The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has issued layoff notices to 33 workers at the Grenfell Pioneer home, many of whom are members of CUPE Local 5340. The Health Authority is relocating 20 residents of Grenfell Pioneer Home due to the serious nature of mould and asbestos found in the facility.

“There is a lot of uncertainty right now for our members and for the community of Grenfell,” said Sandra Seitz, president of CUPE Local 5430. “The future of the facility in Grenfell is up in the air, as is the job security of many members. This could have been avoided if the Saskatchewan government adequately maintained our health care facilities.”

The union has been told the future of the facility has not been decided. The Saskatchewan Health Authority stated that they hope the relocation will be temporary but are exploring options that could include continued remediation and maintenance at the existing Grenfell Pioneer Home or the construction of a new facility.

The Grenfell Pioneer Home is not the only long-term care facility in the province facing serious health and safety risks from mould. Close to 100 residents at Pioneer Village in Regina had to move due to serious mould issues.

“Our health care infrastructure around the province is aging, and our need for long-term care continues to increase. The Government of Saskatchewan needs to put a plan in place to deal with this issue before more facilities are shut down, and more seniors forced to move,” said Seitz.

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University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, SK

After almost two years of bargaining, your Local 1975 bargaining committee has served written notice to the employer and the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety that the union and the University of Saskatchewan have reached an impasse in the current round of negotiations.

The main sticking point in negotiations is the pension plan. The University is refusing to talk pensions at the bargaining table and is threatening to make unilateral cuts to the pension plan.

“CUPE 1975 and the University of Saskatchewan have a long history of engaging in serious and good faith bargaining over our pension plan. We see no reason that this practice should stop,” said Craig Hannah, president of CUPE Local 1975. “If the University has their way, workers will no longer have a voice when it comes to their retirement security.”

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As a new school year begins at Prairie South School Division, members of CUPE 5512 would like to welcome new and returning students to their first day of classes.

CUPE 5512 represents education support workers across the Prairie South School Division. The local is heading into bargaining with the Employer this fall.

“CUPE education workers are dedicated to supporting the learning of all Saskatchewan students throughout the school year, and we will continue to provide the best possible learning environments for our province’s future,” said Dale Smith, president of Local 5512. “We are looking forward to a constructive round of bargaining with the Prairie South School Division, and to reaching a fair and reasonable deal for our members.”

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As a new school year begins, the CUPE Saskatchewan Education Workers Steering Committee has a message for parents and children.

“On behalf of CUPE education support workers, I would like to welcome new and returning students to their first day of classes,” said Jackie Christianson, President of the Education Workers Steering Committee. “Our members, whether they are bus drivers or library technicians, maintenance staff or education assistants, are dedicated to providing a quality educational environment for all students.”

“It’s unfortunate that the Sask Party government doesn’t have the same dedication to education,” added Christianson.

The 2017-2018 provincial budget cut 54 million dollars from classrooms which resulted in layoffs, program closures and reduction in staffing hours across the province. The latest budget restores only a fraction of the missing funding. And with more students in our schools, support staff continue to do more with less.

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This afternoon the Labour Relations Board decided against granting CUPE 1949’s request for an injunction to stop Legal Aid Saskatchewan from being able to unilaterally amalgamate offices and lay off staff.

“Today we learned we were unsuccessful in our application,” said Meara Conway, CUPE Local 1949 Grievance Chair. “The failure to get this injunction was disappointing news but we always knew that winning this injunction would be very challenging.”

“It’s important for our members and our clients to know this has no bearing on the Unfair Labour Practice hearing, which the Labour Review Board noted should proceed on an expedited basis,” Conway added.

Legal Aid Saskatchewan provides legal services for the most vulnerable people in the province. The 150 CUPE members in CUPE Local 1949, representing legal aid lawyers and administrative staff, are fighting to preserve the organization from contracting out and threats of privatization.

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Labour Day is more than just a holiday – it is a day we take a moment to celebrate the many accomplishments of Canada’s labour movement and what workers have achieved by joining together in unions. Together, workers through their unions and collective bargaining have fought for many workplace rights, standards and benefits we take for granted today.

Celebrate Labour Day on September 3, 2018, with free picnics hosted by Saskatchewan’s unions.

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(WEYBURN) CUPE Local 90 has served written notice to the City of Weyburn and the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety that the Union and the City have reached an impasse in the current round of negotiations.

The City of Weyburn is seeking serious concessions, including changes to bereavement leave, changes to emergency and serious illness leave, changes to the grievance process, and changes to seniority and promotion rights.

“Our members work hard for the City of Weyburn. We deserve a fair and reasonable deal,” said Sherri Blackburn, President of CUPE Local 90. “The monetary offer they have outlined does not keep up with the costs of living and lags behind the wage increases that CUPE members employed by other municipalities will receive.”

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Approximately 70 postdoctoral fellows and non-student researchers at the University of Regina have unionized with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). After an organizing drive that began early in 2018, the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board issued a certification order for the union on August 7, 2018 following a secret ballot vote that saw the academic workers vote 88 per cent in favour of unionizing.

The postdoctoral fellows and non-student researchers and technicians are seeking to improve their conditions of work on campus over the long term.

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The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is conducting a province-wide review of security services, using an external consultant named Tony Weeks. Weeks has a track record of privatizing security systems in other provinces.

CUPE members are concerned that this review could open the doorway to privatization of health care security here in Saskatchewan.

CUPE 5430 is fighting back.

Watch this video to hear directly from our members about why public security services in health care is important.

• Take action today and sign the petition: https://cupe.ca/say-no-contracting-out-saskatchewans-health-care-security-services

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Every summer road crews are out across Saskatchewan working hard to build and maintain public infrastructure. These workers are often at risk from motorists who do not obey the rules of the road.

The City of Saskatoon has launched a campaign to highlight the risks drivers pose to work crews throughout the city. The Respect Workzone campaign features interviews with three members of CUPE 859, who represent outside workers with the City of Saskatoon.

CUPE 859 is proud to stand behind these members and the City’s campaign.

“Every day CUPE 859 members work hard to provide valuable public services for the people of Saskatoon. We are pleased to play a role in the Respect Workzone campaign as health and safety is an essential part of our everyday work,” said Mike Stefiuk, President of CUPE 859.

“We remind drivers to please slow down and respect the work we do and the Workzones we do it in. One injury in the workplace is one too many and we all play a role in keeping everyone safe.”

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