Sask. health-care workers call for action, higher wages at legislature
CBC
On Wednesday, buses filled with health-care workers from across the province arrived at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building, calling for fair wages and greater respect for front-line workers.
"We have been without a contract for over two years now and health-care workers have not seen a single increase in wages for the past three years," said Bashir Jalloh, president of Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 5430.
"Because of this, we as health-care workers are struggling, our members are struggling, we have significant workload issues and ongoing staff shortages."
CUPE 5430 represents more than 14,000 health-care workers in over 200 job classifications across Saskatchewan.
"We represent people mainly in five different classification from clerical and nursing technologies and maintenance workers, and also the people who look after our buildings," Jalloh explained.
Wednesday's rally, which CUPE says was attended by hundreds, was a push for wages that reflect the rising cost of living, and recognition for the essential work health-care workers perform every day.
"I would love to stay in the job that I am with the people that I work with, the physicians, the nurses, the unit," said Kayla Gelmich, a health-care worker at Regina's Pasqua Hospital.
"It's a great unit, but it's also hard when you don't get paid for the work that you do and go above and beyond."
Gelmich added that working seven days a week is sometimes the only way to bring home a decent paycheck.
"It's hard to stay in one spot when there's other people that are getting paid significantly more for less work."
Low wages driving trained professionals out of Saskatchewan is also a concern that Jalloh shares.
"People are leaving this province to go to other provinces," said Jalloh. "We want a wage that will let our kids who are getting into health care to stay in this province so they can pay their student loan."
Amira Lukic, a continuing care aid in Regina, said at Wednesday's rally that almost 60 per cent of her wage goes toward her rent.
"At 60, I have to work overtime in order to live, or if there wasn't any overtime I would have to find second job just in order to live," Lukic said.
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