Luthercare community service workers serve strike notice

Community service workers with Luthercare Communities Group Homes are set to withdraw services and go on strike this week, but their union president says plans could change if their employers make a fair bargaining offer.

Job action is set to take effect Wednesday at 6 p.m. According to Service Employees International Union West (SEIU-WEST), negotiations on a new collective agreement have stalled over issues including wages, days off and the

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. SEIU-WEST president Barbara Cope said she knows the job action will result in some services being withdrawn and management needing to perform the services instead.

“There's time to avoid the withdrawal of services, but the ball is in the employer's court to put forward a fair deal to settle a long overdue collective agreement,” Cape said. The most recent collective agreement ran from April 1, 2018 until March 31, 2022.

Cape said in recent years, shifts have become shorter to the point that some full-time staff regularly work seven days a week to make enough hours. There is currently no recognition of the need for two days off in a row, she added.

“The employer seems ambivalent to our members' need for respect, fairness, and a living wage,” Cape said.

"Let's be clear: everyone deserves a weekend, even if it's not the traditional Saturday and Sunday.” Another point of contention, according to Cape, is Luthercare providing a statutory holiday for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to out of scope managers “but not the staff working on the front line of the homes.”

Luthercare Communities offers independent living, intermediate care homes, special care homes and family housing in locations across Saskatoon.