Response to Freedom of Information request shows Saskatchewan people left in the dark about costly P3 school plans

Despite providing assurances that the process surrounding its push to privatize the building of new schools through public-private partnerships (P3s) would be transparent, the response to an Access to Information Request demonstrates the Provincial Government is going to great lengths to shroud its P3 plans in secrecy.

“While quick to repeat the sales pitch, the government is slow to release any details about their costly P3 privatization plans and appear to go out of their way to keep information from the public,” says Tom Graham, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) – Saskatchewan.  “Released documents are heavily redacted and the secrecy even extends to the full details about already publicly known information which the government has also chosen to black out.  It leaves one to wonder why the government is going to such great lengths to keep information from the public.”
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Award recipient Anita Labossiere with Tom Graham, President of CUPE Saskatchewan Division

Anita Labossiere, President of CUPE Local 3736, was presented with the Saskatchewan Activist Award on March 6, 2014 in recognition of her courage and resolve advocating for fellow members in the face of the devastating news that the North Sask Laundry facility in Prince Albert will permanently close due to the Provincial Government’s controversial decision to privatize health care laundry in Saskatchewan.  Over 400 workers across the province, including members of CUPE Local 3736, face job loss as a direct result of health care laundry privatization.

“I took a vow to stand up for each and every one of my members,” said Labossiere who received the award to a standing ovation and cheers.
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Award recipient Matt Baraniecki with Tom Graham, President of CUPE Saskatchewan Division

Matthew (Matt) Baraniecki, member of CUPE Local 59 (City of Saskatoon), was recognized with the Saskatchewan Activist Award on March 6, 2014 during the CUPE Saskatchewan Annual Convention.

Baraniecki has been a member of CUPE Local 59 for 40 years, and has been an active executive member for 30 of those years serving in many roles such as Steward, Secretary Treasurer, Area Vice President, and President of Local 59.

“One of the greatest tests as a union member and as a treasurer for your local is during a strike and making sure your members have the resources to stand for what’s right,” said Baraniecki recalling the strike of 1994 when CUPE 59 members stood firm against a wage freeze.  Baraniecki also noted the struggle to achieve joint job evaluation to ensure members are fairly compensated for the work they do.
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REGINA – Today marks the end to stable health care funding with the expiry of Canada’s Health Accord which will lead to cuts of $1.1 billion to Saskatchewan’s share of Federal Government funding over ten years beginning in 2017.

“The end of Canada’s Health Accord marks the beginning of federal health care funding cuts to the province of Saskatchewan of $1.1 billion after the next Federal election,” says Tom Graham, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Saskatchewan. “The Federal Conservative Government is planning to take $1.1 billion away from Saskatchewan’s health care system – the equivalent to 3,349 hospital beds or over 73,000 joint replacement surgeries – and, in doing so, is making a political decision to undermine our public health care system and put it at risk of further privatization.”
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REGINA –  Representatives of Saskatchewan health care providers will be holding a press conference to call on the Premier to urge renegotiation of Canada’s Health Accord which expires March 31, 2014 – marking the end to stable funding from the Federal Government and looming cuts of $1.1 billion to Saskatchewan’s share of federal health care funding over ten years beginning in 2017.
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Tom Graham, President, CUPE Saskatchewan Division

The 2014 – 2015 provincial budget released on March 19, 2014 fails to put a price tag on the government’s costly public-private partnership (P3) privatization for new schools and does little to address the growing problem of a rising cost of living, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees – Saskatchewan.

“It’s difficult to have confidence in a budget that leaves out the price Saskatchewan people will have to pay for costly P3 privatization and the bill for the extra corporate profits that come with P3 schemes,” says Tom Graham, President of CUPE Saskatchewan.  Graham notes the 2014-2015 budget only lists $3.3 million for the costs related to the design of nine new joint-use schools using P3s and actually makes a cut to overall school capital and maintenance funding.
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Apply to sit on a CUPE Saskatchewan Standing Committee.

Are you interested in serving on a CUPE Saskatchewan Standing Committee?  Further your union involvement and activism – apply today!  Deadline for applications: Friday, March 28, 2014.

Applications are being accepted to fill vacancies in the following: Committee Against Racism & Discrimination (2 positions); Contracting Out & Privatization Committee (1 position); Environment Committee (1 position); Global Justice Committee (2 positions); Occupational Health & Safety Committee (1 position); Women’s Committee (1 position); and Young Workers’ Committee (1 position).

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This three-day conference brings together CUPE municipal sector locals across Western Canada.

Registration is now open for the annual CUPE Western Canadian Municipal Workers’ Conference to be held June 19 – 21, 2014 at the Radisson Hotel in Saskatoon. The conference brings together delegates from CUPE municipal locals across Western Canada to discuss issues impacting municipal sector CUPE members and the public services they provide to communities. Deadline for registrations: June 6, 2014.

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Tom Graham, President, CUPE Saskatchewan Division

With the provincial budget set to be released later this week, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is calling on the Government of Saskatchewan to scrap costly public-private partnership (P3) privatization schemes and make priority investments in public services including education, child care and long-term care.

“P3 privatization has been proven across Canada to drive up infrastructure costs and Saskatchewan people will be left on the hook to pay for these higher costs and corporate profits that come with P3s,” says Tom Graham, President of CUPE – Saskatchewan.  “If the government is claiming revenues are tight, the most cost-effective decision they could make is to abandon their plan to use P3 privatization and, instead, use traditional public financing to build new schools and other infrastructure.”
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Over 200 delegates attended the 49th Annual Convention of CUPE Saskatchewan Division held March 5 – 7, 2014 in Saskatoon.

CUPE Saskatchewan welcomed over 200 delegates to its 49th Annual Convention held from March 5 – 7, 2014 in Saskatoon.

Convention delegates debated and passed 54 resolutions setting the priorities for the year ahead, received reports on the vital work being done by our union, and engaged in important policy discussions on the issues facing CUPE members in Saskatchewan and the public services we provide to communities across the province. Among the resolutions discussed, delegates embraced the critical task of talking to each and every CUPE member about the value of union membership through the Connecting CUPE initiative offered by CUPE Saskatchewan Division and the Unite for Fairness project launched by CUPE National.

• Click here to view Convention 2014 pictures

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