April 1, 2026 marks four full years since CUPE 5430 members last received a wage increase – an unfortunate milestone that underscores the urgency to reach a fair deal for Saskatchewan’s frontline health care workers.
For thousands of workers who keep the health care system running every day, this anniversary is no cause for celebration. It represents four years of rising costs, increased workloads, and deteriorating working conditions without any improvement in pay.
“It may be April Fools’ Day, but four years without a raise is no joke,” said Bashir Jalloh, president of CUPE 5430. “While the cost of living has skyrocketed, our members have been asked to do more with less – and for the same wages they received in 2022.”
“This isn’t just about fairness for workers – it’s about the future of Saskatchewan’s public health care system,” Jalloh added. “When health care workers feel undervalued and underpaid, they leave our health system. The status quo is bad for health workers, bad for patients and bad for Saskatchewan’s health care system.”
CUPE 5430 is calling on Premier Scott Moe and Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill to bring forward a decent offer to the bargaining table that reflects the critical role health workers play in Saskatchewan’s crumbling health care system.
After four years without a raise, the message from frontline workers is clear: enough is enough.