Common Front for Health Care Bargaining
SGEU, CUPE and SEIU have joined forces on a public campaign in support of bargaining for health care providers. Retention of benefits is a key campaign goal.
Health Care Providers Ratify Agreement Feb. 28/06 UPDATE!
We have successfully negotiated a collective agreement for health care providers in Saskatchewan! Health care workers in Kelsey Trail Health Region, Mamawetan Churchill River and Keewatin Yatthé Regional Health Authorities voted 93% in favour of the new agreement that covers the period from April 1, 2004 to March 31, 2008.
Members will receive a two per cent wage increase in each of four years, as well as market supplement wage increases to address recruitment and retention issues. “In this round of bargaining, we were able to achieve equity with other healthcare workers in important areas such as vacation entitlement, shift and weekend premiums, sick leave and bereavement leave, as well as guaranteed funding of the benefit plans, “ said Audrey Yaremy, SGEU Vice-President.
Yaremy credits the high ratification rate with “strong solidarity among SGEU members and a successful coalition strategy with our health provider partners, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).” “The improvements in wages and working conditions in this agreement are an example of the power of working in coalitions to achieve common goals. Healthcare providers across the province can be proud of these advancements,” added SGEU President Bob Bymoen.
The healthcare coalition of SGEU, SEIU, and CUPE represents over 25,000 Saskatchewan health care workers on the front lines providing services in acute, long term and home care as well as community and public health care services. SGEU represents special care aides, licensed practical nurses, food services workers, laundry, housekeeping and activity aides, maintenance staff, clerical personnel and medical technicians and technologists.
Backgrounder: CUPE, SEIU and SGEU represent all of the 25,000 health care workers in Saskatchewan who belong to the “Health Service Providers Group.” These health service providers work in acute care, long term care, community care and home care. They are employed in more than 250 different jobs, including special care aide and dietary aides, porters, licensed practical nurses, lab and x-ray technologists, housekeeping, clerical, laundry and maintenance. They are the largest group of health workers in Saskatchewan. CUPE represents 12,000 health care providers working in the following health regions – Regina Qu’Appelle, Sunrise, Sun Country, Prince Albert Parkland and Prairie North. SEIU bargains on behalf of 11,000 workers in four health regions – Saskatoon, Heartland, Five Hills and Cypress. SGEU bargains on behalf of 2,000 workers in Kelsey Trail Health Region. It also represents workers in two northern health regions and the Saskatchewan Cancer Foundation. Bargaining: Each union has its own collective agreement that covers the health workers in their respective regions. All three unions are currently engaged in bargaining (at separate tables) with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations. In recent months, the three unions have moved to a “common table” with SAHO to discuss the extended health benefits issue and other pressing concerns. The Unions’ Joint bargaining Mandate: The three unions have adopted a joint union bargaining mandate to achieve fair and equitable agreements for their members. The unions’ joint mandate has three key components:
• Creating and maintaining equitable treatment in the workplace Every health worker contributes to the quality of our public health care system and is part of the health care team. The 25,000 members represented by the provider unions should receive the same benefits and working conditions as every other health worker. For example, the provider unions insist there should be an extended health and enhanced dental benefits plan that’s equitable and available to all members of the health care sector, regardless of their job title or union affiliation. It’s only fair.
• Creating and maintaining a healthy workplace It’s a sad irony that the leading cause of poor health among union members in the health service providers group is the fact they work in the health care system. The health sector continues to have the highest number of lost time injuries in Saskatchewan. Of the top 40 “surcharged” employers in the province, 10 are in health care. According to the 2003 report of the provincial auditor “between 10% and 20% of health care workers [in the Regina Qu’Appelle and Saskatoon Health Regions] are injured annually in many long-term care centers, hospitals, and home care services”. Health care members represented by SGEU, SEIU and CUPE are routinely working exhausted, sick, and injured because there is too much work to do and not enough staff to do it. The health care system must work for everyone – including health care workers!
• Maintaining a public health care system The three unions are committed to protecting our public health care system. That means fighting to achieve contract language that prevents employers from privatizing or contracting-out the health services these 25,000 members provide in areas like dietary, housekeeping, laundry, and labs.
The Joint Union Media Campaign: CUPE, SEIU and SGEU are spending more than $125,000 on their advertising campaign, which begins February 28. The two television ads will appear on all three local stations in Saskatoon and Regina over the next three weeks. Three radio ads will air on 16 radio stations across the province and newspaper ads will appear in more than 25 weekly papers over the next three weeks. The unions’ four billboard designs will go up beginning February 28 in Saskatoon and most other centers. The Regina billboards will hit the streets on March 7. Nearly 20 boards have been booked in 14 centres.