According to CUPE, from March 2013 to March 2023, Saskatchewan's consumer price index rose by 27 per cent, nearly double the 14 per cent compound increase experienced by workers over the same period. . (Daniel Leach/980 CJME)
Public health workers are struggling to make a living, according to a report from the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Unions are therefore demanding higher wages and better working conditions.
On Wednesday, the public sector union released a study titled “From Paycheck to Paycheck” detailing the struggles of Saskatchewan health-care workers trying to cope with rising costs of living.
CUPE 5430 represents more than 13,000 members who work in the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).
According to the report, from March 2013 to March 2023, Saskatchewan's consumer price index increased by 27 per cent, which is nearly double the compound increase (14 per cent) that CUPE workers received over the same period. Equivalent to twice as much.
“We are struggling as health care workers. The general public is struggling…” CUPE 5430 president Bashir Jallow told reporters.
“If we get better raises, we can expect a ripple effect. If we are successful at the bargaining table, that can be transmitted to others who are currently negotiating for the public.”
The survey was launched online in November and 1,985 CUPE members responded. 74% worked full time, 20% worked part time, 15% worked casually, and 3% worked casually.
Some of the findings include:
- 86% of respondents said they cut their grocery budget to make ends meet
- 84% have reduced their leisure activities and hobbies
- 77% say they have postponed a major purchase
- 73% said they had canceled or scaled back their vacation plans.
- 70% said their household was either poor (54%) or very poor (16%)
The report also said 55% of respondents were unable to manage unexpected expenses.
CUPE argued that significant wage increases would also help the state with recruitment and retention.
“The government would like us to believe that the root cause of the difficulties we are facing today is the impact of coronavirus, but that is not true,” Jarrow said.
“The staffing issues we have now were ones we had long before COVID-19. And what did COVID-19 bring? worsened.”
Jarrow said short-term measures the government has put in place, such as sending people to Alberta for care, aren't enough.
“They have a list of criteria. They think it's actually a two-tier system. For example, if you have high blood pressure, diabetes and need knee surgery, that won't prevent you from traveling to Alberta. “Sho,” Jarreau said.
“How is that going to be good for the people of this state? We can't have a two-tier health care system.”
Jarrow called the state's approach to health care “reactive” and said the status quo is impossible to maintain.
The collective agreement between CUPE and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO), which represented the SHA during negotiations, expired on March 31, 2023. The negotiation process for a new agreement began in September last year.
980 CJME reached out to SAHO for comment, but received no response by the time of publication.
