Sask. health care workers protest in downtown Regina over wages and working conditions

CTV News

10-07-2025

WATCH: CUPE health care workers rallied for a fair deal outside of the Delta Hotel on Wednesday.
WATCH: CUPE health care workers rallied for a fair deal outside of the Delta Hotel on Wednesday.
Health care workers with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) gathered outside a downtown Regina hotel, voicing their frustrations over the ongoing contract negotiations between the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Care Organizations (SAHO).
Since 2023, CUPE members have been without a collective agreement, and their wages have remained stagnant for over three years. The protest took place outside a downtown Regina hotel where negotiations were being held.
Kent Peterson, President of CUPE Saskatchewan, expressed the urgency of the situation, calling on the provincial government and their bargaining representatives to reach a fair deal.
'We're here with frontline health care workers today to encourage the provincial government and their bargaining agents who are actively bargaining, to get a fair deal for health care workers in Saskatchewan,' Peterson told CTV News.
Peterson emphasized the frustrating circumstances healthcare workers face in the middle of a retention crisis – paired with a growing cost of living crisis.
'They've gone over three years now without any raise whatsoever and this is in the middle of what is a retention crisis in health care, but also a cost-of-living crisis for these folks,' he said.
'We've seen staffing shortages. We are overworked. We are denied vacation. We are constantly under pressure,' said Bashir Jalil, the President of CUPE health care workers.
Representing over 14,000 mental health care professionals across Saskatchewan, Jalil added that the union's members are 'fed up' as they have been without a collective agreement for over two years.
Jalil went on to stress the critical issue of wage disparity in Saskatchewan compared to other provinces in western Canada.
'If you look at the wages in this province, compared to western Canada; Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia – we are among the lowest in terms of wages,' he said.
He also pointed out the impact of these issues on the healthcare system's ability to function effectively.
'We have staff shortages. We are overworked. We are underpaid, undervalued,' he explained. 'We want to be able to maintain the healthcare we want in this province. We have to be serious about retention of healthcare workers. We want them to come to the bargaining table to improve the working conditions of healthcare workers and also for the public, so we can stop seeing the shortages.'
Dionne Wagner, a health care worker at Pasqua Hospital for 25 years, had the same concerns, stressing that the workers' value is often overlooked.
'We deserve better, fair wages,' Wagner said. 'We've been out of contract for three years. Our wages have seen no increase for three years now. It's hard to live. We want this finished. We need this settled.'
Reflecting on the challenges Wagner faced as a healthcare professional, she added;
'We worked straight through the COVID. We had to be tested. Some of us had to get COVID. We were heroes, but now we feel underpaid, undervalued. We're very important to keep your health up, and without that, people could die.'
Jalil also pointed out the larger consequences of Saskatchewan's growing population and its reduced healthcare funding.
'Our population is growing. The funding we are having to healthcare is reduced. We cannot continue to operate healthcare when we see an increased population,' he said.
The CUPE representative made clear that these problems are not isolated to staffing or wages but are symptomatic of a deeper issue that needs urgent attention.
'Why are we having all these closures in these facilities? Because we do not have staff to work in these places. We have to address the fundamental problem that is recruitment and retention of healthcare providers in this province,' Jalil explained.
In response to the ongoing protest, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health issued a statement reiterating their commitment to supporting healthcare workers, highlighting that retroactive payments were offered to employees in certain pay bands.
'Health-care workers are vital in assisting and supporting each of us through our health journey. They are valued and appreciated for their contributions and dedication to patients, clients, and the health system,' the statement read.
However, CUPE has rejected this offer, pointing out that the proposed retroactive payments do not adequately address the significant wage gap and ongoing working conditions for healthcare workers.
As the protest continued, both Peterson and Jalil emphasized the long-term goal of the movement: to keep Saskatchewan residents working in the province.
'We want to be able to have people from Saskatchewan who are going to school, stay in this province, get educated, and have a life here,' Jalil said.
As the bargaining process continues, healthcare workers and union representatives are hopeful that the government will take their concerns seriously and make meaningful changes to ensure the province's healthcare system can continue to meet the needs of its growing population.