Tri-Union Community Based Organizations (CBO) Campaign (We're Worth More!)
SGEU has been working in coalition with CUPE and SEIU on behalf of community services members, who work in group homes, child care centres, crisis centres and a range of other agencies.
These workers provide services to some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. While the work done by CBO employees is essential, it has been undervalued and underpaid.
In addition to the CBO Declaration campaign that urges the government to increase funding for wages and facility improvement for CBO workers, the three unions have built a common table bargaining process. A Common Bargaining Package was developed, as well as a strategy for bargaining units to follow for common bargaining.
Giving more, worth more
The goal of the "Giving more. Worth more" campaign is to:
- Show the importance of the human connection between the people who work in community agencies and the people they care for; and,
- Highlight the low wages paid to community support workers. These poverty level wages make it difficult to retain staff, because people simply cannot support themselves and their families on these low wages. High staff turnover has a negative impact on clients, since they lose caregivers who have built relationships with them.
To undervalue and underpay community support workers is simply another way of undervaluing some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
TV campaign produced about our members
SGEU, CUPE and SEIU have launched a television campaignto raise awareness about the important work of these members and why our members are worth more. Click Here to view the Wages TV ad.
Declaration for CBOs
“We’re Still Worth More And So Are The People We Serve”
Community-Based Organizations provide care, advocacy and support for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. We know theseorganizations are underfunded. We recognize staff are underpaid. And webelieve the people who depend on these services are undervalued.
Through this CBO Declaration, we call on the Saskatchewan Government to support the following Action Plan:
1. Implement a four-year funding strategy to address salary, training
and operating cost issues in Community-Based Organizations
2. Develop and fund a comprehensive salary and benefit plan to allow
CBO workers to achieve and maintain parity with other public sector
workers.
3. Develop service delivery and facility maintenance standards for
Boards and Agencies to ensure quality client services and clear
standards of care.
Print off the PDF version of the declaration and encourage others to sign it and include their personal comments to the Premiere.
Campaign on Facebook
If you are a community services worker or wish to support CBOs, join our
We're Worth More Facebook page.
