised this summer, following the sale of Manitoba’s provincially owned telecommunications company MTS to Bell. Premier Brad Wall then mused that if the opportunity presented itself to sell SaskTel, the province would consider the offer before making a decision.
“That means you’re trying to sell it. You don’t ask for an offer unless you’ve got something for sale,” Hubich said.
Hubich noted that, in the past, other Crown corporations have been sold and privatized, including Information Services Corporation and, most recently, the privatization of liquor stores.
“When you privatize those services and give them to corporations often from out of province, the profits leave our province and they’re invested elsewhere,” Hubich said.
These concerns were echoed by some convention attendees. Bill Lawson, a SaskTel employee in Moose Jaw and member of UNIFOR Local 3, is worried about some of the statements Wall has been making in regards to SaskTel.
“I liked how (Hubich) hit on how the current government is starting to backtrack on some of the promises that they made. I work for SaskTel and I’m very concerned,” Lawson said.
There were positives this year for the SFL, Hubich said in his speech. The group was happy to see a change in the federal government. Following the election of the Liberal government, some of the previous government’s laws were repealed.
“While it hasn’t been all roses, there have been a number of good initiatives by the federal government including the repeal of a couple of really nasty pieces of legislation, Bill C-377 and Bill C-525, which were direct attacks on workers and their rights to belong to unions,” Hubich said.
Hubich also touched on the issue of workplace fatalities in the province. The past two years have seen the Workers’ Compensation Board make surpluses.
“Four-hundred thirty million dollars combined over two years in refunds to employers out of WCB and we’ve got workers who are still being injured and killed on the job,” he said.
The labour federation thinks some of the surplus money should be invested in education about workplace safety, along with increased workplace inspections, instead of being returned to employers.
The convention continues until Saturday.