Bashir Jalloh, president of CUPE Local 5430, said his union’s health-care workers are frustrated and angry and just want to go on strike, no matter the consequences. Oct. 28, 2026 (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

Sask. health-care unions meet with health minister amid bargaining frustrations

By Lisa Schick Oct 29, 2026 | 5:58 AM

Ahead of health-care union leaders heading into a meeting with provincial ministers Wednesday morning, health-care workers showed up in force for a rally in front of the Legislative Building.

Bashir Jalloh, president of CUPE Local 5430, was among the leaders who attended the meeting.

Normally the unions face off against SAHO at the bargaining table, but here Jalloh said they were able to present their case to the health minister directly and give him their side of the story.

Jalloh said the minister heard them out, and said he was aware of the Western Canadian average wages for health-care workers – something Jalloh said he might take as a positive. But Jalloh also said he didn’t know whether that would translate to something positive for workers at the bargaining table.

“We’ve been here before, he’s said the same thing before, he has committed to us that there is a possibility for a speedy conclusion to this, and we still are where we are,” explained Jalloh.

He said he hopes the minister listens to the voices of workers, because they’re frustrated and angry.

“People want to go out, go on strike, don’t care about the fine. We can do whatever, whatever the consequences, because it’s been over four and a half years,” he said.

Lisa Zunti, president of SEIU-West, said there were good conversations in the meeting, but also claimed the government is hiding behind its bargaining agent, SAHO, and that it should instead move to make a deal.

“Take responsibility for ending this contract and getting these people a proper wage increase,” said Zunti.

SEIU-West president Lisa Zunti speaks to reporters. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said government also wants a deal and would like to see things move quicker, but also claimed progress is being made at all the tables.

He wouldn’t get specific about the sticking points, but said wages are always a topic with any union – Cockrill said the unions want to make sure their workers are well-compensated, and so does government.

“We want to make sure that health-care compensation stays competitive compared to the Western Canadian average; that’s really important for us from a recruitment and retention perspective. So there’s alignment there,” said Cockrill.

Last month, CUPE members voted 99 per cent in favour of authorizing job action. Cockrill said any time service continuity is threatened, “that’s a concern” to him. But he also said it’s important for people to know there’s there are several steps in the process before a strike could happen.