SASKATOON — The Saskatchewan NDP has called on the government to finally reach an agreement on collective bargaining with thousands of frontline workers who have not received pay increases.
Health care workers represented by CUPE 5430, SEIU-West and SGEU have not received a general wage increase since April 1, 2022. Their collective agreements expired more than three years ago.
Shadow Labour Minister Nathaniel Teed, on July 28, joined Saskatchewan NDP Leader Carla Beck and Shadow Health Minister Meara Conway in urging Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill to help bring years-long health care contract negotiations to a conclusion and ensure frontline workers finally receive a fair deal.
The call comes in the wake of warnings last week that 14,000 health care workers in Regina, Yorkton, Prince Albert, Battlefords and Weyburn will hold a strike vote in September. Cockrill acknowledged that negotiations with the health care union have taken too long, but it is important to reach an agreement that would benefit both the workers and patients.
The Opposition said that prolonged negotiations undermine the provincial government’s efforts to retain and recruit health care workers in Saskatchewan, who have been overworked and experiencing burnout that started during the COVID-19 pandemic. They want health care workers to receive a fair agreement.
Teed said the lack of progress at the bargaining table is damaging Saskatchewan's ability to compete with other provinces for health care professionals, arguing that recruitment begins with treating the existing workforce fairly.
"First and foremost, we would get a deal signed. Get those wages up to a competitive level, and I think it would be the first signal for folks who want to move and start a new life here in Saskatchewan,” said Teed, the Saskatoon Meewasin MLA.
He noted that health care workers have gone nearly four years without a new agreement while continuing to deal with staffing shortages, burnout and growing workloads. Teed said those employees carried the health care system through the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to provide care despite increasingly difficult working conditions.
According to Teed, Saskatchewan cannot expect to attract new doctors, nurses and support staff if it struggles to retain those already working in the province. He said health care professionals regularly compare wages, working conditions and support systems across jurisdictions before deciding where to practise.
"I think they're going to look at a province that has not seen pay increases for their health care workers in four years. Other jurisdictions are putting in competitive salaries, competitive benefits and working conditions that healthcare workers are looking for,” said Teed.
Cockrill said that reaching an agreement remains a priority for the government. However, he declined to discuss bargaining details publicly and emphasized that negotiations must produce agreements that benefit workers, patients and taxpayers.
"The reality is to go this long without a contract. We need to get to an agreement. We need to stay focused at the bargaining table,” said Cockrill, who represents The Battlefords riding.
Cockrill said maintaining constructive relationships with labour unions is important, even when negotiations become difficult, and expressed confidence that agreements can ultimately be reached through continued discussions between the Saskatchewan Health Authority and union representatives.
He also pointed to employee mobility and seniority recognition as one issue under discussion, saying the government wants health care workers who transfer between communities within Saskatchewan to retain their accumulated seniority rather than start over. Cockrill said improving mobility could support recruitment and help address staffing needs in both urban and rural communities.
Cockrill and Teed agree that resolving the dispute is important for the stability of the province’s health care system. However, they differ on how quickly progress should occur and what measures are needed to strengthen recruitment and retention as health care workers prepare for a possible strike vote in September.
