Representatives from the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN), the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) both agreed to an extended set of dates and met February 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, March 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and March 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th, to continue discussions.

These additional dates involved some unexpected challenges, such as the sudden absence of SAHO’s lead negotiator due to circumstances beyond his control. However, SUN’s Negotiations Committee was highly committed to moving forward on solution-oriented discussions and both parties made dedicated efforts to work through a number of complex and high impact issues for SUN members.

During these sessions, the parties have engaged in detailed conversations on a number of key articles. These articles are outlined below along with the topics being covered within each article.

 

Article 26 – Multi- Site work

  • Regular multi-site work

  • Community positions and geographic work areas

  • Virtual work

  • Mutual agreement language that currently exists in our Collective Agreement has been flagged as problematic for the Employer. The Union does not share this opinion.

Article 27

  • Posting of positions – Process and timelines

  • Information on postings and Letters of appointment.

  • Information to be provided to the Locals and the Union.

  • Permanent vs Temporary postings.

  • How positions are to be filled.

Article 37

  • Casual work

  • Regular relief positions.

  • Seasonal relief positions.

  • Nursing resource teams.  

Article 45

  • Floating within a work location.

  • Floating outside of an employee’s work location.

  • Ensuring employees are given proper orientation.

  • Ensuring that floating is done in a fair and equitable manner.

LOU #10

  • Return for service agreements

  • Union involvement prior to an employee signing

  • Parameters to be set in the event repayment is required

  • Return for service agreement templates to be agreed to by the parties for consistency purposes.

 

These discussions focused on strengthening language that supports professional practice, workload stability, and member choice.

SUN’s Committee strongly emphasized the importance of mutual agreement as a foundation for ensuring members have meaningful input into their working conditions and their ability to safely carry out their professional practice.

Another core focus emerged around ensuring the contract language prevents unfettered movement of members across the province. SUN stressed the need for precise language to protect stability, prevent unreasonable reassignment, and ensure safe and timely access to care. While working through this language has taken some time, it is crucial for both parties to get it right for the benefit of both registered nurses and patients across the province.

Conversations also included continued efforts to fine tune float language. This involved a significant amount of time spent on relief and options for relief, as well as thinking through a number of creative approaches to ensure registered nurses have manageable workloads and can achieve some semblance of work life balance, while also providing high quality, accessible care to patients.

In line with this theme, discussions began on the concept of a nursing resource team. This approach has had some success in other provinces and is designed to help navigate shortages in certain areas while the employer continues to work on retention and recruitment strategies. The nursing resource team concept also serves to assist the employer’s interest in moving away from the excessive use of contract nurses. It also serves to protect registered nurses across the province from demands of working unreasonable and unsafe hours, allows members to have some balance, and helps to avoid the constant denial of vacation and many other leave requests that members should have timely access to.

Over this last set of dates, SUN’s Negotiations Committee was pleased with both the approach taken by the parties, and the amount of progress made on several important items. Through dedicated and persistent conversations, important areas of alignment were found and the parties are getting close to agreement on a number of key, interconnected articles. Getting to a place where these articles are agreed upon will result in a big push forward in the collective bargaining process.

The parties look forward to productive discussions and significant progress when meetings resume on March 31st.

 

Negotiations Updates are regular communications meant to keep SUN members informed of the bargaining committee’s activities and the status of SUN’s bargaining efforts.