Unifor files job action notice on behalf of Sask. Crown corporations, agency

Job action at six Saskatchewan Crown corporations and a Crown agency is set to begin Monday, according to the unionbargaining on behalf of employees.

According to a bargaining update provided by Unifor on Saturday, employees of SaskEnergy, SaskPower, SecurTek, DirectWest, SaskWater and the Water Security Agency have been asked to participate in the job action.

Employees of SaskTel served strike notice on Sept. 17, bringing the total to six Crown corporationsand one agency in a position to begin legal job action Monday.

The job action, set for Monday through Thursday,includes refusing to work overtime,and "work to rule" measures.

"Over the next four days you should not be doing anything over and above the minimum that is required to do your job safely," said anemail fromUnifor secretary Gail Sawatzky.

There is a possibility that a strike could be called across all of the Crowns as early as 12:01 a..m. onFriday, Oct. 4, according to the email.

"A strike on Friday is the last resort, but we are running out of options to achieve the contract workers deserve," said Sawatzky's email.

Unifor is unhappy with the deal being offered by employers. According to Sawatzky'semail,an offer that includes a wage freeze is the only offer on the table.

In an email sent on Saturday, a government spokesperson disputed the union's statement and said their offer amounts to a five-per-cent raise over five years and is not a wage freeze.

Employers are offering a deal that would include two years of zero per cent increases, followed by a one per cent increase, a two per cent increase, and in some cases, another two per cent increase.

"No additional monetary offers (e.g. pension or lump sums) were considered by employers," Sawatzky's email said.

Unifor national president Jerry Dias wouldn't disclose what the bargaining committees were asking for, but said they weren't asking for anything "ridiculous."

"Trust me when I say [our offer] didn't include zeros in the first year. As a matter of fact, it was much more in line like what the government paid themselves," Dias said, in reference to a 2.3 per cent cost of living increases forMLAs effective April 1, 2019.

"Basically, what we're asking for is inflation protection."

In a statement earlier this week, Finance Minister Donna Harpauersaid the province wouldn't share details of the offers "out of respect for the collective bargaining process."

Before the strike notice was issued, new offers wereon the table for each of the seven organizations, Harpauer said.

"We continue to have confidence in the collective bargaining process that will continue throughout the weekend," Harpauer said in a statement sent Friday.

"In the event Unifor takes job action, essential services agreements and business continuity plans are in place at all Crowns to ensure vital services to Saskatchewan people continue," she said.