The union representing support staff at Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools (GSCS) has sent a letter calling for the immediate retraction of Superintendent Thomas Hickey’s email calling for a boycott of the Rainbow Tent at the Nutrien Children’s Festival.

The following statement is sent on behalf of Judy Henley, president of CUPE Saskatchewan:

Mr. Hickey’s statement paints the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools in a negative light and creates a hostile environment for the many staff and students who are part of the 2SLGBTQI+ community. The mission statement of the GSCS speaks of being welcoming. How can they claim to be welcoming when they are encouraging discrimination?

These statements do not reflect the values of the education workers that support students in our Catholic schools. This type of discrimination has no place in our school system, or in our province. We urge the school board to immediately rescind these statements and renew their commitment to providing a welcoming environment.

CUPE education workers from Saskatoon Public Schools, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools and Prairie Spirit School Division, represented by Local 8443, 2268 and 3730, are proud sponsors of the Nutrien Children’s Festival – including the Rainbow tent.

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A recent report from the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives shows that 92% of younger children living in Saskatchewan live in child care deserts. CUPE Saskatchewan, the union representing child care workers in the province, is calling on the Sask. Party government to address working conditions and build a workforce strategy in consultation with other unions, care providers, parents, and stakeholders.

The federal-provincial bilateral agreement set out a goal to create an additional 28,000 child care spaces by the end of March 2026. To date, however, the Minister of Education has indicated that only 4,696 new spaces have been created, and only 2,124 of these spaces are operational.

“We know that a significant expansion of child care spaces and facilities are required to meet the needs of working families. However, child care workers and operators are telling us that there is not enough qualified staff to work the additional spaces being promised,” said Judy Henley, president of CUPE Saskatchewan. “We won’t eliminate child care deserts without a comprehensive workforce strategy that provides child care workers with fair wages, better working conditions, and retirement security.”

A backgrounder prepared by CUPE reports that most child care workers have few, if any, benefits. Non-salaried benefits, including group health benefits to cover prescriptions, dental, and vision care, decent pension plans, paid sick leave and paid vacations beyond the minimum statutory requirement, are critical to recruiting and retaining child care staff.

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After extensive negotiations, CUPE 4875, the union representing education support workers at North East School Division, regrets to announce that a bargaining impasse has been reached. The union and the school division will be undertaking mandatory mediation as per the Saskatchewan Employment Act.

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“Together always: united in diversity” is the 2023 theme and focus of the annual observance on May 17 of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

This year’s theme emphasizes what union members know well: that solidarity is paramount in defending and advancing 2SLGBTQI+ rights and safety, and ending all forms of hate, discrimination and oppression.

With an alarming rise of attacks on drag story time events and transphobia and setbacks to 2SLGBTQI+ rights around the world, today is a worldwide call to action for all of us to be in solidarity against hate.

Now, more than ever, all of us must speak up against hate and discrimination – and ensure everyone can live freely, love freely, and be who they are without fear.

Today, and every day, we are united diversity.

Let’s celebrate sexual and gender diversities. CUPE Saskatchewan will be joining Pride parades around the province as Pride season approaches.

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As the province commemorates National Nursing Week, CUPE 5430 is advocating for the Saskatchewan government to acknowledge and appreciate an essential segment of the nursing workforce that is frequently undervalued and underutilized – Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs).

“National Nursing Week serves as an opportune time to recognize the invaluable contributions made by all members of the nursing team. While Registered Nurses (RNs) and Nurse Practitioners (NPs) often receive well-deserved attention, it is crucial to remember that LPNs play a critical role in delivering a safe and efficient health care services to patients throughout Saskatchewan,” said Bashir Jalloh, president of CUPE 5430.

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The Government of Saskatchewan has declared May 10 as Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Appreciation Day. CUPE, Saskatchewan’s largest child care union, is calling for better working conditions, and a voice for workers at the table during the roll out of the provincial-federal funding agreement.

“Child care workers play a crucial role in the development and education of young children. They provide a safe and nurturing environment for children to learn and grow, and they help to lay the foundation for future learning and success,” said Judy Henley, president of CUPE Saskatchewan. “I am glad the government is recognizing their hard work, but appreciation doesn’t mean much when compensation and working conditions for early childhood educators is completely inadequate.”

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On International Workers’ Day, we are reminded of the power of workers organizing for labour rights and economic justice. CUPE Saskatchewan joins in solidarity with workers and their unions around the world actively engaged in collective bargaining and striking, mobilizing and empowering workers, and organizing for fair wages, safer and better working conditions, and stronger public services!

At a time of a growing cost of living crisis and after years of public services being long starved of funds, understaffed, and public service workers undervalued, now is the time for all workers to remain united – and to support fellow unions in their bargaining and strikes! Unions raise the bar for everyone!

The right to strike is a fundamental human right of all workers in all sectors of the economy – especially so in the public sector as workers collectively bargain with governments as the employer and funder of public services.

May Day is a time to reflect on the power of workers’ solidarity and how, through unions, workers have fought and won hard, enduring struggles to establish collective bargaining and democracy in the workplace to bring decency, fairness, and safety standards to our work.

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April 28 is the annual National Day of Mourning for Workers to remember those who tragically lost their lives on the job and to recognize those who endured an injury or acquired an illness or disease as a result of their work. Sadly, 39 workers in Saskatchewan lost their lives because of work-related incidents last year in 2022, not including farm-related fatalities or other workplaces that are not covered or reported by workers’ compensation.

We mourn and remember the CUPE members who died because of work in 2022:

• Sherri Anne D’Amour, CUPE 5167, Ontario
• Michael Boulanger, CUPE 4705, Ontario
• Wilmer Gonzalez, CUPE 2740, Saskatchewan
• Gérald Gauthier, CUPE 375, Québec

These anniversaries highlight the importance of advocating for improved workers’ rights to safe working conditions – and to ensure employers and governments are held accountable for work-related injuries, illness and death. The Workers’ Day of Mourning was created by CUPE members more than 40 years ago to remember those who lost their lives on the job and to inspire other workers to fight to prevent further tragedies.

As trade unionists, we also know the importance of holding employers accountable to recognize and address the impacts of systemic understaffing – including the resulting stress and over work on the health of public service workers, the need to address and prevent exposure to violence on the job, and the importance of a psychologically safe working conditions and the prevention of mental health injuries. The health and safety of workers includes the prevention of mental health injuries from work, the prevention of suicide, and recognizing psychosocial hazards.

Attend a vigil in your community on Friday, April 28, 2023.

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April 22 is Earth Day – a day to recognize the climate change emergency and the action needed to restore our earth. With the world continuing to head for a catastrophic temperature rise and human caused destruction threatening the earth’s ecosystems needed to sustain life, Earth Day 2023 is an important time to renew our resolve to demand more urgent environmental action from governments, employers and within our communities in the transition to a zero-carbon economy. Action to restore our damaged ecosystems and urgently shifting to a more equitable, sustainable economy will safeguard our health in the future and that of our only planet.

2023 is the second Earth Day celebrated within the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, which aims to halt the already significant degradation of ecosystems and achieve global goals of restoration on every continent and in every ocean. We are experiencing a dangerous decline in nature, and humans are causing it. The decade coincides with the deadline for the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and timeline identified by scientists as the last chance to prevent catastrophic climate change.

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It’s time to make noise for public education! CUPE members, including dedicated CUPE education support workers, are joining with Saskatchewan’s teachers, parents and concerned citizens at an upcoming rally for the future of public education.

Let’s tell the government it’s time to stop the cuts and start investing in public education! Join us at the rally – and bring your friends and family!

• WHAT: Rally for Public Education
• WHEN: Saturday, April 29, 2023, Noon – 1:00 p.m.
• WHERE: Saskatchewan Legislative Building, Regina

Click here to share the Facebook event for the rally on April 29, 2023.

Click here for the rally poster. 

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