CUPE, SGEU and SEIU-West health representatives gathered in Prince Albert to rally for a fair wage. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW)

By Teena Monteleone

Fighting for a Fair Wage

‘Lack of compassion and diplomacy’: Health care union members rally in Prince Albert for fair deal

Oct 16, 2025 | 5:00 PM

Candace Lavoie is tired of ‘band-aid solutions’ in the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA).

The recording secretary for Region 2 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 5430 works in Prince Albert – primarily with labour relations and SHA management.

“The lack of compassion and diplomacy from this employer is deplorable.”

She referenced a situation with an elderly employee who works within the local health region and is struggling financially and with depression.

‘His wife recently passed away. He went through heart surgery. He cannot afford to feed himself, and he got caught taking food. The employer wants to discipline him instead of, you know, reaching out and seeing what we can do to make a difference,” Lavoid said.

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

20h ago

Seniors Scene

Christmas is Coming

Dec 09, 2025

Grey Cup!!!

Everything you wanted and more

Nov 21, 2025

The employer offered him a toll-free number to TELUS Health, which Lavoie called a band-aid solution to a problem that isn’t going away. She said employees are also calling in sick because they’re burnt out.

“We’re not all about the money. We’re here for what’s right for our members and for our patients that are in these facilities who are suffering too. I mean, we’re hearing about patients that are in hallways with no privacy or cleanliness…where’s the dignity?”

Candace Lavoie, a recording secretary, joined other CUPE 5430 and health union members in front of Prince Albert -Northcote MLA Alana Ross’ office Thursday afternoon. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW)

Lavoie joined about 40 protestors from CUPE outside of Sask Party MLA Alana Ross’ constituency office in Prince Albert Thursday afternoon. The union that represents 14,000 members in health care who work in areas like radiology, dietary services, care aids and custodial duties, have gone 3.5 years without a raise. They’re working with two other health provider unions in the province, SGEU and SEIU-West, to put pressure on the provincial government to reach a fair deal.

CUPE 5430 President Bashir Jalloh said the government is stalling negotiations by asking for too many concessions.

“They want to move healthcare workers in the province as they see fit without any consultation,” Bashir said. “They want to introduce split shifts where you come to work for three hours, go home and come back. We cannot accept that. They want to be able to let people be on call nine months of the year.”

Bashir said current staff are not getting holidays because they’re being mandated to work. He said they are not getting the wages they deserve. If you compare SHA wages to others in Western Canada, Bashir said they are below the average – with some positions seeing a $6 to $8 per hour difference in pay.

“People finish school with significant debt load and they want to be able to stay and work and have a lifestyle. Instead, they’re using Saskatchewan as a stepping stone to get experience and once they get experience they are leaving,” he said.

Nathaniel Teed, Shadow Minister of Labour and 2SLGBTQ Affairs, as well as Deputy Whip of the Official Opposition, joined the CUPE members in Prince Albert. After hearing some of their stories, he said it’s no wonder Saskatchewan is seeing an exodus of health care workers.

“In every direction you look, in health care right now, we are in crisis. We can’t even pay the folks that we are employing in our southern regions as the AIMS [payroll system software] launch is a complete debacle. Health care workers are leaving Saskatchewan to greener pastures as we speak. We need to get a deal done that offers our health care workers a fair wage and deals with the recruitment and retention crisis we’re seeing in Saskatchewan,” Teed said.

In an email to paNOW, the Ministry of Health said earlier this year, the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) offered an ‘unprecedented interim wage adjustment of 3 per cent retroactive to April 1, 2023, to health provider unions’ to provide temporary economic relief while negotiations for a long-term contract continue, but the offer was declined by CUPE, SGEU and SEIU-West.

The ministry went on to say health-care workers are valued and appreciated for their contributions and dedication to patients, clients and the health system.

“The Ministry of Health has confidence that SAHO and the health unions will be successful in negotiating agreements that work for employees and the employer and enhance the delivery of high-quality seamless care for the people of Saskatchewan.”

A common table bargaining meeting for CUPE, SEIU-West, and SGEU with SAHO is scheduled for Oct. 20.

—

teena.monteleone@pattisonmedia.com