Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan
HSAS Bargaining Committee Members walk the picket line in support of striking CUPE members.
(L to R): Monica Lawrence, Stan Dimnik, Greg Deren and Natalie Horejda
dispatches
June 2001
After 18 days at the table over the last four months, the HSAS and SAHO teams have reviewed most of the Collective Agreement article by article, making several changes for improvement or clarification. Good progress has been made in putting forward several measures that would help with recruitment and retention of health care professionals. At the same time, no end is in sight, because there has been no change in the employer’s position that the settlement has to be within the government’s 3%, 3%, 3% mandate – something that is completely unacceptable to the union. Language improvements have been made in areas including discipline, leaves of absence, sick leave, vacation and hours of work. Examples include the extension of times for Maternity/Paternity/Adoption Leave and much better language for Leave for Union Business. There will be greater clarity in the new agreement around Hours of Work modifications, with, for example, provisions that will be helpful to the parties in the application of Field Hours. Issues which have been controversial and where agreement is still outstanding include Travel Allowances and guidelines for travel, some aspects of Bereavement Leave and Hours of Work provisions for EMS. Some of the areas that the union team has identified as important for recruitment and retention include Vacation and Sick Leave provisions and a number of Professional Provisions issues including the full payment of Professional/Licensing Fees and guarantees of resources for professional education and development. Employer representatives at the table have made clear their recognition of recruitment and retention problemsand have acknowledged the value of our proposals.
(L to R): Natalie Horejda and Kevin Glass
Throughout the last few months, the HSAS bargaining team has maintained that there must be a modification in the position that the entire contract would have to stay within the government’s mandate of three threes. With wages for almost all of our professional groups falling way behind comparable wages in the private sector and neighbouring
Inside This Issue: Job Evaluation Project Update on the Extended Health Care Plan Policy on Strike Action Retirements Update on Discussions with SAHO Meet the Health Support Practitioners
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Letter to the Editor HSAS Supports Education Executive Council HSAS Committees Labour Relations Officers Change of Information Form
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