Representatives from the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN), the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) met on October 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and October 14th, 15th and 16th to continue discussions.
This involved a concerted effort to develop a workable approach to the last few outstanding items that meets the needs as identified by all parties. While significant progress has been made throughout the course of negotiations, the few remaining issues are crucial in ensuring Saskatchewan can retain and recruit registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses, and nurse practitioners to ensure high quality, accessible patient care, and in particular, at a time when neighbouring provinces are often drawing from a similar pool of nursing resources.
Through these meetings, incremental steps forward occurred with both parties making some movements to come closer together on language related to recognition of education, mentorship, preceptorship, and standby with agreement reached on Article 6.15 Orientation, Article 9 Charge Pay, Article 15 Vacation Entitlement, an LOU on representative workforce in relation to Article 5, and LOU 10 Return for Service language. Efforts continued to be made and agreement is very close on next steps for the concept of a Nursing Resource Team (NRT) as a solution to gaps and challenges within the province’s health system, as well as an opportunity for registered nurses interested in learning new roles.
Other discussions included the issue of contracting in, with the Committee taking a strong position that contracting or subcontracting within the SHA cannot displace SUN members. SAHO returned with the position that SUN would have to move on articles 26, 37 and 45 before they will go any further into monetary upgrades to their original proposals. However, in the conversation on Article 26, the issue of mutual agreement remained a substantial point of difficulty for the Committee. Given the risks to nurses and patients that come with the possibility of a high degree of mobility and the lack of appropriate safeguards put in place, SUN’s Negotiations Committee remains clear that SAHO’s continued insistence that SUN give up existing mutual agreement language will not gain traction without safeguards or improvements.
Another related challenge is SAHO’s approach on Article 45 regarding Float language, which does include a broader ability to float members given their definition and use of the term Agency. Unfortunately, SUN members are already identifying instances where they are being moved or required to cover larger areas, which raises questions regarding whether a lack of limitations in the language would in fact have no impact, or whether it could actually be used far beyond the stated intent.
Of continued concern is also SAHO’s response to SUN’s proposal concept of creating a Committee to begin discussions on a provincial approach to Nurse-to-Patient Ratios, which are clearly unique and distinct from the work that occurs through the Nursing Advisory Committee or Independent Assessment Committee. While this is certainly an important process, it takes place only when initiated by SUN members and is most frequently specific to a single unit. It is often the case that this process is drawn out or met with objections from the employer. This is not a staffing solution for patient care across the entire system and is particularly disheartening as Saskatchewan continues to fall behind a number of other provinces across Canada. Ratios have also been shown to be a highly effective tool to recruit and retain registered nurses, and improve patient outcomes. SUN’s Committee was disappointed that SAHO still seems to have no interest in even beginning a conversation on the concept of some form of safe nurse-to-patient ratios.
While the above topics remain part of the overall discussions, the parties have also been exchanging monetary proposals over the last two sessions. The parties are still not seeing eye to eye with regards to wage increases, however both parties have suggested market adjustments as part of the wage packages exchanged so far. The difference being that our market adjustments are classification specific, to ensure that our wages reflect the top salaries in the western provinces. SAHO has proposed a flat adjustment for all classifications, which will not address the wage discrepancies currently in place. We have also come to tentative agreement on many of the Northern allowance proposals outlined in Article 55.
In closing, the Committee did take it as a positive sign that SAHO is open and interested to adding additional dates over the next month or two in hope of expediting a successful resolution to negotiations. SUN’s Negotiations Committee remains committed to advancing solutions that work for all parties and will continue to drive towards progress on the last few outstanding items for quick and collaborative resolution when the parties return to meet on November 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th.
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.
