Healthcare Workers Demand Fair Wages Outside Prince Albert Office

UPDATE: Healthcare workers are rallying RIGHT NOW outside the office of Prince Albert Northcote MLA Alana Ross, demanding fair wages and respect amid a deepening crisis in Saskatchewan’s healthcare system. The demonstration, organized by CUPE 5430 with support from SEIU-West and SGEU, began at approximately 2:00 PM on October 26, 2023, and has drawn dozens of union members and community supporters.

Workers are voicing their frustration as staffing shortages and low morale plague the province’s health sector. Signs held by protesters read “Essential Not Expendable” and “I’m Paid $3.55/hr To Look After Your Mom, So I Work Two Jobs,” as honking vehicles showed solidarity.

“We’ve been bargaining for over two and a half years, and healthcare workers haven’t received a single raise in three years,” stated Bashir Jalloh, president of CUPE 5430. “The cost of living has surged by more than 30 percent, while our wages have only increased by 14 percent. That’s simply unacceptable.”

The rally underscores a critical situation: rural healthcare facilities are routinely on bypass, and staff burnout has reached alarming levels. Jalloh emphasized the urgent need for MLAs to engage with the Premier and Health Minister, declaring, “We will not bargain backward, only forward.”

At the forefront of the crisis, Lisa Zunti, president of SEIU-West, highlighted the government’s failure to invest in staff retention, leading to severe delays in patient care. “At Royal University Hospital, only three of seven MRI staff are working,” she revealed, noting that patients are waiting months, even years, for essential tests. “You can’t recruit and retain people without fair wages.”

Compounding the issue, the province’s troubled AIMS scheduling system has resulted in vacant shifts remaining unfilled. Zunti stated, “This shouldn’t be happening. We’re asking for an investment in the people who provide care. Our conditions of work are the conditions of care for the people of Saskatchewan.”

The dire circumstances were echoed by Tanya Schmidt, health providers bargaining chair from the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union, who noted that workers have not seen a wage increase since April 1, 2022. “Every day we show up, but too often our wages fall while the cost of living rises,” Schmidt said. “We’re not asking for anything unreasonable, just dignity, respect, and fair compensation for the work we do.”

Among the attendees was Ashlea Tyacke, a community care assistant from Kinistino with over 21 years of experience. She described the devastating impact of the wage freeze, revealing, “There are days where there’s only two CCAs on for 30 people. Some clients go without a bath for up to four weeks.” Tyacke added that many single-parent colleagues have been forced to rely on food banks as essential costs continue to rise.

Opposition NDP MLA Nathaniel Teed, who joined the rally, characterized the situation as a province-wide emergency. “In every direction you look, healthcare in Saskatchewan is in crisis,” Teed asserted. “Workers haven’t seen a raise in three years. It’s no wonder we’re witnessing an exodus of healthcare staff to other provinces. These are the people who take care of our parents and us in emergencies; they deserve a deal now.”

Union leaders are calling for the government to return to the bargaining table with a fair offer, emphasizing that to stabilize the system, respect for healthcare workers is crucial. “If the province wants to stabilize the system,” Zunti stated firmly, “it has to start by respecting the people who keep it running.”

Despite repeated requests for comment from Alana Ross through the provincial government’s media office, no response was received by press time. As the rally continues, the urgent call for fair wages and better working conditions remains at the forefront of this critical issue for Saskatchewan’s healthcare system.