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New contract starts to adequately value the work of SIAST instructors

"We look forward to seeing similar substantive increases for other pay levels in the upcoming round of bargaining," adds Steele.

Regina (01 June 2012) - Instructors at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) have a new contract that begins the process of adequately valuing the skilled professionals who are training Saskatchewan's future workforce.

"It is encouraging to see so many of our younger instructors receive a significant wage increase. This will assist SIAST to recruit and retain quality staff in today's competitive labour market," according to Jim Steele, chair of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE) academic negotiating committee.

In addition to a 5.5 per cent increase over the length of the contract, instructors at the lower end of the pay scale will receive additional increases ranging from three to eight per cent.

SGEU/NUPGE's negotiating committee succeeded in convincing SIAST management that its recruitment and retention problems could not be solved unless it moved to bring compensation into line with other provinces.

"We look forward to seeing similar substantive increases for other pay levels in the upcoming round of bargaining," adds Steele.

The pay adjustments allocated in this contract are just the beginning of realigning the instructors' wage scale. The current hikes begin to address some of the wage inequities between SIAST instructors and counterparts at post-secondary institutes across western Canada.

"We won an important commitment from SIAST to build on the gains in this contract. "We have agreed to review and revise wage rates for all of our members to bring our wages into line with the western Canadian average," says Steele. "This is a victory for a strong, sustainable public education system."

"Our members are training our province's future trade, technology and health care professionals. This agreement is part of a much-needed made-in-Saskatchewan labour market strategy. By fairly valuing our instructors, we have the basis for an effective and dynamic blueprint for growth for our province," says Steele.

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