Brandon Harder
Regina Leader-Post
Julia Quigley believes a recently signed collective agreement between unionized Legal Aid Saskatchewan (LAS) workers and their employer represents a fair deal.
But the president of CUPE 1949, which represents LAS employees, also views what was touted in a news release as a “progressive, precedent-setting” deal as something of a stepping stone.
“We were able to make some gains as it related to the lawyer salaries, but also some guarantees as it relates to career advancement and enhancement opportunities for our administrative staff,” she said. “We are seeing it as really a building block towards our next round of bargaining.”
The provincial government also offered a positive view of the agreement, in response to questions from the Leader-Post.
“The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased that a tentative agreement with the union representing Legal Aid Saskatchewan has been reached, and we thank them for their collaborative approach during negotiations,” states a June 13 email from a Ministry of Justice spokesperson.
Quigley said the union will continue to forge ahead with its priorities, which include striving for what she described as “parity” for its lawyers.
Much of the local’s bargaining unit is made up of criminal defence lawyers, she explained. LAS lawyers represent people who cannot afford to pay for private legal counsel.
Historically, Quigley said, these public defence lawyers have been paid less than their “counterparts” who work as Crown prosecutors.
Crown prosecutors work to present evidence they view as relevant to an alleged crime. Criminal defence lawyers represent the person charged, and their work includes scrutinizing Crown evidence.
A news release on the collective agreement states that lawyers and articling students will receive a “market supplement” to bring their compensation closer to that of Saskatchewan prosecutors.
The Saskatchewan Minister of Justice — in this case, Bronwyn Eyre — is listed as being at the top of the organizational structure for Legal Aid Saskatchewan.
The Leader-Post sent a list of questions to the ministry, which included a number pertaining to what Quigley characterized as a pay “gap” between LAS and Crown lawyers. These questions sought clarity around the union’s claim about wage disparity along with context from the government, which asked for time to respond.
When a response came — over a week after the initial request for information — it did not address questions on that topic.
“Legal Aid lawyers and Crown prosecutors play a critical role in the provincial justice system, and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General supports them through its Public Prosecutions Division and funding agreement with Legal Aid,” the June 13 response stated.
So, the Leader-Post reached out again, with the same questions.
“The Ministry has no further information to provide at this time,” stated the June 17 response to the second inquiry.
Quigley, who is a staff lawyer in the LAS Saskatoon city office, was quick to acknowledge that Crown prosecutors have a “very difficult job.”
However, Quigley hopes the public sees the importance of LAS lawyers, many of whom do the work because it aligns with their values.
“We see ourselves as being there for people who really need it — our most marginalized people in our communities,” she said. “It’s been quite demoralizing for many of our staff to be showing up in court every day next to someone who is making significantly more than you are, to do essentially the same job. But we have clients to answer to as well.”
Quigley said the new contract features an across-the-board pay raise of eight per cent over three years for all staff, along with a “market top up” for lawyers, which she says will put their pay rates seven per cent below the pay received by their “equivalent” at the Crown’s office.
“We were able to claw our way back up to something closer to parity,” she said.
Given that pay goes by years of experience, Quigley said, those LAS lawyers who have a lot of experience will see a greater affect than those with less experience.
“We’re not lagging as far behind the Crown when you look at more junior lawyers,” she explained.
Quigley says the new contract is important from a morale standpoint, and she also hopes it will help with the ability for LAS to recruit and retain staff, especially in northern and rural areas.
“What’s most important is our clients,” she said, noting that a properly resourced staff that feels valued will have a positive impact on clients as well.
“We see it as very beneficial in all of those ways.”
