The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) is concerned the provincial government still have not learned from their mistakes from their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the province enters the fifth wave of the pandemic.
The SFL believes that the Saskatchewan government is waiting too long to introduce measures or restrictions to protect the workers within the province.
President Lori Johb says the government has dealt with the pandemic in a reactive fashion. “Hundreds of people died and that was completely preventable.” Johb added “Our hospitals were overwhelmed, I think that our health care system is in crisis and it hasn’t recovered and now we’re going to move into the fifth wave, they are really downplaying it.”
One thing the SFL would like to see from the Saskatchewan government is ensuring that all workers have access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) especially teachers according to Johb. “I’m thinking of teachers and education workers this week, that are going into classrooms with kids that had a wonderful break and spent time with all kinds of people, the kids are at risk, but the staff is also at risk and they need to have proper masks, they need to have proper ventilation.”
To ensure workers who are sick and are able to stay home without having to worry about losing their pay, Johb would like to see the government call an emergency session of the legislature to pass the NDP’s bill to provide all workers with paid sick days. “If they had access to paid sick time they can decide to stay home and take care of themselves and stop the spread. But, because our government has not seen this as a necessity, our government refuses to even have a conservation, if they would recognize that as a priority, I think that would make a world of difference.”
