Unifor: Workers at seven Crown corporations set to strike

September 19, 2019

REGINA—Unifor members at four more Crown corporations have voted overwhelmingly to strike if necessary, bringing the province-wide total to seven.

“Scott Moe is steering Saskatchewan towards a major service disruption,” said Jerry Dias, Unifor National President. “All because he refuses to grant Crown workers the same pay increase that he gave himself.”

Strike votes were counted Thursday morning at SaskEnergy, SaskPower, SaskWater, and the Water Security Agency. All delivered a strong strike mandate to their respective bargaining committees. They join SaskTel, SecurTek, and DirectWest in a legal strike position.

Unifor says some progress has been made in recent days on non-monetary items in SaskTel negotiations, but the government’s mandate of a two-year wage freeze for public sector workers is a sticking point that will almost certainly result in job action if no flexibility is granted with the mandate.

If a collective agreement cannot be bargained next week, job action at SaskTel is set to begin at 12:01 a.m. on September 30.

“Scott Moe saw fit to give himself a 2.3% wage increase, so it’s certainly unfair to ask Saskatchewan’s hard-working Crown workers to swallow a wage freeze,” said Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor Western Regional Director.

Jerry Dias will be joining negotiations on September 26 after a 10 a.m. news conference at the Hotel Saskatchewan.

For more information, please contact Unifor Communications Representative Ian Boyko at ian.boyko@unifor.org or 778-903-6549 (cell).

NT4