PRINCE ALBERT – After specialized health-care workers took one-day job action, the union and employer went back to the drawing board this morning.
But it ws not enough for the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS). The union, which had 60 to 70 members walk the picket line in Prince Albert, Monday, rejected the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) offer.
A revised proposal package was offered by the organization.
In the new offer, a proposed market adjustment rate of nine per cent is being offered to emergency medical services (EMS) workers. This number is in addition to the general wage increase of 7.5 per cent over four years.
SAHO said payroll records show there are 25 per cent more EMS workers now than there were four years ago, including a 45 per cent increase in paramedics. Overall the number of HSAS members has increased by almost 20 per cent in the same time frame
Cathy Dickson, the union's president, said the offer focused on one group only and didn't take into account the other specialized health-care professionals, which include pharmacists, social workers, dietitians, nutritionists, health educators, respiratory therapists and rehabilitative therapists.
"What health care employers and the Wall government claimed was a serious proposal, in fact was a market-adjusted wage rate for primarily one group of our members, EMS workers, who are the lowest paid EMS workers in Western Canada," Dickson said in a statement.
"This inadequate response will do nothing to solve the chronic under-staffing of our professions as a whole."
In the same release, Dickson was noted as saying that further announcements will be made in regards to strike action.
The health region will provide information about any disruptions if further job action is taken. In the event of job action, the public is encouraged to call their health professional’s office ahead of time to ensure the service is available on that day.
Overall, the PAPHR has 192 HSAS employees.
