NDP Leader Ryan Meili met today with out-of-work tradespeople and joined them in calling on the provincial government to introduce a community benefits agreement that would ensure work for Saskatchewan tradespeople on Saskatchewan infrastructure projects.
“The government’s failed procurement model is holding Saskatchewan and its workers back,” said NDP Leader Ryan Meili. “When it comes to infrastructure projects, we need an approach that keeps Saskatchewan workers on the jobsite, not the SaskJobs website.”
Meili said Saskatchewan is lagging behind other provinces like Alberta and British Columbia on procurement. These provinces have introduced community benefit agreements and Manitoba has implemented a minimum construction wage system — strategies that ensure local companies can compete for projects and local workers have access to jobs. Such initiatives would help address the fact that Building Trades Workers worked 57 per cent fewer hours in 2017 than 2012.
“It’s frustrating to see big projects moving forward in the province while local folks can’t find work on them,” said Troy Knipple, a journeyman pipefitter from Regina. “I know there are a lot of skilled workers across the province worried about not being able to put food on the table or pay bills. Fixing the flawed procurement policies would go a long way to help out.”
“The Sask. Party’s approach of adding PST to construction labour while handing over big contracts to out-of-province corporations has hurt Saskatchewan workers,” Meili said. “Stories like Troy’s are not unique: there are 6,400 fewer full-time jobs in Saskatchewan compared to last month, and 1,200 fewer construction jobs than a year ago.”
Poor working conditions, favouritism, $300K travel nurse pay at issue
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition released a letter signed by 49 emergency room nurses in Saskatoon. The letter slams the Sask. Party government for failing to support Saskatchewan nurses and curb the province’s reliance on expensive out-of-province travel nurses.
REGINA - Today, Official Opposition Critic for First Nations and Métis Relations Betty Nippi-Albright hosted a Day of Action with Indigenous leaders from Nekaneet First Nation, Yellow Quill First Nation, Waterhen Lake First Nation, Onion Lake Cree Nation, Carry The Kettle First Nation, Key First Nation and the residential school support team from Yorkton Tribal Council. Together, they continue to draw attention to the Sask. Party government’s disregard for the Duty to Consult process.
MOOSE JAW - Today, the Official Opposition stood with Taylor Enns, president of the Moose Jaw Firefighters Association, and Brayden Dutchak, the son of a cancer survivor. Together, they called on the Sask. Party government to reopen Saskatchewan’s only hyperbaric chamber.
Records show former Sask. Party Finance Minister lobbied for Calgary surgery scheme on behalf of a major Sask. Party donor
REGINA - Today, the Official Opposition grilled the Premier and his Minister of Health after the Minister misled the public, claiming that he had not been lobbied by a former Sask. Party MLA when Saskatchewan's official lobbyist logs show the exact opposite.