Unions rally at legislature against feared wage cuts

Unions insist 3.5-per-cent reduction still being pushed by government negotiators

REGINA Hundreds of labour-group members rallied at the Legislative Building on Thursday as the debate over the provincial government’s position on a proposed 3.5-per-cent compensation cut for union members continues.

Attorney General and Labour Minister Don Morgan told delegates at the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour’s convention Thursday the reduction was “not on the table now.”

“I’m telling you now it’s gone,” he said.

The idea of a 3.5-per-cent reduction for employees was included in the government’s 2017-18 budget as a means to combat the province’s deficit. It was a measure taken by then-premier Brad Wall, who was asking public-sector employees to find $250 million in savings through the cut.

Unions — most of which are currently in negotiations with the province — have staunchly rejected the cut, prompting Finance Minister Donna Harpauer to announce a year ago the compensation savings from the proposal would likely not be achieved.

In August, Harpauer said the province had “moved past” the 3.5-per-cent cut, and she was “hoping for some ratification as we move forward,” adding she was frustrated because many union members still thought the measure remained in place.

Despite Morgan and Harpauer’s public statements, union members contend the measure is still very much on the negotiating table.

Bob Bymoen, president of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union (SGEU), told reporters at Thursday ’s rally, “The bureaucrats at the table are still hammering at the 3.5 per cent in many places.”

He said he had heard, as recently as last week, of a bargaining table where it was still on the table.

“It’s obviously a very mixed message. The right hand of the government doesn’t know what the left hand is doing when it comes to bargaining in this province,” he said.

Lynette Pinfold, an SEIU-WEST member who works in long-term care in Moose Jaw, said “many unions have been asked to take a 3.5-per-cent wage decrease.”

“We haven’t been told it’s been taken off our table yet,” she said, noting there is short staffing where she works and residents are not getting the care they need.

“People expect more from our government. They want to be listened to, they want to be treated fairly. I think they should respect us more than they do.”

Other labour groups, such as the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation and a bargaining unit within SGEU, that have new contracts in place contend the 3.5-per-cent measure remained on the bargaining table after the province had announced publicly it had been removed.

Morgan told the SFL convention crowd the high number of outstanding contracts was the “elephant in the room” and joked he was the “skunk at a garden party.”