REGINA — A controversial labour dispute appears to be ending with a settlement, not back-to-work legislation.
A tentative agreement on a new three-year contract for 470 unionized Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation employees has been reached, the Saskatchewan Party government and the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU) announced on Friday.
The agreement means the special sitting of the legislature called for Monday by the government to pass back-to-work legislation to end the strike will not take place.
Workers — who have been without a contract since 2009 — walked off the job Tuesday afternoon.
But after extreme flooding conditions in southern Saskatchewan and a comment from SGEU president Bob Bymoen that the union was walking off in a “moment of opportunity,” an angry Premier Brad Wall issued an ultimatum a day later for the employees to return to work within 24 hours.
When that deadline was not met on Thursday, Wall announced the legislature would be recalled to force the workers back. The legislature ended its spring sitting in May and was not expected to sit again until after the fall provincial election.
The government had been offering a 5.5-per-cent wage increase over three years while the union had been seeking 7.75 per cent. The monetary difference between the two figures has been reported as less than $500,000.
The deal announced Friday included a 5.5-per-cent wage increase, plus a .25 per cent increase in the third year in consideration of negotiated efficiencies.
It also includes some extras in the area of dental plan, overnight allowances and holiday pay.
In a written statement, Wall thanked the crop insurance workers and said the legislative session would be cancelled.
“This is very good news,” Wall said.
“I know that Crop Insurance employees would much rather be at work processing claims and helping farmers at this difficult time. This agreement means they will soon be back at work providing those vital services for Saskatchewan producers.”
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