New collective bargaining agreements involving the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and the Service Employees’ International Union West (SEIU-West) have been ratified with the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO).

The financial settlement in the SEIU-West collective agreement includes zero per cent, zero per cent, one per cent, two per cent, two per cent and two per cent from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2022 with an option for a sixth year at two per cent.

The CBA with SUN involves a financial settlement of zero per cent, zero per cent, one per cent, two per cent, two per cent and two per cent; it is one of the first agreements in health care to recognize the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission relating to health care. The collective agreement runs from April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2024.

“I am very pleased to see a successful conclusion to the collective bargaining with our important health unions,” stated Health Ministry Paul Merriman in the government release. “I want to thank everyone for their collaborative efforts to reach these milestones and to continue to provide valued health services to the residents of our province.”

This marks all collective bargaining agreements being achieved for the Saskatchewan Health Authority for the first time since the formation of a single provincial health authority.

SUN represents more than 10,000 registered nurses, registered psychiatric nurses and nurse practitioners.

SEIU-West is made up of 11,500 healthcare workers in nursing, environmental services, diagnostic services, administration, finance and other services working in acute care, long-term care, home care, primary health care, emergency medical, public and mental health services.