Two years later, workers still left behind in pandemic response

Today marks two years since the COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Two years later, the provincial government has made it clear that they have not learned any lessons from the worst health crisis in Canadian history, as workers are still being left behind without access to paid sick leave, proper PPE, and the necessary information they need to ensure that they are being kept safe at work.

“Today, as we mark the second anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, we remember the workers who have died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace, and those who became seriously ill and have suffered long term health issues,” said SFL President Lori Johb. “We must honour the lives of these workers, and continue our fight to keep workers safe.”

Johb said the SFL will continue to push for worker safety measures such as:

• Paid sick leave for all workers
• Proper PPE and ventilation in workplaces
• Ensuring safe staffing levels in healthcare, education and public services
• Ensuring workers’ right to know about risks in the workplace, including their risk of contracting COVID-19, is upheld through the return of daily COVID case reporting

“The SFL has been fighting for basic safety measures to protect workers since the start of the pandemic, but they have been continually ignored by the Sask. Party government,” said Johb. “Instead, the Sask. Party has failed workers since the start of the pandemic- from refusing to provide even the most basic safety measures like N-95 masks for healthcare workers and leaving federal funding meant to protect workers unspent, to refusing to pay wage top ups to frontline workers. Worst of all, they ignored the advice of health care professionals and prematurely dropped all public health measures which led to a devastating fourth wave that has done lasting and irreversible damage to our healthcare system.”

Johb said that even after the pandemic has finally ended, Saskatchewan workers won’t forget how they were treated by the Sask. Party government.

“This government failed to do their duty to keep workers safe during a public health crisis, and workers became sick and, sadly, died as a result of this inaction. The election may still be a few years away, but, when the time comes to vote, workers will remember this government’s failures.”