The Health Science Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS) has suspended further strike action across the province after announcing Wednesday morning they are returning to the bargaining table next week.
According to HSAS, the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) approached them Tuesday saying they have a new contract offer to present to the union that represents around three-thousand health care workers across the province.
This comes after HSAS renewed calls on Tuesday for either independent, binding arbitration or for a substantially improved contract offer to avoid escalating job action.
The two sides are scheduled to meet next Wednesday in Regina.
If talks break down, HSAS President Cathy Dickson says job action will escalate.
“If this meeting request from SAHO proves to be little more than another stalling tactic, the response will be swift, and the result will be an escalation of strike action by our members,” said Dickson.
HSAS has carried out a series of rotating strikes across the province in Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Swift Current, Regina and Yorkton.
The two sides are locked in a bitter contract dispute.
HSAS is seeking a wage increase of 18.5 per cent over four years. The last offer from SAHO was 7.5 per cent over the same period with a market adjustment for EMS workers.
Health care workers have been without a contract for over two years.
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