REGINA – Unifor is seeking assistance from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service after weeks of unproductive talks with SaskTel in an effort to negotiate a new collective agreement for 3000 workers.

“It is frustrating that SaskTel is clearly unwilling to engage in meaningful negotiations on the issues identified as the priorities by our members,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor’s National President.

Unifor’s bargaining committee has declared an impasse in bargaining and hopes the assistance of an independent third party will move talks in the right direction towards a fair tentative agreement for the hard working members who keep Saskatchewan residents connected to each other and the rest of the world.

“Our members are disappointed. They do important work for this province and crown workers deserve more respect than what they are seeing from the employer at this point in negotiations,” said Dave Kuntz, President of Unifor Local 1S.

The bargaining committee has yet to receive monetary proposals from the employer, despite repeated requests.

“Members have been clear that job security, mental health and fair compensation are priorities in these negotiations and all we are seeking is a fair deal,” said Penny Matheson, President of Unifor Local 2S.

Crown workers are continuing to show incredible solidarity with their bargaining committee by wearing “Stand up for Crown Workers” T-shirts and posting photos on social media across the province. The union will continue its public awareness campaign that asks residents to sign a petition in support of crown workers.

Unifor held a telephone town hall for members across Ontario to discuss Bill 74, The People’s Health Care Act, and its potential impact to patients, communities and health care workers across the province.

“Bill 74 does not improve patient services, reduce hospital wait times or increase frontline health care workers to respond to current and future needs,” said Naureen Rizvi, Ontario Regional Director. “The legislation would open the door to allow for-profit corporations to provide health care services to Ontarians. Moving health care services to the private sector has resulted, time and again, in unequal access based on what patients can afford to pay.”

The telephone town hall was hosted by Roxanne Dubois, Director of Strategic Planning and Development. In addition to Rizvi’s remarks on the union’s Ford Fightback campaign, Unifor Lawyer Farah Baloo provided an overview of Bill 74 and Katha Fortier, Assistant to National President, and Andy Savela, Health Care Director, discussed the potential impacts Bill 74 would have on health care workers.

“Doug Ford’s PC Government has made it clear that improving public, high-quality and accessible health care is not part of their government agenda and we need to fight back,” said Katha Fortier, Assistant to the National President. “Health care is an issue that affects every single one of us and without a system that protects equal access and fair working conditions, the profit motive will overtake the motive to provide quality care.”

As the Ontario Government prepares to host public consultations April 1 and 2, Unifor’s telephone town hall provided members with an opportunity to engage, understand and provide feedback on Bill 74 and the union’s Ford Fightback campaign.

If passed, Bill 74 will create an overreaching Ontario Health ‘Super Agency’ that opens the door to the privatization of our health care system. This agency will be responsible for managing health care services and the widespread restructuring of the system that includes hospitals, long-term care, home care, community care, mental health, health clinics and more.

To make matters worse, an un-elected, government-appointed Board of Directors would have oversight and control of the Super Agency, deprived of the transparency and accountability measures typically required in the public service.

Urgent action is needed to prevent a profit-driven model of health care that decreases access to quality health care for patients and makes the working conditions of health care workers worse. Members are encouraged to email, call and tweet their local Members of Provincial Parliament letting them know they oppose Bill 74.

On Wednesday, March 20, Unifor members joined students as they walked off campuses in protest against the PC government’s regressive approach to education.

“This solidarity action makes it clear that students are united in their opposition to the rollbacks the Ford government wants to implement, and we stand with them in this fight,” said Naureen Rizvi, Unifor Ontario Regional Director. “We are offering our full support during this crucial time of relentless attacks on students and on our education system.”

The walkouts symbolize widespread support for increased funding for public education, better access to grants rather than loans, elimination of tuition fees, and stronger protection of students’ freedoms, including their right to organize.

“Accessible education is the bedrock upon which we develop a skilled workforce and a well-functioning economy,” said Jodi Nesbitt, Unifor Chairperson for Education, Technology, Office and Professional Industry Council. “We need political leaders to make education accessible and barrier-free, instead of making it even more difficult to get into and stay in school.”

Hundreds of students participated in walkouts at:

• Carleton University
• Fanshawe College
• George Brown College St. James Campus
• Laurier Brantford
• OCAD University
• Ottawa Campuses
• Trent University
• University of Guelph
• University of Toronto
• University of Toronto Mississauga
• University of Toronto Scarborough
• Western University
• University of Windsor

For more information on how you can support the fight for public education, click here.