News

We have been actively monitoring the growing issue around COVID-19 and how it affects not only health care members but members in all the sectors that we represent. We have been considering the best advice from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan which changes as this outbreak evolves. 

We have begun daily conversations, with follow up, with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) and all health care unions to ensure that we are responding to this outbreak with solid evidence and calm advice.

If you are sick – do not go to work… it is really that simple; contact your employer to advise of your illness. Practice increased safety in social contacts: cough/sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve; don’t touch your face; wash your hands frequently for 20 seconds; no handshakes or hugs; if you feel ill with COVID-19 symptoms, call 811 for advice.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be at the highest standards. We believe that should be the N95 masks and adopting the precautionary principle in order to both address and contain this outbreak and adequately protect those responsible for assessing COVID-19 in our communities.

Regina: The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is sending layoff notices to CUPE members working at Regina Pioneer Village (RPV) and moving residents to private, personal care homes.

RPV has been plagued by mould and asbestos issues for years and has had to close beds twice before due to remediation efforts.  Now residents are being moved into two private care homes in the Regina area.

“These layoffs are a direct result of the Sask Party government’s failure to address the crumbling infrastructure in our health care sector,” said Sandra Seitz, president of CUPE Local 5430.  “Now patients are being moved into private, for profit care homes.  We should all be concerned about the loss of jobs, the costs for residents and the quality of care.”

(Regina) A new report sponsored by CUPE Local 5430 shines a light on the Sask Party’s failure to properly plan for, or invest in, Saskatchewan’s long-term care system.

The report, entitled Crumbling Away: Saskatchewan’s Long-Term Residential Care Policy and Its Consequences was written by Dr. Susan Braedley, Tara McWhinney, Asia Barclay and Kiersten Jensen of Carleton University.

“Our analysis shows that over the last decade, despite demographic trends that predict needs for more capacity, Saskatchewan long-term care policies have both reduced the number of beds available and eroded service provision by removing staffing requirements that allow for dedicated care hours per resident,” said Dr Susan Braedley, an associate professor at Carleton University. “Failures to plan for and dedicate sufficient funding to replacing, renovating, repairing and maintaining the physical infrastructure of publicly owned and operated Special Care Homes, have left the sector in disrepair, and literally crumbling away.”

On August 12, 2019 the local received a phone call from a reporter asking for an opinion on a Request for Proposal (RFP) that had been issued by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

The SHA was seeking a proposal from vendors to provide a ‘hotline’ service that could be used for anonymously reporting to the organization when employees and others are suspected of violating SHA policies, codes of conduct, or legal requirements. The SHA had not communicated anything to the local about the RFP for the Whistleblower Hotline Service.

(Regina) A newly proposed Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) whistleblower hotline is being met with scepticism and criticism from Saskatchewan’s largest health care union.

“A whistleblower hotline is an unnecessary, wasteful use of tax dollars that duplicates existing complaint processes,” said Sandra Seitz, president of CUPE Local 5430.  “Health dollars would be better invested in front-line services, like adequate staffing levels, new infrastructure, and equipment.”