Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union

Citizens All Members Ratify Collective Agreement

On August 15, 2007 the SGEU/NUPGE members of SGEU/NUPGE employed by Citizens All, a Moose Jaw organization that provides residential and support services to people with mental and physical disabilities, voted to accept the collective agreement reached in July.

The members were off the job for 57 days after initiating strike action on May 30, only to be locked out hours later. They had been without a contract since April 2006.

In addition to walking the line, the workers began an ad campaign to pressure the provincial government to provide additional funding to allow the agency to negotiate a decent collective agreement. Members met with local Members of the Legislative Assembly and held an information picket to outline their concerns. In the end, the government acted by providing the necessary funding.

Employees will receive increases of between $1.47 to $1.81 per hour over two years - significantly more than the employer's initial offer.

Thank you to everyone who helped the striking workers at Citizens All in their struggle.

Citizens All Members Strike

Members of SGEU/NUPGE employed by Citizens All, a Moose Jaw organization that provides residential and support services to people with mental and physical disabilities went on strike on May 30 in a struggle for a living wage. Hours later the employer locked them out and has brought in replacement workers. They have been without a contract since April 2006.

The Residential Care Supervisors and Supportive Living Program Workers provide essential services to some of the most vulnerable members of our society, yet their work is chronically undervalued and underpaid. The provincial government provides funding to Citizens All board of directors who then oversee the operations of the 6 group homes and a supportive living program.

The workers need the government to provide additional funding to allow for a decent wage increase. Help them get back to work with a contract that will allow them to feed their families.

Show your support for these workers by sending messages of solidarity to: Larry McCrae, Media contact, larrymccr59@gmail.com.

Please copy strikealert@nupge.ca on all correspondence.