SUN, SEIU-West ratify new contracts with SAHO

For the first time since the Saskatchewan Health Authority was formed in December of 2017, it has collective bargaining agreements in place with the unions that represent all of its employees.

In a media release Thursday, the Saskatchewan government announced the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and Service Employees’ International Union West (SEIU-West) had ratified agreements with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO).

The agreements initially were reached in November, but needed to be ratified.

The SEIU-West collective agreement covers five years, from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2022. According to the government, employees won’t receive a salary increase for the first two years but then will get annual raises of one, two and two per cent. There’s an option for a sixth year with a two per cent salary increase.

The SUN deal runs from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2024. It includes a financial settlement of zero per cent in each of the first two years, followed by increases of one, two, two and two per cent.

“I am very pleased to see a successful conclusion to the collective bargaining with our important health unions,” Health Minister Paul Merriman said in the release. “I want to thank everyone for their collaborative efforts to reach these milestones and to continue to provide valued health services to the residents of our province.”

SUN represents more than 10,000 registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and nurse practitioners. SEIU-West represents 11,500 health-care workers in a variety of fields.