The government of Saskatchewan has announced a three person panel to develop recommendations for reorganization of health care. The committee has a mandate to “recommend a structure with fewer regional health authorities to achieve administrative efficiencies as well as improvements to frontline service delivery.” The final report is due on October 31, 2016, and all public comments are due by September 26, 2016.

This is a very quick turn around, and we are concerned that it will be difficult to gather fulsome public feedback. The impacts of health care reorganization are far ranging, and it important that as many people as possible write to panel to voice concerns.

Saskatchewan has gone through two health care mergers. Both instances significantly disrupted the whole health system and distracted from the main purpose of the health care system: which is to provide quality care to patients and residents.

We need to make sure that the process in place considers quality of care, and protects our public health care system.

If you are concerned about the impact health reorganization, please write a letter today.

• Click here to send a letter today

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REGINA: CUPE is concerned about the announcement that Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) is looking at layoffs.

“We know that RQHR is facing financial challenges, but we were not expecting a press conference today announcing layoffs,” said Scott McDonald, president of CUPE Local 3967. McDonald added that there is a lot of uncertainty about what this will mean for workers.“We don’t know what areas will be impacted, and we don’t know who is on the chopping block.”

CUPE is concerned about the impact layoffs will have on the quality of care for patients and residents.

“Frontline workers are already faced with challenges from increasing workload and staff shortage issues,” said McDonald. “We need more investment in staffing, not less.”

The news about layoffs at RQHR comes on the heels of significant layoffs at Saskatoon Health Region.

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MOOSE JAW: The City of Moose Jaw has walked away from the conciliation process and said it is finished bargaining with the union. In response, the provincially appointed conciliator has written to the Minister concluding that he was unable to reach a deal.

“If the employer would be prepared to return to conciliation and bargain in good faith, the union would be prepared to do so as well,” said Stacey Landin, president of CUPE Local 9. “However, our recent rounds of conciliation have made it clear the employer is not prepared to make any significant moves on its proposals.”

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REGINA: CUPE has serious concerns about how a major reorganization of health care regions will impact workers, patients, and quality of care.

“Past experiences from Saskatchewan and across the country raise several flags when it
comes to reorganization,” said Patty Brockman, staff representative with the Canadian
Union of Public Employees (CUPE). “Larger health regions have a disproportional impact
on rural communities and could lead to reduced services and a loss of decision making in
communities.”

Saskatchewan has gone through two previous health care reorganizations. The uncertainty during and after the last two reorganizations caused stress and confusion for frontline workers in Saskatchewan. Research suggests there are also health impacts associated with a long period of uncertainty, including low morale, burnout, and decreased job satisfaction. All of these factors can have an impact on quality of care for patients and residents.

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Registration is now open for the Aboriginal Council Conference 2016 to be held November 17 – 18, 2016 at the Temple Gardens Hotel in Moose Jaw, Treaty 4 Territory.

Open to all CUPE members, and members of other
unions as well, the CUPE Saskatchewan Aboriginal
Council Conference seeks to build union activism with a focus on equality and rights for Aboriginal people in our workplaces and communities. This year, participants will focus on building on past gains to create a better future for everyone.

Early registration deadline: October 17, 2016

NOTICE OF ELECTIONS: Elections to CUPE Saskatchewan’s Aboriginal Council Committee and the Aboriginal Member (and Alternate) to the Executive Board will be held at the conference.

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Look for a CUPE Saskatchewan tent on Labour Day!

Labour Day is more than just a great day to get together with friends and family. It is also a day to celebrate the important contributions of unions in making life better for everyone.

Attend a Labour Day celebration in your community on Monday, September 5, 2016:

Click here for a list of Labour Day events.

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REGINA: CUPE Local 7 bargaining committee has served written notice to the Employer and the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety that the union and the City of Regina have reached an impasse in the current round of negotiations.

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Tom Graham, President, CUPE Saskatchewan

REGINA: The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has filed a notice of constitutional question in the cases of three employers who are attempting to unilaterally remove unionized supervisors out of the bargaining unit of their choosing.

The City of Moose Jaw, the Saskatoon Public Library, and Cypress Hills Abilities Centre are some of the first employers in the province to use new provisions under The Saskatchewan Employee Act (SEA) which allow employers to try to remove workers with supervisory duties from the bargaining unit. A fourth employer, the Regina Public Library, has applied to have similar employees removed from the bargaining unit claiming that they are managers.

“Working people have the right to belong to the union of their choosing. CUPE will fight any
employer who moves forward with attempting to exclude supervisory members with every tool in our tool box, including legal avenues,” said Tom Graham, president of CUPE Saskatchewan. “Filing a notice of constitutional question is the first step in what could be a very lengthy and expensive legal battle.”

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This Labour Day, CUPE Saskatchewan is inviting members who ride motorcycle to join in the first annual Labour Day Ride for Respect on September 5, 2016. The Ride for Respect is dedicated to promote respect for workers and their rights. Participating motorcycle riders will travel between Labour Day celebrations hosted by unions in Regina and Saskatoon.

Register by August 11, 2016 to receive a free t-shirt!

View the following:

• Labour Day Ride for Respect – Registration Form
• Labour Day Ride for Respect – Detailed information brochure

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REGINA: A new report from the CUPE Saskatchewan Health Care Council shows that understaffing and workload are critical issues in continuing care in this province.

“There have been many stories in the media about understaffing and the impact on residents, but this report shows the stress this is placing on workers,” said Gordon Campbell, president of the CUPE Health Care Council. “Our members care deeply about their residents and their families, but lack of frontline staff is making it hard to provide the type of care we want to.”

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