Alec Salloum
Regina Leader-Post
The Saskatchewan government has invited four unions to join a nursing task force.
But after years of asking for such a task force to be struck, the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) is taking issue with how Health Minister Everett Hindley made the announcement.
In recent meetings, “SUN indicated a preference to establish a task force solely for registered nurses,” Hindley said in a letter sent Friday to the presidents of SUN, the Service Employees’ International Union-West (SEIU-West), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 5430, and the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union (SGEU).
“CUPE, SEIU-West and SGEU representatives were clear that any nursing task force must include all nursing professions because patient care is provided as part of a team,” continued the letter.
All four unions are either involved in or readying for collective bargaining to negotiate new contracts with the government.
“Ministry officials look forward to following up with you in November to discuss next steps,” Hindley wrote.
SUN president Tracy Zambory was quick to refute the health minister’s claim in her own letter posted to social media Saturday, which said the union “did not indicate a preference to establish a Task Force solely for registered nurses.”
The letter went on to ask Hindley to retract his statement, calling it “inaccurate” as well as “disappointing and disheartening.”
“For over two years, SUN has called for a Nursing Task Force on numerous occasions,” wrote Zambory. “Further, SUN has described the Task Force as an opportunity for nursing leaders, academics, health provider unions, regulatory bodies, etc., to come together and engage those providing direct care in generating and implementing tangible, funded health system solutions.”
On Monday, a SUN spokesperson said the union has been asking for a task force that covers “all nursing groups” since 2022.
A spokesperson from a Saskatchewan CUPE local said the union shares SUN’s concerns in general, adding that the task force is “too little, too late, and isn’t broad enough to address the critical short-staffing crisis in Saskatchewan’s health system.”
In May, Opposition health critic Vicki Mowat asked Hindley if he was willing to commit to a nursing task force, but the minister’s answers did not directly address the prospect. Instead, he focused on meetings held around that time with health-care workers, which led to the creation of the “Saskatoon capacity pressure action plan.”
The announcement of the task force comes just days before the provincial election campaign period is set to begin. The writs are expected to drop Tuesday morning and Election Day is set to take place on Oct. 28.
Health care will undoubtedly be top of mind for voters amid what the Saskatchewan NDP called a government U-turn.
“For over two years, Scott Moe and his Sask. Party ministers have said no,” noted Mowat during a media availability in Saskatoon on Monday.
“Days before an election, Moe and his ministers are suddenly open to exploring the idea,” she added, calling it an “empty promise.”
The NDP has committed to increasing health-care funding by $1.1 billion over the next four years, should the party form government. It has also promised to establish a nursing task force.
The government has recently touted its Health Human Resources action plan as a means to address shortfalls in the system.
The Saskatchewan government did not respond to a request for comment before deadline.
