CUPE’s 12,000 Saskatchewan health care workers will be asked once again to vote on a collective agreement reached with their employer, the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO).
A tentative agreement approved in late January was voted down by the membership by a 53 percent margin. After visiting CUPE locals to determine the reasons for the rejection, CUPE’s bargaining committee met with the employer on March 16-17 and the two sides reached agreement on a letter of understanding.
While details were not released, the major areas covered are seniority, shift premiums, and retroactivity. The second vote on the letter of understanding will be held on April 27-28. If a majority of the members accept it, all other clauses of the tentative agreement will also come into effect.
The contract covers the period from April 1, 1998 to March 31, 2001.