Workers from Prince Albert’s Legal Aid Clinic in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, represented by CUPE 1949, met July 11, 2018 to discuss restructuring and privatization at Legal Aid and the impact changes will have on clients.
It was recently announced that Legal Aid would contract out most duty council and lay off six people in the Saskatoon Office. There is concern that more changes are coming which will impact the area offices, including the Prince Albert Office.
“Legal Aid Saskatchewan has been chronically underfunded, and staff have suffered from extreme, escalating workload issues in recent years,” said Deb Hopkins, Vice President of Local 1949. “Many of our clients are among the most marginalized and vulnerable people in society, and our staff are dedicated to serving their needs.”
“The Union is very concerned about what other changes are coming down the pipe, and the negative impact this will have on our clients, especially in areas like Prince Albert,” said Hopkins. “CUPE will take whatever action is necessary to preserve the integrity of the Legal Aid program and ensure that Saskatchewan clients have access to the legal resources they need and deserve.”