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“We believe that we will be able to develop a working partnership with the Cowessess First Nation band, and are eager to get on with the task of representing these members and negotiating a first collective agreement." — Bob Bymoen, SGEU President.
Regina (02 July 2014) — Workers who provide health services for the Cowessess First Nation have voted to join the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE).
“We welcome these new members to our union and look forward to helping them negotiate for improved workplace rights and protections,” said SGEU President Bob Bymoen.
SGEU/NUPGE is the first union in Saskatchewan to represent workers employed by a First Nation band
The ten workers who will be joining SGEU/NUPGE provide a range of services, including nursing care, health promotion, home care, addictions counselling, mental health programming, administrative and maintenance services.
“SGEU/NUPGE is proud to be the first union in Saskatchewan to represent workers employed by a First Nation band. We are excited to have the opportunity to build stronger relationships with First Nations in our province,” adds Bymoen.
“Many bands employ highly-skilled and qualified workers who do not always receive the same wages and benefits as other professionals in their field,” Bymoen says. “A unionized workplace can help achieve wage equity. Unionization also results in greater employment security and workplace stability, which benefits everyone in the community, especially those who rely on the services provided by band staff.”
“We believe that we will be able to develop a working partnership with the Cowessess First Nation band, and are eager to get on with the task of representing these members and negotiating a first collective agreement,” Bymoen says.
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE