Media Release

SGEU staff in Saskatoon office off the job

May 2, 2007

SGEU staff who work in the union's Saskatoon office walked off the job today as part of rotating job action to achieve a fair collective agreement.

The 65 employees of SGEU are members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers' Union of Canada (CEP) Local 481.

"We regret that we have been left with no choice but to escalate job action, but SGEU management continues to demand concessions and wage increases below the rate of inflation, " according to Dave MacNeil, CEP Local 481 president.  SGEU is offering a wage package of 0-1-1 per cent over three years, even though most of its own members received 6.75 per cent during the same time period.

SGEU staff wages already lag far behind those paid to workers in other unions.  Currently, SGEU Agreement Administration Advisors, staff who bargain collective agreements and conduct arbitrations, are paid 26 per cent less than staff who do the same work in comparable unions across the country.   They also earn about $10 an hour less than the Labour Relations Consultants who do the same type of work for the government of Saskatchewan.

Administrative Assistants who work for SGEU earn 10 per cent less than their counterparts in other unions.

"It is sadly ironic that SGEU president Bob Bymoen has chosen to single out administrative assistants as being overpaid.  For years SGEU proclaimed that "Pay equity is our priority", but when it comes to its own workers, the union leadership chooses to attack this female-dominated group, rather than support these women’s right to a decent wage," said MacNeil.

Wage data is based on a broad sample of unions comparable to SGEU: B.C. Government and Service Employees’ Union, Alberta Union of Public Employees, Manitoba Government Employees’ Union, Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union and the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees’ Union.

SGEU management is also trying to significantly reduce the current level of sick leave benefits available to employees.

Rotating job action began April 19, 2007.  On Friday, April 27, SGEU issued formal lock-out notice to its employees.

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For more information contact:

Dave MacNeil-CEP L481 President
(306) 527-8620

Kate McKinley, National Representative       
2365 13th Avenue, Regina, SK, S4P 0V8
Office (306) 777-0004
Cel (306) 527-5723