SEIU-West members authorize union to ramp up action

Another labour dispute is looming in Saskatchewan.

Health-care professionals represented by SEIU-West have given their union the go-ahead to examine all options in hopes of jump-starting negotiations.

That comes on the heels of labour strife at seven Crown corporations and the ongoing lockout at the Co-op refinery.

According to a media release from SEIU-West on Friday, “an overwhelming majority” of members voted Wednesday to authorize their bargaining committee “to use any and all job actions needed to get a fair contract.”

The employees haven’t had a contract with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) for nearly three years.

“This vote result demonstrates the frustrations our members feel waiting for the government to provide direction to SAHO to bargain in good faith and improve upon the prior offer that was soundly rejected by SEIU-West members,” Barbara Cape, the president of SEIU-West, said in the release.

“Our members have sent a message to the Ministry of Health that they have been waiting far too long for a fair deal.”

Cape noted in the release that the union’s response could include a strike, but the employees can’t hit the picket lines because of essential services requirements in The Saskatchewan Employment Act.

“We have to have an Essential Services agreement in place before we can take strike action,” Cape said. “This doesn’t mean we won’t take other actions to raise awareness in our communities while Essential Services negotiations take place.”

The union said its members had reached out to MLAs, the ministers of finance, health, and remote and rural health as well as the premier to raise their concerns about the state of negotiations.