By Cheyenne Geysen

of the Mercury

 

The 25,000 health care providers in the province have been without new collective agreements for almost two years — something that doesn't seem to be on the verge of changing any time soon.

Those without collective agreements include special care aides, licensed practical nurses, food services workers, laundry, housekeeping and activity personnel, maintenance, administrative, clerical, emergency medical personnel, therapeutic and diagnostic technologists, and recreational workers.

The health care providers are represented by three unions; the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU West), and the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU).

The Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) and the three unions have been working with a concilitator to facilitate a collective agreement. On January 21, the unions presented a new offer of settlement to concilatator Doug Forseth.

SAHO tabeled its final offer to the group of unions on January 27.

"We have concluded that the parties are too far apart with no prospect of settlement," said Susan Antosh, president and CEO of SAHO. "It is in the best interests of everyone to conclude an agreement without further delay, particularly for the employees who have been without a contract for almost two years. We have therefore presented a final offer package and ask that the unions take it to their members for consideration."

SAHO's final offer is a four year contract, including general wages increases of four per cent, two per cent, 1.5 per cent and two per cent, which they say maintains market competitive wages relative to Western Canadian provinces. Also included in the offer are provisions for retroactive pay and market adjusted rates for specific classifications to address recruitment and retention concerns.

Each employee will recieve a one-time retroactive payment of about 10 per cent of their wages for the period of April 1, 2008 to the present. For full time employees, this is approximately $2,500 to $10,000.

Representatives of the three health care provider unions were bitterly disappointed with the offer, saying it showed a tremendous disrespect for health care providers.

"Can you imagine them treating teachers or registered nurses this way?" asked Gordon Campbell, president of the Health Care Council. "It was a charade. The Saskatchewan government and SAHO only came to those talks to make an appearance. They had no interest in resolving the outstanding issues to recieve a settlement."

Bonnie Erikson, negotiating committee chair of SGEU, blames the government's essential services legislation for SAHO's actions.

"The legislation has given all the power to the employers so they have little interest in addressing our workplace concerns," she said.

All three unions have strong strike mandates. They plan to hold membership meetings in the coming weeks to discuss ways to achieve fair contract settlements.

"SAHO has been committed to achieving a collective agreement that will work for everyone — putting patients first, addressing recruitment and retention concerns and capitalizing on opportunities for more effective and efficient operations. We believe the final offer achieves these goals," stated Antosh.