May 16 1997
Dispatches
HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION SASKATCHEWAN
HBAS:
A GA77-IERING
PLACE
FDR
HEALTH
CARE
PRDFEBSIDNALS
We could lose everything. ~th 550 members (compared to 16, 500 in SGEU) the upcoming Practitioner vote is, for HSAS, a crisis of continued existence . But crisis means both danger and opportunity. We know the danger. We also know that before us is an opportunity to truly enhance and fulfill our identity as a union of professionals . We cannot say in advance what the character of our union will be after the vote. What we can say is that HSAS will provide a gathering place where professionals in Health Care can meaningfully participate in a conversation about their own future.
TH£
.~.,..
UPCDMING
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE IN THE PRACTITIONER UNIT? We estimate that there are approximately 1600 to 1700 "practitioners" in the SaskatchewanHealth Districts. HSAS and SGEU each representover 500 practitioners and the remaining600 or more practitioners are members of CUPE, SEIU, SUN, or currentlynon-union. WHOWILL VOTE? This is a province-widevote which includesall currently union and non-union Practitioners (seeTable"C' page2),employedin any Health District as of January 17, 1997(when the Regulationscameintoeffect)andwho continue to be employedon the date of the vote. This includes full-time, part-time, casuals and employ~ on leave. ..,. ..WHOIS ON 1HEBALLOT? The Dorsey Regulations apply the Trade UnionAct formula:a unionwith 50% + 1 of the membersis automaticallycertified,unlessany n -
WHAT
. PRACT/TIDN£R other unionhas 25% or more, in which case a vote is held. Becauseboth HSAS AND SGEU have25% or morethey will be on the ballot.(It is not expectedthat any otherunion will be on the ballot.) WHATAM I VOTINGFOR? You are votingto determinewhich Unionwill represent your interests in bargaining, grievances,etc.for the PractitionerUnit. WHENWILL THEVOTETAKE PLACE? The targeted date set by the Labour RelationsBoardis theweek of June 16. The exact date of the vote will be set once the manageriaVconfidential exclusionsfrom the unit are determined, and all eligible practitionersare identified in each Health District. HOW WILL 1HE VOTEBE CONDUCTED? Due to the complexity of conducting a province-widevote the LRB has decided to
HAPP~NS
11·1NTJl,U'lf!M10(XJRWJUlB\'f aNJINl1'
If HSAS wins the vote, all practitionerswill be represented by HSAS. I lom!ver, every tution memberwill keeptheirfonnercollectiveagreement lllltil HSAS negotiates a provincial mast.er agreementto replacethe SGEU,CUPE,SEJUand SUNagreements.Untilthen,I-ISASwilladminister the other tuti<>11 agreementsincludingdealingwith outstandinggrievances . Wll4TAl10UTFORAIERLJ' !VONVNJON Pll4CIT110NE1lS! llie terms and conditi<>11S of employmentof nontulion practitionerswill continue tuitil I lSAS
THE Close to 300 fonner I lSAS echnologists, involuntarily transferred into EIU in Saskatoon Health Districts on · arch 14, J997, may be in the same as fonnerly non-union ~ tuation eclmologists province-wide, who were placed into the provider unit in each Health District. 111ey were "non-members" at the ~itue of their automatic certifications and
UNIT
VDTE
I
AFTER
conductthe vote by 'mail-in• ballots . This will allow the best opportunity, given work schedulesand distancesfrom district centres, for all eligiblePractitionersto vote. WHENWILL THE VOTERSLJSTSBE AVAILABLE? Votets lists must be posted In eve,y Health District for all practitioners to review by the end of May, In order for the vote to occur in mid-June. WHATABOUTPRACTITIONERS IN AFFILJATES? All currentlyunion practitionersin the affiliates are eligible to vote. However,currently nonunion practitionersin affiliates will not be eligibleto vote unlessthe majority of the nonunionpractitionersin the affiliate"chooseto be represented by a traden union" . under the RegulationsgjQ[ to the vote.
THE
VDTE?
Jk..>gotia~ an agrreinent to bring th~ seniority. 1u1ion pmctitioners intotheHSASagreement. (2) In Alli)iates:Seniorityof tulionemployeesis IJ'1l4TAIJOUf'HEITffi.11IAN' J>JlOJ'1SJONS'! guanu1t.ed on Uiesameoosis.Ilom!ver,the Doraey llie policyofHSASis to negotiatew1y1Jelter-than' Regulatia1Sme sila1t Oil tlie issue of serviceas of practitionerswho come seniorityfor non-tuu<>11 ten11S ruxl conditi0l1S inctitionernof Affiliates.If fromother lUUOllS or who currentlyhave ot1t-ot: tlie majorityof each affiliategroup of 1\011-1.ution scopebenefits. practitioners 'opt-in'rutdarethusplacoo<>11 the voters WJU ~~ERJ,1CE' AND 'SENIORin ' JJE )isl,it will be necessaryto negotiate"service"being RECOGNIZED? cralit.ooa~ "settiority". The HSAS positionis that ( I) ht Health Districts:llie DorseyRegulations on the basis of faimess and equity, we will rc..11lire Uu,tthe 'settiorityof all fonnerlyrn1ion tl..-cognize "service" 11s"seniority" on the same practitioners ru1d tlie 'servire' of non-1u1ion basisfor thesegmups of practitioners. as employeeswillbecreditedon Ute"sanie~Lc,is"
TECHNCLCl31STS
1
CORNER
many feel they have the right to refuse to sign SEIU 'membership cards'. SEIU may not have the right to penalize fonner I ISAS Technologists as long as the latter continue lo pay union dues to SEIU. ·nus individualrul.dconumuw act of 'resistance' could, however, have other aumot be di~iplined implicati011S. NotHnembers by a tu1ionfor failingto respecta lawlill~1ri ke;
hut, 11011-members au1l~ barredfrompirticipatuig: in tu1ionactivities,holdingtu1ionollice or voting <>11 ratification of a collectiveau-gainingagreement. 1l1eLahourReJati<>11S Boardwould calloo 1qn1 to detcmune mtetlier Ute HSAS tec)u10logists are required,as a matter of law, under tlie Trade Union Act to sign SEILJ ..., ~nembership ~ a-, a 'condition of employment'.
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