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Safety for workers must be top-of-mind as province re-opens: SGEU President Tracey Sauer

“Workers are feeling stressed. If we truly want to get ‘back to normal,’ this government needs to bring in structural changes that will support working people through the rest of this pandemic, and afterwards.” — Tracey Sauer, SGEU President

Regina (30 June 2021) — With the Saskatchewan government set to lift all public health restrictions on July 11, Tracey Sauer, President of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees' Union (SGEU/NUPGE), is reminding Premier Moe that safety for workers must be top-of-mind as Saskatchewan re-opens.

SGEU/NUPGE pushing for safety measures

“Saskatchewan people have worked hard to flatten the curve, and I am grateful to see so many people step up to get vaccinated,” said Sauer. “However, this pandemic has exposed the fact that workers face many risks in their workplaces — risks that won’t disappear when the public health restrictions are lifted.”

Workplace outbreaks have been a consistent driver of Saskatchewan’s COVID-19 cases, and many other cases have originated in places where workers are also at risk, like schools and correctional facilities.

Front-line workers continue to need protection and support

SGEU/NUPGE is calling on Premier Moe to immediately:

  • Provide employers with clear direction on how to keep people safe at work until we achieve herd immunity and COVID-19 cases drop to zero.
  • Legislate paid sick days, so workers never have to choose between putting their co-workers and the public at risk by going to work sick, or staying home without pay.
  • Recognize the strain that getting “back to normal” puts on front-line workers, and immediately invest in mental health supports for workers who are struggling.

“Even as vaccination rates rise, front-line workers will be dealing with people who are unvaccinated or only partly vaccinated, putting them at higher risk,” added Sauer. “Workers are feeling stressed. If we truly want to get ‘back to normal,’ this government needs to bring in structural changes that will support working people through the rest of this pandemic, and afterwards.”