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Union president Bashir Jalloh said members are burning out, wages lag behind other provinces, and staff are leaving Saskatchewan \u2014 leaving hospitals short and services disrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cSince 2017, our wage has only gone up by five per cent and during that same time frame, we know the cost of living has gone up by 20 per cent. You do the math,\u201d Jalloh said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot continue with the current trajectory.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jalloh pointed to recent service interruptions at BUH, where he said a CT scanner often sits idle most of the day due to a lack of staff. He also noted emergency room closures and canceled surgeries across the province.<\/p>\n
(Kenneth Cheung\/battlefordsNOW staff)<\/p>\n
According to new internal Saskatchewan Health Authority data obtained by the Saskatchewan NDP <\/a>through a Freedom of Information request, Battlefords Union Hospital had 581 days of total service disruptions between February 2018 and May 2025.<\/p>\n Province-wide, there were 3,362 days of lost health care service between November 2023 and May 2025.<\/p>\n Brittany Rae, a fifth-generation health worker at Battlefords District Care Centre said low pay and constant short staffing are driving people out of the profession.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery shift feels like a marathon running from patient to patient, trying to do the work of two or three people. It is not safe for us, and it\u2019s not safe for the people we\u2019re trying to care for,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n \u201cIf we cannot afford to live, how can we afford to stay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you want quality healthcare workers and healthcare, you must care for us workers, because what do we want? We want fair wages, safe working conditions, and we want them now. We will not be ignored.\u201d\n <\/p>\n Jalloh warned that without progress at the bargaining table, CUPE members could resort to job action.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the employer does not correct the mistake that they have done in the past, I\u2019m afraid that we will have to do every tools available to get what we want and if that\u2019s going to be a job action, that is something that if we get the money from our members, we will prepare to pursue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Any strike, however, could not happen immediately. Under Saskatchewan law, an essential services agreement must be in place first \u2014 a process Jalloh said has already begun.<\/p>\n He also pointed out that the minister has met with them five times but has yet to act on their concerns. <\/p>\n In a written statement to battlefordsNOW, Cockrill said the government values front-line staff.<\/p>\n \u201cHealth-care workers are the backbone of that system. We value their dedication and the compassion they show to patients and families every single day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Cockrill pointed to an interim wage adjustment of three per cent, retroactive to April 2023, that the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) offered earlier this year. <\/p>\n While CUPE, SEIU-West, and SGEU did not accept the offer, he said the province remains hopeful agreements can be reached that are fair to employees, responsible to taxpayers, and support the delivery of high-quality care.<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, we all share the same goal: supporting health-care workers and ensuring people in our province get the care they need.\u201d\n <\/p>\n In a previous interview<\/a> battlefordsNOW had with Cockrill about health care closures, he acknowledged service disruptions do happen and, \u201cwhen they do happen, we engage with the local community and\u2026 provide them the information as best as we have it.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed to efforts like adding permanent full\u2011time<\/a> positions in 30 rural and remote communities, converting 77 temporary roles to full\u2011time, and hiring more nurse practitioners and physician assistants. <\/p>\n