SEIU-West growing frustrated with lack of contract, poor staffing levels

With the need for healthcare workers at highs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, one union is saying frustrations over staffing and labour negotiations are reaching a boiling point.

Healthcare-sector members from the Service Employees’ International Union West (SEIU-West), who have been working without a contract since April 1, 2017, were outside the Legislative Building on Tuesday.

Union president Barbara Cape said she feels the government is trying to get away with being cheap when it comes to frontline healthcare workers. She points out many other provinces have brought in decrees to give workers raises during the pandemic.

“These were not negotiated increases to address recognition pay. This government is trying to get off cheap and this province is not on the same page as this government,” Cape said. “I think (this government) is just laying back and trying to test our mettle. I get emails every single day – hundreds of them from frontline healthcare workers, lab techs, sterile process workers, LPN’s and schedulers – asking me when are we going on strike and this government needs to understand that the wave is going to rush over them and that is job action in the healthcare sector.”

Due to the Saskatchewan Employment Act and Essential Services Act, SEIU-West would need to go through multiple steps before they could go on a strike unlike other companies or workers deemed non-essential.

“The pandemic brought to light to the public just how hard these folks work and how we were the frontlines to protect folks and flatten the curve during this pandemic,” Cape said. “Staffing levels are at critical levels in the facilities and we’re running to do care. Our skills and our ability to provide the care that we can are absolutely put into question.”

Last month, the province released a report into long-term care homes and noted there are concerns about aging infrastructure and staff turnover.

Cape said employees at the toured facilities weren’t even talked to.

“I believe that it’s important that they talk to families and to residents but all of these issues were brought to light because we don’t have enough staff to give people baths for god sakes.”

The Government of Saskatchewan announced Tuesday it will be putting $80-million into long-term care facilities — $73-million will go to new long-term care facilities in Grenfell and La Ronge, more than $7.2 million will be invested in 2020-21 for 82 priority renewal projects in 51 long-term care facilities across the province.

Cape noted none of this money will be going to workers in the facilities.

“Frontline healthcare providers are the ones who do the hands on care but they are also the folks who feed (the residents) and clean (the facilities).”

Colleen Denniss, a continuing care aide for long-term care in Rosetown, said she wants to see safe staffing guidelines at facilities across the province. She said at her facility there are two people for 11 residents.

“Our clients deserve to have the proper care and the day-to-day activities they deserve while in there,” Denniss said. “(The residents) don’t get baths, there’s not that one-on-one time.”

In the provincial budget, Finance Minister Donna Harpauer admitted there could be zeroes on the table when it comes to contract negotiations between the union and the government due to the large deficit due to COVID-19.

“If there’s zero for frontline healthcare workers, there better be damn well zeroes for politicians,” Cape said. “That’s not bargaining in good faith and the people of Saskatchewan don’t support that. They support frontline healthcare workers who ran into the fire when SAHO walked away from the table so I think the Minister of Finance better check herself.”

SEIU-West represents more than 13,000 people across Saskatchewan in education, healthcare, municipalities, community-based organizations, retirement homes and other sectors.