REGINA – With a labour agreement still not in sight, unions representing workers in Saskatchewan’s health care sector rallied at the Legislature Wednesday calling for a deal to get done.
Union members from CUPE, SGEU and SEIU – West workers gathered outside at the front of the Legislature during the noon hour to call for a labour deal, and to voice their frustrations over the lack of progress being seen.
Lisa Zunti, President of SEIU – West, said they staged the rally because “bargaining has gone extremely slow. We are imploring the government to take us seriously and bargain in good faith. And we need a wage increase for our members.”
The unions have been trying to get a new deal for going on three years. Zunti said she did not know why it was taking so long.
“To me, it just seems like a stall tactic to get our members frustrated so that they will take whatever is offered to them,” said Zunti.
She said the length of time it has taken has been “so disappointing. People are so frustrated and so disrespected.”
“When you go to work every day and you give everything you’ve got, providing health care, and you’re facing scrutiny of everyone that is accessing health care as well, and you have a license to protect, it is so disappointing to also then not be respected by your employer and not be compensated fairly for that.”
Zunti also noted people are leaving the health care profession daily. She said she spoke earlier that day to an LPN from Unity, who “tells me that four people from the facility where she works have left in the last couple of months to go work at the Co-op… If there’s four in a small town, it’s pretty high.”
Tracy Sauer, SGEU President, said their main goal of attending the Legislature was to be listened to.
“We have the need to be heard and we haven’t been heard for a long time,” Sauer said.
“It’s been almost three years without any pay raises. We’ve been trying to negotiate a contract that has gotten nowhere. Our members, as I’ve said before, are very tired.”
Sauer said the workers needed public support, saying if “we don’t have a proper health care system, then we’re going to crumble. And if we can’t maintain the low level, even at what we have right now, it’s going to fall apart.”
“We’re working short.:The workload has increased. The patient-staff ratio levels have never been addressed. So they’re not getting the care that they deserve. And we need the public to start with an outcry and helping us get our voices heard. There’s only so much we can do.”
As for what she thought the holdup was to the negotiations, Sauer blamed the government.
“We get to a table and it’s like spinning wheels. We don’t know where this is coming from. Is it the employer isn’t able to move, or is it the government preventing them? Quite honestly, I think it’s more government preventing the employer from doing the job that they need to do.”
After the rally, union members entered the Assembly to watch Question Period from the gallery. Leaders said it was a show of solidarity and to send a message to the government they wanted bargaining to go ahead. When they emerged from the gallery they said they were disappointed with what they heard.
It was Health Providers Week, Sauer said, but “they don’t even know who health providers are.” She said the ministers were talking about “doctors and nurses.”
“We are not the doctors and nurses, we are LPNs, we are CCAs, we’re environmental services, we help supporting the dietary need, we’re lab services, we’re much more. We’re the ones who support everything else but we’re always forgotten.”
In speaking to reporters following Question Period, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill made it known he wanted to see a deal get done.
“I think it’s a priority for the government of Saskatchewan to make sure that we have negotiated agreements with all our health sector union partners,” said Cockrill, saying they “do important work on behalf of the people of the province and for the people of the province, quite frankly.”
As for how to get negotiations back on track, Cockrill said he had been pushing the Saskatchewan Association of Health Care Organizations to add more bargaining dates with all of the sector unions.
“They have done that. It’s been encouraging to see the three provider unions come to a common table in recent weeks. That’s something that, you know, when I’ve had the previous opportunity to meet with the providers, something I’ve stressed. And so I thank SEIU – West and SGEU and CUPE for coming to a common table. That’s going to be an important part of getting a deal done. Again, you know, the government wants to see a deal get done. It takes time. We’re still, you know, working through non-monetary issues at this point. But again, with more bargaining dates, with more of an emphasis on bargaining in the weeks and months to come, I’m confident that we’re going to get to an agreement that will work for the employer but we’ll also recognize the important work that these folks do across the province.”
As for the sentiments of union leaders who said they felt the government was stalling, Cockrill said “it’s unfortunate that that feeling exists.”
“I mean, again, it’s… the commitment for me as the Minister and from the government is obviously to negotiate in good faith and to get an agreement done.”
Cockrill added that “everybody on our side wants to get a deal done. We need to put the effort in over the next few weeks and months to get closer to that.”
