This week, Scott Moe’s Sask. Party government will unveil their last provincial budget before the general election and CUPE is calling for a budget that is focussed on Saskatchewan workers.
“This budget needs a plan to create good jobs, bigger paycheques, to protect public services, fix the health care crisis and clean up the mess in education,” said Kent Peterson, president of CUPE Saskatchewan. “Failing to do so sends a clear message – Scott Moe doesn’t care about workers and needs to be fired.”
The 31,000 members of CUPE Saskatchewan who deliver public services in the health care, education, and municipal sectors often bear the consequences of Scott Moe’s cuts and privatization. Years of underfunding education, mismanaging our health care system and cost-downloading to other levels of government have worsened working conditions for CUPE members and weakened public services Saskatchewan people rely on.
“Our members are the backbone of our province and deserve a budget that invests in them and the public services they deliver, added Peterson. “Workers are ready to mobilize for change in the upcoming school board, municipal, and provincial elections. They are done settling for less.”
CUPE Saskatchewan’s 31,000 members also provide services in universities, community-based organizations, childcare, libraries, boards and agencies, and social services.