On October 21, 22, and 23, representatives from the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN), Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), and the Saskatchewan Authority of Health Organizations (SAHO) put in a significant amount of dedicated time and long hours over a three day period to accomplish substantive agreement, and by the end of the week were able to achieve sign-off on fundamental articles including and related to Mergers or Transfers, Closure or Conversion, Technological Change and Organizational Change.
The Committee is incredibly pleased to share that these efforts have resulted in new language that will improve the clarity and consistent application of these articles, and will ensure the protection of member’s rights and options going forward. This was particularly vital given the SHA’s future vision for the new organizational structure, and additional plans for further phases of reorganization.
Both parties demonstrated a clear commitment to working through concerns and potential solutions, made sustained efforts to understand each other’s challenges and priorities, and worked together to eventually land on an outcome that works for both parties.
This represents a win for both parties, and most importantly an improved set of articles to ensure that SUN members will have their rights supported and options afforded to them during periods of potential upheaval and change.
The Committee was also pleased to achieve further sign-off on several key definitions, and in particular, to receive agreement from SAHO on 25 additional bargaining dates to extend the dates that have already been established. These additions now see our team at multiple sessions in most months. The ability to expand dates and meet regularly with the employer will make a crucial difference in the amount of momentum and headway that is possible during these discussions.
SUN’s Negotiations Committee looks forward to further productive conversation and progress when the parties return to meet again on November 25, 26, 27 and 28.
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.
