Northern Health Regions Specify Essential Services

Northern Health Regions Specify Essential Services

Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 16:53

 

 

Management at two northern Saskatchewan health regions have tentatively declared most of their workers to be essential.

 

That means those employees will not be allowed to walk out if there’s a strike.

 

But both management and unions have to agree on those designations.

 

Negotiations have just barely begun with at least one of several unions.

 

The Keewatin Yatthé Regional Health Authority is suggesting that at least 78 per cent of its direct or indirect care employees be declared essential.

 

The Mamawetan Churchill River Regional Health Authority has proposed that more than 67 per cent of its direct or indirect care employees be named as essential.

 

Susan Halland, Mamaewetan-Churchill River’s director of human resources, says their figures are the minimum they need.

 

She says they didn’t make that decision lightly.

 

The health regions are making these designations because a law passed last May says they must do so.