Sask. health workers reach new deal
Thousands of Saskatchewan paramedics, psychologists, pharmacists and other health care workers have given the thumbs up to a new labour agreement.
Members of the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS) voted Aug. 11 to accept a tentative six-year agreement with employers for the 2018-24 fiscal period.
As of Thursday, the union and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO), which represents the employers, officially ratified the deal.
“Obviously we’re excited to see some very important health workers ratify the deal,” Health Minister Jim Reiter said.
HSAS president Karen Wasylenko said her union represents more than 4,000 health care professionals working across different parts of the system, including ambulance services, acute care centres like hospitals and long-term care facilities.
She said the parties first exchanged proposals in 2018 but had to take negotiations to video-conference calls when the COVID-19 pandemic put a stop to big in-person meetings.
“That’s where I have to say both parties had to work hard and collaborate together, especially in this time with the pandemic,” she said.
An HSAS news release said 1,419 ballots were returned and 1,196, or 84 per cent, were in favour of accepting the agreement. There were 217 votes against it and six spoiled ballots.
HSAS members will not see a wage increase for the 2018-19 or 2019-20 fiscal years.
Wages will go up by one per cent in the 2020-21 fiscal year and then two per cent for each of the three years thereafter.
Wasylenko said the deal also addresses worker concerns around occupational health and safety and carries other benefits, like allowing some part-time staff to take on more hours if they wish.
It’s also the first deal signed since 12 health regions in the province amalgamated into a single authority.
“It’s not just about the wages. It’s about working conditions and language that reflects now that we are one health authority,” Wasylenko said.
HSAS is one of several associations representing health care workers that has been in protracted bargaining with government.
The Saskatchewan Medical Association, which represents the province’s doctors, reached a tentative agreement with the government last month. The association’s members ratified it last week; 90 per cent of members voted yes.
The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses is still in talks with the province; its agreement expired in 2018.
Members of SEIU-WEST have been protesting outside health care facilities across the province in recent weeks over their lack of a deal; theirs expired in 2017. The union’s membership voted to reject a tentative agreement proposed by SAHO that year.
Reiter said it’s “not unusual” for negotiations to extend beyond the term of the previous collective agreement.
He could not say immediately whether the employer got the terms it initially sought in negotiations with HSAS.
“Obviously we set some broad parameters and we let the collective bargaining process play out,” he said.
Reaching a deal with SUN and SEIU-WEST is important and he hopes those parties come to an agreement soon, he added.
“We’d like agreements to be negotiated and reached at the table.”