Saskatchewan MLAs will receive “Past Due Statements “ next week from employees in group homes, vocational training centres, youth and child care centres and other community-based organizations (CBOs) funded by the provincial government.
The workers are hand-delivering the notices to MLAs from October 29 – November 2, to remind the Saskatchewan government of its promise to address the funding problem in these agencies.
“At this time of year, government departments are involved in budget preparations,” explains Gail Tiefenbach, a supportive independent living worker at Help Homes in Regina. “We’re delivering these past due notices to ensure they remember us in this year’s budget.”
The workers, members of the Service Employees International Union, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, and the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union, have been campaigning for improved government funding for many years.
A 1998 wage comparison with the Saskatchewan public service, found workers in CBOs earn about $8 less an hour than government employees doing work of equal value. The workers say the government must provide at least another $40 million to their agencies to close the wage gap.
As the past due notice states: “The Saskatchewan government made a partial payment of $6 million towards this account in the March 2001 budget. At the time, the government promised to produce a long-term funding plan to address salary, training and operating cost issues.”
The community-based workers want to see the funding plan. And even more importantly, they want to see the money in the 2002 Saskatchewan budget.
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For information call: Aina Kagis in Regina at 525-5874 ext. 234
The Week of Action for Fair Wages: October 29 – November 2
During this week of action, workers in community-based organizations will deliver “Past Due Notices” to their MLAs. For information about local events contact:
- Melville/Yorkton: Joanne Mountney 728-3105
- Nipawin: Joanne Morin 862-3688
- North Battleford: Kevin Sabraw 445-6390 or 446-7177
- Preeceville/ Sturgis: Gail Kozak 548-2831
- Prince Albert: Paulette Caron 922-3895
- Redvers: Denise Belisle 452-3799
- Regina: Gail Tiefenbach 789-8854
- Saskatoon: Judy Smith Jones 653-2921
- Wilkie: Grazyna Pennell 843-2529