The Canadian Union of Public Employees, representing 7,000 education support staff across the province, stands in full support of the teachers who voted in support of job sanctions following the Sask. Party government’s refusal to negotiate a fair deal at the bargaining table.

“CUPE Saskatchewan stands in solidarity with the members of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation,” said Judy Henley, president of CUPE Saskatchewan. “Scott Moe and the Sask. Party have underfunded and made devastating cuts to education – and teachers, along with education support staff, have directly felt the impacts. Instead of negotiating to solve some of these issues at the bargaining table, the Sask. Party has instead refused to negotiate and has shown disrespect towards teachers through misleading billboards. Today’s vote in favour of job sanctions makes it clear – it’s time for the Sask. Party to get back to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair agreement with teachers.”

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Yesterday’s speech from the throne, which sets out the priorities for the government ahead of the fall sitting of the legislature, is more proof that Scott Moe and the Sask. Party are out of sync with the priorities of working people in the province.

“Once again, we see Scott Moe and the Sask. Party are doing very little to address the key issues faced by Saskatchewan people: affordability and the cost of living, the crisis in health care and long-term care, and the lack of funding for public education,” said Judy Henley, president of CUPE Saskatchewan. “We can’t build and protect Saskatchewan with the lowest minimum wage in Canada, public services at their breaking point from chronic underfunding, and frontline workers experiencing burnout and below inflation wages. Instead of coming up with real solutions, the government is more focused on picking fights with the federal government than they are on making life better for working people in Saskatchewan.”

Henley said that other than vague promises, it is disappointing that the government is still not taking recruitment and retention of workers seriously.

“This government likes to talk about jobs, but when it comes to actually addressing how to recruit and retain needed workers in areas like childcare and health care, it’s clear that they have no plan to boost funding and boost the wages of frontline workers that are key to retention,” added Henley.

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QUEBEC CITY: In an unprecedented show of unity, over 2,500 delegates attending the CUPE National Convention have voted in favour of an emergency resolution to condemn Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s assault on the Charter rights of Saskatchewan children.

Scott Moe’s Bill 137, introduced on October 12, 2023, pre-emptively invokes the Notwithstanding Clause, which threatens to suspend Charter rights for Saskatchewan’s most vulnerable children. The emergency resolution highlights the misuse of the Notwithstanding Clause as a dangerous precedent that leaves the door open for further erosions of fundamental human rights, including those of marginalized groups and workers.

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The community of Radville is losing two doctors, and the emergency room is moving to a virtual care model. This is the latest service disruption in the former Sun Country health region.

Dozens of concerned citizens attended a Town Hall meeting on October 18, 2023 to discuss these changes.

“Residents in the area are receiving subpar care. Emergency Rooms are shutting down, doctors are leaving, and the drive time to see specialists keeps getting longer and longer,” said Bashir Jalloh, president of CUPE 5430.

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On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, Prince Albert Mayor, Greg Dionne drove through the picket line striking at least two members who were picketing outside of City Hall.

• The incident can be viewed here.

“Mayor Dionne’s actions are creating a challenging relationship with city workers,” said Mira Lewis, CUPE National Representative. “We are saddened and disappointed that Mayor Dionne felt the need to push through the picket line regardless of the safety of city workers in front of him. His actions further erode the relationship and clearly illustrates a lack of respect.”

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CUPE 882 members representing inside workers at the City of Prince Albert have voted 81 percent in favour of rejecting the tentative agreement.

“We hope this will send a strong message to city council,” said Mira Lewis, CUPE National Representative. “Your workers are standing united and demanding respect.”

At yesterday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Dionne said that the ball was in our court and that if we voted “No” it would mean going back to the table. “We hope that administration takes this to heart and immediately returns to the bargaining table prepared to offer a meaningful deal,” added Lewis.

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CUPE 882 has filed an unfair labour practice with the Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board seeking a ruling on the City of Prince Albert’s conduct during bargaining.

On September 29, 2023, CUPE 882 and the City of Prince Albert held a meeting to discuss a return-to-work agreement in the event the union membership voted to ratify the tentative agreement. During this meeting, the employer verbally notified the union that a call centre had been created at City Hall to manage calls during the strike. Immediately upon returning to work, employees would be told that the call centre would remain in place. This change would impact at least four employees in the Clerk Steno classification and at least five employees in the Secretary II classification.

“CUPE 882 was blindsided by this decision. The employer did not disclose any information about restructuring at City Hall or the formation of a call centre at any point during bargaining,” said Mira Lewis, National Representative. “The employer advised that it had no intention and no obligation to negotiate this change. This despite having discussions at the table regarding a City Hall restructuring Letter of Understanding which the employer proposed deleting. They told us the restructuring was complete all the while knowing they were planning this call centre and choosing not to mention it.”

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Eden Care Communities announced its decision to close Regina Lutheran Home on Monday, September 25, 2023. The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has said they will not take over the facility, leaving 62 residents and over 100 staff reeling. Now the union representing staff at the facility is calling for the SHA to take over the facility.

“The closure of Regina Lutheran Home is yet another example of how this government is failing seniors. Their lack of planning on this file is absurd,” said Bashir Jalloh, president of CUPE 5430. There is a low vacancy rate for long term care spaces in Regina. This closure will cause ripple effects throughout the Regina area. Wait lists that are already too long will grow longer, not to mention that over 100 staff will be impacted.”

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Statement by Mira Lewis, National Representative, on behalf of CUPE 882.

PRINCE ALBERT: On September 29, 2023, during negotiations around vote ratification and the framework of a potential plan to bring employees back to work in the event both sides ratified the tentative agreement, the City of Prince Albert’s negotiation team alerted the union about a number of sweeping technological, structural, and organizational changes.

The employer announced it intended to implement these changes immediately upon a return to work.

Under the Saskatchewan Employment Act, employers must give “written notice to the bargaining agent and the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, when proposing an organizational change or technological change that will likely affect the terms, conditions, and tenure of employment of a significant number of employees.”

None of the proposed changes had been disclosed to the union prior to the September 29th negotiations. As a result of this last-minute disclosure, the union felt it had no choice but to notify the employer that they would be halting the ratification vote and destroying the ballots already cast. We cannot in good faith have our members carry out the vote knowing that the employer withheld vital information.

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The third annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a day for reflection, healing, and hope. We honour Survivors and families who courageously share their stories. We remember and grieve the children who never came home.

• Click here for a full list of events and resources. 

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