According to CUPE Saskatchewan, the provincial government has been sitting on funding from the federal government that should be going directly to frontline workers.
The union says that less than half of the $56 million joint provincial/federal wage subsidy fund has been distributed to workers.
President Judy Henley, says, “Frontline workers in community-based group homes and program support for those living with disabilities, childcare workers, and crisis and transition services workers are being left behind by the Sask. Party.”

The federal government pitched most of the funding for the wage top up program.
Henley says, “I find it troublesome that the provincial government is basically withholding federal dollars from our members who are struggling to make ends meet.”

She says, “This comes on top of the Sask. Party’s heartless claw backs of funding from people who collected federal pandemic benefits and provincial income assistance at the same time. Their actions make Scrooge seem like a good boss.”

CUPE Saskatchewan is also calling for the wage top up to be extended to all workers providing hands-on care across Saskatchewan.