The Saskatchewan General Employees Union (SGEU) has rejected an agreement on a new contract with the province. In a statement, SGEU says its bargaining unit is working with the employer to set up dates to return to the bargaining table.
In the 2017/18 budget, the Saskatchewan government set out a goal to reduce public sector compensation by 3.5 per cent, saving $250 million.
With this rejection from the province’s largest public sector union, Finance Minister Donna Harapuer says the government is committed to returning to the bargaining table.
“It’s disappointing, but that’s part of the process. Members can reject contract proposals, so now it goes back to the table for the collective bargaining process as it should,” Harpauer said.
There was no mention of the 3.5 per cent compensation reduction in the 2018/19 provincial budget. Harpauer announced during the 2017 mid-year update the province would likely not achieve that goal and the $300 million contingency fund would primarily be used to fill the financial hole.
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Harpauer said the province remains committed to bargaining this, and other public sector contracts, in good faith.
“Each table’s going to be unique and will be bargained as such. Of course the government’s tables, the employer’s tables are going to look at the best deal they can get and the unions are going to look at the best deal they can get,” she said.
The opposition’s labour relations and workplace safety critic Nicole Rancourt said it isn’t fair bargaining if the government is coming to the table with a 3.5 per cent reduction already in mind.
“Government workers are concerned and they want to be treated as the professionals as they are,” Rancourt said.
In their statement, SGEU said they would be providing no further comment on the negotiations.