The merger of Cumberland College and Parkland College is being questioned by the SGEU. (Submitted Photo/Cumberland College)  

By Doug Lett

SGEU questions college merger plan

SGEU questions college merger plans

Jan 25, 2023 | 8:00 AM

One of the province’s largest unions is concerned about the plan to merge two regional colleges.

Parkland College and Cumberland College have announced plans to merge by July.

The Saskatchewan Government Employees Union (SGEU), which represents many of the staff involved, said there are several concerns.

“Although job loss, change and increased workloads are a concern, SGEU members are also worried about the impact of a merger on students, businesses and the communities,” said a statement provided by SGEU.

“We have been concerned from the beginning that the Board did not appear to have a business case built on solid evidence,” the statement added.

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Parkland and Cumberland Colleges have been operating as a coalition since 2019, with a shared CEO and board of governors. The two colleges recently got permission from the provincial government to merge.

“Shared resources, increased partnership opportunities and the development of new programming” are some of the advantages listed. Interim CEO Alison Dubreuil added in an interview last week that no job losses are expected as a result of the merger.

“Job loss due to the merger is not part of the plan, has not been part of the plan,” she said. “This was a key guiding principle outlined by our board of governors.”

In a statement sent Monday, Dubreuil added more.

“At any time there is a large change in strategic direction, there are always lots of questions. We have plans in place to continue our outreach and involve all our stakeholders as we move forward,” her statement said.

“We have been communicating with SGEU throughout this process and look forward to continuing open dialogue with SGEU,” it added.

However, the union sees it differently.

“Since early 2021, SGEU has called on the Board to conduct thorough public consultations with all stakeholders to provide information, address concerns, answer questions and prove that a merger is in the best interests of students, staff and the communities,” said the SGEU statement.

The SGEU adds it will continue working with the Board and management to obtain clarity about the evidence behind the decision to merge and what the newly merged College will look like.

“We expect the Board and management to adhere to the Collective Bargaining Agreement in place with the employer and the union in regard to any changes that are made to staffing levels and workload issues,” the statement said.

The two colleges cover the southeast and northeast regions of the province.

Parkland College has around 190 employees and 3600 students, with campuses in Yorkton, Melville, Fort Qu’Appelle, Esterhazy, Canora and Kamsack.

Cumberland College has about 80 employees and close to 1,000 students, with facilities in Nipawin, Melfort and Tisdale.

The two institutions combined have a budget of around 19 million dollars.

While the colleges deliver a variety of courses, the emphasis includes adult basic education and trades.

The merger is slated to take effect in July.

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doug.lett@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @DougLettSK