SGEU, province reach tentative agreement for 2,040 Sask. health workers

Health-care workers in Saskatchewan could soon have a new collective agreement.

According to the provincial government, the tentative agreement between the Saskatchewan Government Employees’ Union and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations would run for a six-year term, starting retroactively on April 1, 2023 and running until March 31, 2029.

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The agreement will cover roughly 2,040 health-care workers in northern and central Saskatchewan, the government said, including licensed practical nurses, continuing-care assistants, medical lab techs, combined lab and X-ray techs, pharmacy techs, cooks, schedulers, security officers, food-service workers, finance officers, environmental services workers and facility maintenance and operations staff.

While the terms of the agreement were not made public on Friday, the Government of Saskatchewan said details will be shared if and when the tentative deal is ratified by both parties.

“I am pleased that SGEU and SAHO have reached a tentative agreement that addresses key compensation and retention priorities for health care workers while supporting the continuity of high-quality care for patients across Saskatchewan,” Jeremy Cockrill, Saskatchewan’s health minister, said in a statement.

“I want to thank both bargaining teams for their hard work, professionalism and commitment throughout the bargaining process.”