NDP says possible healthcare strike will have a big impact

With only weeks left until CUPE’s strike vote, Teed suggested Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill appears more interested in torquing the numbers, and defending the higher pay rates of the SHA’s overpaid executives that delivering a fair deal, with the fair raise that these frontline workers deserve.”

“There can’t be a more obvious indication that Jeremy Cockrill, either isn’t taking the crisis in healthcare seriously, or that he is so incompetent that he can’t provide this basic piece of information,” Teed said.

On Tuesday, Carla Beck and Shadow Health Minister Meara Conroy hand delivered a letter demanding that Cockrill use the powers under his authority to institute a fair mandate for workers, impose a pay freeze for SHA executives, and set a deadline of September 2026 to conclude bargaining.

Statement sent on behalf of Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill:

In a statement emailed to paNOW, Cockrill said negotiations towards a new collective bargaining agreement remain ongoing.

“Our government knows the best deals are reached at the bargaining table and we continue to ask that employers and unions sit down and work together to find an agreement that works for health care workers, employers, patients, and communities,” he said.

Cockrill added his understanding SAHO has tabled comprehensive proposal packages with CUPE, SEIU-West and SGEU. SAHO’s proposals include provisions to enable more efficient delivery of patient centered care while also offering compensation increases, including substantial backpay.

Bargaining updates are available at https://www.saho.ca/bargaining-updates/saho-cupe-seiu-west-sgeu-saho-bargaining-update.

“Our government continues to focus on finding administrative efficiencies in order to reinvest in front-line health care workers. In June 2025, the Saskatchewan Health Authority eliminated 26 senior out-of-scope leadership positions and redirected $10.4 million in savings right back into additional frontline care staff and on-site local clinical managers to enhance the delivery of patient focused care.”

The SaskParty government will continue to work on building a stronger, more robust health care workforce through our Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan. More than 7,500 new health care workers have joined the front lines since the HHR Action Plan launched in 2022.

Our Patients First Health Care Plan outlines over 50 actions to ensure patients are receiving the right care in the right place at the right time.

CUPE rally in Regina

During a rally on Wednesday outside the Regina General Hospital, CUPE 5430 released new research showing that most health care workers in Saskatchewan are the lowest paid in all of Canada;

Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) are paid $3.37 less than the average of all other provinces,
Food Service Workers are paid $3.73 less,
Environmental Service Workers are paid $4.33 less, and
Laundry Service Workers are paid $4.36 less.

The Union also stated starting wages in Alberta are higher than the maximum wage rate in Saskatchewan for all the classifications above.

“The Sask. Party government has had four years to show health care workers that it values them. Instead, Saskatchewan workers are being paid less than their counterparts across the country and continue to be denied a meaningful wage increase.” said Bashir Jalloh, President of CUPE 5430.

“The government cannot claim to be serious about fixing health care while simultaneously allowing Saskatchewan workers to sit at the bottom of the national wage scale.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

by Nigel Maxwell

NDP says possible healthcare strike will have a big impact

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