CUPE Local 5430 is challenging comments made by Deputy Labour Minster Donna Johnson regarding COVID-19 in the workplace.

Minister Johnson is quoted as saying “If there’s no reason to say that a workplace is unsafe, then the employee essentially does not have any ability to refuse work…”

Troy winter’s CUPE’s Health and Safety Officer says that these claims demonstrate a clear misunderstanding by Minister Johnson of how the law works. He says when an employee believes their workplace or the task they’ve been asked to perform is unusually dangerous they then have the right to refuse. Winters adds that every situation is unique and a blanket statement about what is dangerous is in itself, very dangerous.

CUPE Local 5430 President Sandra Seitz says the Saskatchewan Employment Act is clear, it says the worker has the right to refuse work, if the worker has reasonable grounds to believe that the act or series of acts is unusually dangerous to the worker’s health or safety. Seitz adds, COVID-19 is deadly, and the Deputy Minister should be more concerned with making sure all the workers in the province have proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and that all employers are properly training their employees how to use it.