Unions representing a number of public employees were vocal about the 2018-19 provincial budget released earlier this month.
Many comments from unions about the 2017-18 budget concerned last year’s cuts.
“Last year’s provincial budget introduced some of the most dramatic cuts to Saskatchewan’s public services and social safety net since the years of Grant Devine,” wrote president of CUPE Saskatchewan Tom Graham in an April 11 document.
“As a result, the Saskatchewan Party government was forced to listen and walk back some of the cuts. But many of those devastating cuts remain in place.”
Graham said regarding the government’s revenue, the increase in sales tax and consumption taxes hit workers and everyday people the hardest.
Graham recommended fair taxation, in which “the wealthiest residents paid their fair share.”
According to the release, funding for municipalities continues to decrease, “which downloads the cost of fiscal mismanagement onto municipalities and the public.”
Funding for front-line health services and for educational supports is insufficient, according to Graham.
On the health side of things, CUPE Health Care Workers of Saskatchewan, SGEU and SEIU-West are bargaining together. According to an April 9 statement, strategy involved agreeing to deferring the discussion of monetary provisions to focus on items that would be easier to agree on.
“We need to stand strongly together to say “No!” to cuts/rollbacks/concessions. We are proud of Saskatchewan health care workers who deserve to be treated with respect and paid what we are worth!”
A recent statement noted the SHA was transferring the responsibility of IT services from itself to eHealth. A total of $39 million is to be transferred, according to CUPE, from the SHA budget to the eHealth budget.
“Members can expect this change to happen as early as summer 2018.”
According to CUPE, the organization “has not received any clear information about which classifications will be affected, how many jobs are moving to eHealth, who will be impacted or if there is potential for job loss or any important details.”
In another CUPE statement, there would be a province-wide review of security services.
The union stated it wasn’t notified of the intention to review security services in the province, and were only made aware by membership, adding the experience with SHA has seen a lack of notification, communication and consultation.
