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Saskatchewan's frontline workers call on government to protect vital services

Concerns for health, safety and access to vital services are also growing beyond frontline workers: an Angus Reid poll released earlier this week found almost 59% of Saskatchewan residents are unhappy with Premier Moe’s handling of the pandemic.

Saskatchewan (24 Jan. 2022) — Unions representing more than 113,000 Saskatchewan workers collectively are calling on the Government of Saskatchewan and Premier Scott Moe to immediately mandate the recommendations of the province’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab.

New public health orders need to be implemented

At a news conference on January 12, 2022, Dr. Shahab made strong recommendations as a result of the high number of COVID-19 cases and the rising number of hospitalizations. Consequently, a number of organizations are calling on the government to implement these measures in an effort to slow the community spread of the virus and protect vital services and programs. Dr. Shahab’s recommendations include:

• Limit gathering sizes to a maximum of 10 people.
• Limit the frequency of gatherings and establish a consistent “bubble.”
• Limit non-school and non-work contacts.
• Limit non-essential travel between communities.

Failure to act leading to rampant community spread

The Saskatchewan government’s failure to implement these recommendations as public health orders is leading to rampant community spread that is putting unprecedented strain on services Saskatchewan citizens rely on every day, including health care, education and community-based supports.

“By continuing to do nothing, our government has made it clear that they do not care about whether or not workers get sick. The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is a clear workplace occupational health and safety hazard, and it’s time for our government to step up and do their duty to make sure that workers are kept safe at work,” said Lori Johb, President of the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL). 

59% of Saskatchewan residents unhappy with government handling of pandemic

Each member organization is being inundated with calls from members who are experiencing first hand the impact of a lack of appropriate public health measures. Across sectors, frontline workers are reporting burnout and staffing shortages. They are operating in crisis mode and systems are not functioning as intended or designed, creating significant safety concerns. Concerns for health, safety and access to vital services are also growing beyond frontline workers: an Angus Reid poll released earlier this week found almost 59% of Saskatchewan residents are unhappy with Premier Moe’s handling of the pandemic.

“Members of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE) provide essential services across Saskatchewan and care for some of the most vulnerable residents in the province,” said Tracey Sauer, SGEU President. "Frontline workers in the public service, crown, health, education, community services, and retail regulatory sectors — all of our members are stretched thin due to COVID-related challenges. We need the government to show leadership by implementing additional public health measures to help provide relief to the workers who are doing their utmost to keep the province healthy and safe.”

As Omicron has not yet peaked, failure to mitigate the spread will cause unnecessary harm and disruption to public services. We urge Premier Moe to act in the interest of protecting Saskatchewan residents’ health, safety and access to vital services.