REGINA — April Fool’s Day was no laughing matter for health-care workers at the legislature.
The NDP opposition noted that April 1 marked four years in which health-care workers have seen no wage increase. Jason Monteith, vice-president of SEIU-West, was at the legislature alongside NDP MLAs Nathaniel Teed and Meara Conway, where they also pointed out the union has been without a collective bargaining agreement for the last three years.
Teed said they were hearing stories from health-care workers “who are working a full shift and then going to the food bank on the way home — they are donating their blood plasma to supplement their income.”
Teed also pointed to issues in recruitment and retention, and to other provinces making their salaries more competitive. “I think the problem we are seeing is there is no willingness from this government to sign a deal at the table.”
Monteith said what they are hearing from workers is they are not feeling valued.
“If we want to put patients first, we need people to provide that care,” Monteith said. “We need to come to a fair collective agreement, so the health-care workers can provide the care that the patients and people of Saskatchewan deserve.”
As for where things stood in labour bargaining to this point, Monteith said they have been at the bargaining table this week through Thursday.
“I feel they are slow walking this process,” said Monteith. “There doesn’t seem to be a huge desire to get to a deal and we’re frustrated… four years without an increase in pay is far too much.”
Monteith said his union represents “basically everyone other than doctors and nurses,” including lab techs, X-ray techs, licensed practical nurses, cardiology techs and others. He pointed to everyone feeling the pinch due to the rising cost of living and made clear they would no longer accept a zero increase.
He said their last collective agreement in 2017 saw increases of zero, zero, one, two and two per cent. “So it’s just unacceptable.”
Monteith added that he cannot understand how the government can talk of a recruitment and retention plan “when we’re seeing health-care workers leaving far faster than we can recruit people. First we need to think about retaining staff and that starts with the collective agreement.”
SEIU-West was not the only union marking the dubious “anniversary.” CUPE 5430 also noted that April 1 marked four years since its members last received a wage increase.
“It may be April Fools’ Day, but four years without a raise is no joke,” said Bashir Jalloh, president of CUPE 5430, in a news release. “While the cost of living has skyrocketed, our members have been asked to do more with less — and for the same wages they received in 2022. This isn’t just about fairness for workers — it’s about the future of Saskatchewan’s public health-care system…. When health-care workers feel undervalued and underpaid, they leave our health system. The status quo is bad for health workers, bad for patients and bad for Saskatchewan’s health-care system.”
When pressed by the Opposition in question period about the lack of a raise for workers, Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill pledged to continue negotiations with the unions.
“We are in active bargaining at the table with all of our provider union partners this week as well as next week, with CUPE [Canadian Union of Public Employees] and SEIU-West and SGEU [Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union], Mr. Speaker,” said Cockrill.
“Mr. Speaker, as I indicated last week, this government’s focused on getting to a good deal for the health-care workers that serve patients each and every day, and a good deal for patients as well. We’ll continue to do the work at the bargaining table to get to that point as soon as possible.”
When NDP Deputy Leader Vicki Mowat asked Cockrill why the premier won’t show respect to health-care unions and sign a deal, Cockrill said this:
“Mr. Speaker, you know, the member opposite talked about respect. We have an incredible amount of respect for the health-care workers right across the province in a variety of professions. Mr. Speaker, again, I mentioned last week I’ve had some interactions with the SHA and SAHO [Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations], who’s at the bargaining table, in terms of refocusing our priorities at the bargaining table to try and streamline the process as much as possible, Mr. Speaker.
“We want to get a deal done. I know health-care workers around the province want to get a deal done. And I’m confident that we’ll get there at the table.”
