SGEU requests mediator as negotiations with gov’t reach impasse

PS/GE represents over 11,000 members in government ministries and agencies, including firefighters, correctional officers, child protection workers, equipment operators and conservation officers. The SGEU building in Regina can be seen in this photo. (CTV News Regina)

A union representing Saskatchewan government workers union has reached an impasse with the province in its ongoing collective bargaining negotiations.

The Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union (SGEU) has requested the Minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety to appoint a mediator or conciliator to help both parties reach a satisfactory agreement.

Workers with SGEU’s Public Service/Government Employment (PS/GE) unit have been without a contract since Sept. 30, 2025.

PS/GE represents over 11,000 members in government ministries and agencies, including firefighters, correctional officers, child protection workers, equipment operators and conservation officers.

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According to a news release issued Monday, there have been 21 separate bargaining sessions between Oct. 21, 2025 and Nov. 2, 2026.

“This impasse is not just about dollars; it’s about the government’s failure to recruit and retain skilled professionals required to keep Saskatchewan safe and running,” said Justin Priel, chair of SGEU’s PS/GE negotiating committee in the release.

“We cannot keep wildland firefighters on the frontlines, we cannot retain pilots to fly emergency aircraft, and we cannot keep correctional facilities or child protection services properly staffed. You cannot deliver ‘high-quality public services’ when positions across the public service remain vacant.”

Priel also pointed to uncompetitive wages as a factor in the province’s recruitment and retention challenges.

Under the Saskatchewan Employment Act, both the union and the employer are negotiating an Essential Service Agreement to decide which duties must be performed in the event of a work stoppage.

“SGEU proactively initiated ESA negotiations alongside main table bargaining to avoid unnecessary delays should job action become necessary,” SGEU stated in the release.

“SGEU continues to challenge the constitutionality of the SEA’s restrictive essential services provisions in court.”