Judy Henley, a health care worker and member of CUPE Local 5430 from Melville, Saskatchewan, has been elected as the new president of CUPE Saskatchewan.

Henley has been active in CUPE since 1985. In that time, she has served in many leadership roles within CUPE at the local, provincial, and national levels. Since 2000, Henley has served as secretary-treasurer of CUPE Saskatchewan. Driven by a passion for the rights of workers to retire with dignity and her conviction that all workers should have access to good benefits and injury compensation, Judy remains an active member of the CUPE Local 5430 Pension and Benefits Committee and subcommittees with the employer.

“I am humbled by the support. I will be working hard to represent our members,” said Henley as she accepted her new role.

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“We can make a difference in our workplaces and our world by standing together,” said Tom Graham in his final report to delegates at the annual convention of the Saskatchewan Division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees being held in Saskatoon. Graham’s retirement announcement was feted with applause and recognition for his dedicated leadership by delegates and guests.

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The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is sending layoff notices to CUPE members working at Regina Pioneer Village (RPV) and moving residents to private, personal care homes.

RPV has been plagued by mould and asbestos issues for years and has had to close beds twice before due to remediation efforts. Now residents are being moved into two private care homes in the Regina area.

“These layoffs are a direct result of the Sask Party government’s failure to address the crumbling infrastructure in our health care sector,” said Sandra Seitz, president of CUPE Local 5430. “Now patients are being moved into private, for profit care homes. We should all be concerned about the loss of jobs, the costs for residents and the quality of care.”

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Work-life balance and burnout continue to be a significant issue for CUPE 600 members across the province. They need your support to bargain a fair deal.

Take action today and email the Minister of Social Services.

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-Tom Graham, President, CUPE Saskatchewan

CUPE Saskatchewan is calling on the provincial NDP to follow the lead of the Federal NDP and other provinces by introducing a ban on replacement workers (otherwise referred to as anti-scab legislation) during a lockout or strike.

“When employers are allowed to replace the jobs of their workers during a labour dispute, it creates an imbalance in the collective bargaining system that gives an unfair advantage to employers by allowing bosses to avoid negotiating,” said Tom Graham, President of CUPE Saskatchewan. “The Co-op Refinery dispute is a clear example of an employer that locks-out its own employees and spends more time, money and effort flying in scabs by helicopter to lengthen and escalate the dispute they created then actually getting back to the table to negotiate with their own workers. Why should employers be allowed to replace the very workers they are legally obligated to negotiate with?” questioned Graham.

CUPE Saskatchewan is encouraged the provincial NDP is open to consultations, but more needs to be done to support the ability of workers and their unions to negotiate fairly with deep-pocketed employers by banning scabs.

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#RememberJan29

CUPE members and staff at the union’s Winter School being held in Moose Jaw this week are wearing green squares in solidarity against Islamophobia and to recognize those who continue to suffer the consequences of hateful violence. Today marks the third anniversary when, on January 29, 2017, an Islamophobic white supremacist shot dead six Muslim men as they prayed at a Quebec City mosque. These innocent people were killed because of hateful intolerance. Many more were injured. The terrorist attack affected many families, friends, neighbours, and communities across Canada. In Saskatchewan, January 29 has been proclaimed a Day of Action Against Hate and Intolerance.

“We are reminded today that we must speak up for equality and dignity for everyone, and we must not allow people to divide us as workers and communities,” said Tom Graham, President of CUPE Saskatchewan.

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Talks between the Government of Saskatchewan and the union representing social services workers have come to a halt after the Employer walked away from the table.

CUPE Local 600 represents 380 members who work directly for the Community Living Service Delivery (CLSD) branch of the Ministry of Social Services and Ministry of Central Services.

“The Government of Saskatchewan has stated repeatedly that they want Saskatchewan to be the best place to live for persons with disabilities. But the lack of respect for front line workers is shocking,” said Nancy Seman, president of CUPE Local 600. “We are urging the government to take bargaining seriously and work with us to find a solution to address the health and safety issues we are facing.”

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Mark Hancock, CUPE National President, joined CUPE’s provincial union leadership in Regina today at the Unifor Local 594 picket line in front of the Co-op Refinery to bring a message of solidarity from Canada’s largest union. Today marks day 49 of the lockout imposed by the management of the highly profitable Co-op Refinery in what has become a flash point in the fight against employer-led attacks on workers’ pensions since police escalated tensions by arresting Unifor’s National President and union officials on the picket line Monday night in Regina, Saskatchewan.

• Read more: Mark Hancock joins labour leaders from across Canada to support Co-op picket line in Regina

“The fight for good pensions and a decent retirement is going on right here, right now. And CUPE will stand with you in this fight, because we know our pensions are under the same threat, and because it is what we do in the union movement. We stand with each other!” said Hancock.

Nearly 800 members of Unifor Local 594 at the Co-op Refinery in Regina have been locked out in freezing conditions since December 5, 2019. Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) owns the Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina. The employer has locked out its workers in an attempt to force through concessions and gut the pension plan promised to workers at a time the company itself is hugely profitable.

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Photo from @UniforTheUnion

**RALLY TIME REVISED TO 12:30 P.M. ON WED., JAN 22, 2020, IN REGINA**

Members are encouraged to join the Solidarity Rally on January 22, 2020, at 12:30 p.m. in front of Gate 7 at the Co-op Refinery in Regina to bolster the picket line and to demand Co-op get back to the bargaining table!

“The Co-op Refinery is giving a black eye to Co-ops across Saskatchewan by locking out their workers and demanding unnecessary cuts when the company already makes huge profits,” said Tom Graham, President of CUPE Saskatchewan. “Everyone knows that the Co-op Refinery is to blame for this dispute with their unwillingness to get back to the table and bargain a fair deal with their workers. Unifor Local 594 members have the support of CUPE Saskatchewan in their fight against concessions and defending their rights to protest corporate greed.”

CUPE members are encouraged to join a Solidarity Rally on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, beginning at 12:30 p.m. in front of Gate 7 at the Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina on Fleet Street, North of McDonald Street. Mark Hancock, CUPE National President, and Tom Graham, President of CUPE Saskatchewan, will be joined on Wednesday by CUPE members to bolster the picket line and show support for Unifor Local 594. Solidarity rallies are also being called today on the picket line at 12:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. in front of the Co-op Refinery Complex.

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Support workers at Regina Public Schools have not had a raise in over four years — even though our bosses have given themselves huge pay increases.

Our schools work because we do. We provide support for students each and every school day. We deserve a FAIR deal, not zeros and attacks on our benefits. It’s time to get back to the table and offer a fair deal for school workers.

Please contact your Regina Public School Board Trustee this holiday season to say: stop being a grinch!

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