Late Monday afternoon, the provincial government announced a new Provincial Emergency Order had been issued to once again provide for labour mobility in the health system through greater flexibility in scheduling and redirecting health care workers to areas experiencing capacity pressures and in the use of supplementary resources.

A previous letter of understanding (LOU) enabled the SHA to ensure the right staff were available at the right place and time to help in the COVID-19 response. That LOU expired earlier this year.

Given the urgent and immediate needs of the health care system, under the authority of The Emergency Planning Act and the declaration of emergency, the Premier has issued a Minister’s Order reinstating the previously negotiated LOU among the SHA, affiliates and unions. (Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS), Saskatchewan Employees International Union – West (SEIU-West), Saskatchewan Government and General Employees’ Union – SAHO (SGEU) and Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN)).

The move is effective immediately.