As the Legislature prepares to go back into session, the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union is calling on the province to make changes to the Saskatchewan Employment Act. The SGEU wants their Public Service/Government Employment bargaining unit the right to strike. Right now, it is an unfair labour practice to take job action while an application is before the Labour Relations Board. The union says there are currently several applications before the board, many of which are beyond SGEU’s control. SGEU has launched a legal challenge to that portion of the Act but says it could take months to be resolved. Union President Bob Bymoen says, “No other province in the country has this provision in its labour laws.” He says the government ties their hands when it comes to effective bargaining.
Bymoen is also calling on the province to commit to multi-year funding for Community Based Organizations. He says CBOs care for some of the most vulnerable people in our province. Bymoen says these organizations are expected to plan ahead without knowing how the next provincial budget will affect them. CBOs help at-risk children, people with intellectual and physical disabilities, and women fleeing violent relationships.