SGEU’s Public Service/Government Employment negotiating committee given strike mandate

A message has been sent to the Saskatchewan government, by members of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union (SGEU) regarding their collective agreement.

After a vote, which took place throughout July, a strike mandate was given to the negotiating committee by SGEU members of the Public Service/Government Employment’s (PS/GE) bargaining unit.

“This mandate sends a strong, clear message to the government that our members are serious about achieving a fair and reasonable collective agreement that protects their rights and improves their wages and benefits,” said Barry Nowoselsky, chair of the PS/GE negotiating committee, in a press release.

“A mandate from the members to strike does not mean there will be immediate job action. The negotiating committee is willing to return to the bargaining table as long as the employer is willing to negotiate.”

Government employees have been bargaining for a new contract since October 2016, after the collective agreement expired Sept. 30, 2016.

In February 2018, SGEU members were asked to vote on a memorandum of agreement, but the tentative deal was rejected the following April.

Once they returned to the bargaining table, the government refused to negotiate, which caused the need for a strike vote.

“Hopefully, with this mandate, government will now return to the bargaining table ready to show they value the work performed by people who live and work right here in our province,” Nowoselsky said.

A statement from the government of Saskatchewan reads, “We are aware that SGEU now has a strike mandate from their membership as a result of the recent strike vote. We respect that this is part of the collective bargaining process. Our next steps include negotiating an essential services agreement to ensure a level of service is maintained in critical areas of need for our citizens. We continue to hope for a negotiated settlement.”

There are approximately 12,000 government workers who have been affected by negotiations, including social workers, wildfire fighters and highway workers.