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Practice what you preach--that’s a basic, common sense principle of life. But when you compare what SGEU President Bob Bymoen says on his website’s president’s page to what he’s doing, you start to understand how things have arrived at their present sorry state. |
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Bob says: “For years, SGEU members have been told that our right to fair wages and benefits had to be put on hold until the province’s financial situation improved. Now that the economy is performing well, it’s time for government to make good on its promises.”
SGEU does: In 2004, SGEU cried poverty and offered 0% during scheduled wage-reopener talks with staff. At the bargaining table in 2005 and 2006, SGEU’s negotiating committee said that the employer could not afford wage increases. But with many SGEU members receiving almost 6% in 2006, 3.5% in 2007, 4% in 2008, and 4.5% in 2009, union coffers are bulging.
Bob says: “All bargaining units need to be acutely aware of the current political climate. A provincial election is expected within the next year, which could result in a Saskatchewan Party government that may favour more downsizing because Brad Wall and company think that government should get out of the way of private enterprise. This will mean the very real possibility of more job loss, contracting out and wholesale privatization.”
SGEU does: The day before the 2007 provincial election, President Bob Bymoen, with the backing of other elected SGEU leaders, locks out union staff. The very people who would normally organize and help carry out campaigns against privatization, contracting out, and job cuts are out on the street, leaving SGEU members undefended. To boot, SGEU has given the Brad Wall government a green light to lock out SGEU members. If it’s good enough for SGEU, isn’t it good enough for the provincial government?
Bob says: “Many of our larger units received a 2.6 per cent cost of living allowance (COLA) increase, as well as an additional 2 per cent for wages, on top of the government’s earlier wage mandate of 0-1-1 per cent. Yet many smaller workplaces. . . did not get the COLA increase. That’s completely unjustified.”
SGEU does: SGEU has offered its staff 0-1-2 per cent over the same time period when the majority of SGEU members received a total of 10.1 per cent. SGEU has so far refused to provide staff with the same COLA increase.
Bob says: “We need to work together to protect the gains we have made over the years and, importantly, stand in support of one another to ensure fairness and justice for all.”
SGEU does: SGEU wants to take away sick-leave benefits that staff have negotiated over the years. The rationale: we don’t have that program so neither should staff.
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