The following is the Memorandum of Understanding between the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) and the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO). The memorandum, reproduced here in its entirety, was signed by the two groups and Premier Roy Romanow on Sunday, ending the illegal SUN strike after 11 days

Either this item has an error or is not reproduced in its entirety .. read on. .  

This Memorandum of Understanding provides the framework that will lead to a new collective agreement between  SUN and SAHOS It contains the monetary elements, that will be included in the new collective agreement and a process that will allow the parties to conclude the non-monetary issues.

This Memorandum of Understanding is subject to ratification by each of the parties to this agreement
The parties agree that the new collective agreement shall consist of the following:

Monetary Items:

1. (1) General wage increases will be applied to every member of the bargaining unit in the following amounts
(subject to ratification by each of the parties  below):
- 2% effective April 1st, 1999
- 2% effective April 1st, 2000
-  2% effective April 1st, 2001

 (2) For those SUN members whose last collective agreement expired prior to March31, 1999, the first 2% general wage increase will be retroactive to the day following the applicable expiry date and on the anniversary date of the expiration
.
2. A special adjustment to be agreed upon by the parties, subject to the restriction that the increase of the monetary or other benefits agreed upon does not exceed 1% of base payroll for the year ending March 31, 1999 and the compound total amount of moneys paid over the term of the agreement does not exceed 2% of base payroll for the year ending March 31, 1999.
 This payment will be utilized to pay the SRNA, RPNAs professional fees for agreed upon employees effective April 1, 2000.

Sounds good! Many employers pay professional fees for employees. I make it $435 / year with a two year maximum, since it doesn't start till year two of the three year contract.

3. (1) A further special adjustment 1.3% for the purpose of addressing disparities between members of the bargaining unit that resulted from the implementation of The Health Labour Relations (Commissioner) Regulations (specified in 12(5)).

Can anyone actually find section 12(5) or 4 for that matter? {Entirety you say?}
Also this was never a monetary increase or issue, it is a restructuring and result of Dorsey and subsequently exists virtually outside any negotiation.

(2) Further to subsection (1) the parties agree to standardize transportation expense, with a total cost not to exceed $500,000 per year on an annualized basis, to be applied immediately upon ratification of this agreement. Any dispute about the implementation of this principle will be resolved in accordance with section 12;

4.An extended health and dental benefit plan will, be provided at a cost of 2.1% of base straight time payroll effective April 1, 2000.

Could this be more straight forward? Spend the money on the best plan available. Too bad it's postponed for a year again!

5. (1) Subject to subsection (2), equal pay for work of equal value adjustments to be effective April 1, 2001

.OK This is postponed for two years. The employer certainly would not want to pay equal pay for work of equal value any sooner than it had to!

(2) The parties agree to execute a letter of understanding to undertake a job evaluation process consistent with The Equal Pay for work of Equal, Value and Pay Equity Policy Framework within 60 days of the ratification of this agreement, or as otherwise agreed.

Pay attention here! Pay Equity Policy Framework has been "slipped in" with the Equal pay for work stuff which is postponed again until 2001.
and yet a 60 day expectation has been put forward for having an understanding of the job evaluation process for each item!

(3) SAHO agrees to submit a request to government for a mandate to implement the fully developed job' evaluation plan as per the Policy Framework

Time limit problem here.

(4) SAHO agrees that the total minimum amount to be paid out in equal pay for work of equal value adjustments will be $20 million with a minimum payment of 1% per year.

Here is the reason for the time limit problem. SAHO is getting paid to hang onto this $20 million for as long as it can manage.

Agreed Items:

6. The Term of the Agreement, as per Article 54 of the agreed wording, is from April 11, 1999 to March31, 2002.

7. The principle of threshold ability or sufficient ability shall govern in job postings, layoff and recall. Any dispute about the application of this principle shall be resolved in accordance with section 12.

This principle is no doubt fairly clear cut. Of course the finest most minute details will be dragged out forever by the employer.

8. 1) Decisions of the Independent Assessment Committee will be binding.

(2) The committee will consist of a representative of the employer, a representative of the union, and a neutral chair.

Correct me if I am wrong but one representative from management / employer plus a neutral chair equals a standoff each and every time! This is a receipe for disaster.

(3) There shall be a roster of five persons agreed upon as chairs.

9. (1) SAHO and SUN are committed to the principle of creating more permanent full-time jobs by addressing, among other issues, overtime and sick leave.

This is a biggie! SUN intends to remedy overtime and mandated work issues here and SAHO intends to pay lip service to the "principle" of doing something, sometime, maybe, without spending any money!
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(2) The principle will be implemented in accordance with Article 33, to the extent that it has been agreed in Part, with finalization in accordance with section 12.

10.  The collective agreement will contain a provision addressing nursing practice consistent with the principles of the "Kelleher proposal" or as otherwise agreed.

11. (1) All other matters that have been agreed to date in1999 collective bargaining shall form part of the 1999-2002 collective agreement.
 
(2) Any dispute about what matters have been agreed shall be settled in accordance with section 12.

Final and Binding Resolution

12. (1) There shall be a process of mediation of all outstanding issues by Mr. Kelleher, including issues surrounding the Implementation of this Memorandum of Understanding within 30 days.

(2) (2) Mr. Kelleher has the power to determine his own procedure which may include but is not limited to
:
(a) Meetings with one or both parties;
(b) telephone calls with one or more parties;
(c) consulting with other persons to assist him;-
(d) requiring written submissions;
and
(e) conducting hearings.
(3) Mr. Kelleher's fees and expenses shall be born by SAHO.

So who do you think Mr. Kelleher will favor? His employer or the nurses?

Recruitment, Retention and Quality of Care Fund

13. (1) The parties agree to jointly enter into discussions with Saskatchewan Health regarding the administration of a new fund to address recruitment, retention and quality of care issues.

(2) The parties understand that subject to 14. below Saskatchewan Health will provide $7.4 million, to be paid out in equal installments each year of the agreement, to establish the fund. Such an allocation may be applied to the salary schedule.

Subject to 14 means that the nurses don't get the money. This is because the government has concluded the monetary negotiations once again prior to negotiations beginning.
The main question at this point is, define monetary items!

Monetary Value

14. (1) The total value of the monetary elements will total 13.7% of base payroll over the term of the agreement. The specifics set out below are estimated as of this date. In the event an element is over- or under-valued, the recruitment and retention fund described below will be adjusted to keep the total value to 13.7 per cent.

(2) Mr. Allan Bans of the Department of Health will undertake a final costing of the elements described below, working with SUN and SAHO.

(3) Monetary elements:

(a) Effective April, 1999:

(i)Restructure the salary grid, taking into account a Dorsey adjustment of 1.3% to capture classification adjustments for PHNs and CMHNs (other than general duty because of qualification requirements), the annual pay rate of senior nurses in CUPE 600, and 2% for salary increases.

OK This 1.3% Dorsey should not count as part of the 13.7%. Why not? It's not an increase at all, rather it is a base salary adjustment that was decided largely outside the contract environment. Plus it was endorsed by the government early on and will still have the pay equity provision ignored in large by the "red circled" group of nurses.

(ii)Nurses at the Saskatoon Veteran's Home would be red--circled.
(iii) Members who already enjoy EHB would continue to do so, until joined by everyone else.

There is no excuse for delaying Extended Health Benefits longer than it takes to find the best deal in the market place.

(iv) General Duty Salary grid would be restructured into five increment steps in an agreed manner leading to an overall increase as outlined in this clause.

This of course gets junior nurses to the top of the scale 1 year sooner. A good thing for retention puposes. Implement immediately and don't forget to compensate nurses caught in the change over. Those going into year 6 as year 5 comes into effect deserve a bonus equal to the difference for 6 months at the increased scale rate.

(c) Effective April 1,2000:

(i) 2% for salary increases.
(ii) 1% special adjustment (to be applied to SRNA / PRNAs professional fees).
(iii) 2.1% to normalize extended health and dental benefits.

(c) Effective April 1,2001:

(i) 2% for salary increases

This is just a repeat or summary of what and when.

The math then = 2+2+2+2.1+1=9.1% That leaves 4.6% for all other monetary issues (whatever they are over the life of the contract).Subtract 1.3% for equity among bargaining units and we are down to 3.3% for all other issues.

That would be $1436.00 or $478.00 per year per nurse. What additional issues can nurses hope to address with this pitiful amount of money on the table. More discussion below.