Health-care workers give go-ahead for job action
An “overwhelming majority” of SEIU-WEST’S 11,500 health-care workers voted last week to authorize the union to pursue job action after nearly three years of unsuccessful collective bargaining negotiations, continuing a streak of labour unrest in the province.
The vote gives the SEIU-WEST’S bargaining team permission to use “any and all” job action options to obtain a favourable five-year collective agreement. The previous one expired in March 2017.
The government originally proposed a 3.5-per-cent pay cut to public sector employees that year, hoping to halve a $1.2-billion dollar deficit. Most unions, including SEIU-WEST, rejected the offer.
SEIU-WEST, CUPE and the SGEU Health Providers union reached a tentative deal this spring; it included a one-per-cent wage increase in 2020 and a two-per-cent increase in 2022. CUPE and SGEU accepted, but SEIU-WEST members voted to reject the offer. The results of that vote and the vote on job action are not publicly released.
President Barbara Cape declined to reveal details of bargaining but said the union’s priorities are adequate staffing and wages for its members, who include lab technicians, clerical staff and licensed practical nurses, among other staff.
“The needs have not decreased but our staffing level has,” Cape said.
The Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations, which represents health-care employers in negotiations, said in a statement that it was “committed to reaching a negotiated settlement at the bargaining table.”
Kelly Miner, interim executive director and director of bargaining and interpretation, noted SEIUWEST reached an agreement with the SHA for employees it represents at the Meadow Lake Primary Health Care Centre. She said that agreement was “consistent to collective bargaining agreements that were reached this summer,” which SEIU-WEST turned down.
Cape said she hopes the possibility of job action will “add pressure” at negotiations, but acknowledged its limits. Under essential services legislation, unions have to negotiate with the employer before job action to ensure service disruptions do not endanger public safety.
Currently, SEIU-WEST members work under the terms of the previous collective agreement without pay increases.
Cape said the union and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations do not have a set date to resume talks in the new year. She said a more generous package is needed to reach an agreement.
“The quick and dirty answer is that health-care workers need to see some money,” Cape said.
The employer’s association did not respond to a request for comment by press time.