Wall warns crop insurance workers

Premier Brad Wall blasted the union representing crop insurance employees for launching a strike during a time of severe flooding and warned workers to return to work within 24 hours or "action will be taken."

In a scathing letter sent Wednesday to Bob Bymoen, president of the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU), Wall described the union's decision to take workers off the job Tuesday as "appalling" and "deplorable" because of the flooding conditions in southern Saskatchewan.

Wall said the strike should be called off at least until all claims for unseeded and flooded-out acres are processed.

"People in this province have enough stress right now and they certainly don't need the prospect of not having the adjustments (on their claims) done when literally their income for the year, it hangs in the balance," Wall said, speaking to reporters at the legislature.

SGEU, which represents about 470 employees working in AgriStability and production insurance programs, responded to the warning by inviting crop insurance management to meet in Regina for a bargaining session Wednesday night. Alan Evans, chair of the negotiating committee, said that workers could be returned to their jobs if progress is made.

"What we're looking for is negotiations in good faith and if we can see that then we would direct our employees to go back to work," Evans said told reporters. "What I would like to see is a tentative agreement."

Evans said the union isn't using the flood as a bargaining chip. He said the stage was set for a strike some time ago.

"It's unfortunate that the flooding and the excessive moisture and the people that can't get their crops seeded has got involved in this. We're rural people. We don't normally strike. We don't want to do this. But there comes a time that sometimes you have to take a stand and this is our stand," he said.

Evans said the workers want a "fair and reasonable increase" and the province's offer of five-per-cent pay increases spread over three years doesn't make the grade. The union is looking for about eight per cent, he said.

Wall declined to specify what actions would be taken if the workers don't return to their jobs by midmorning today. But he did say the government would be able to recall the legislative assembly to pass back-to-work legislation.

NDP house leader Kevin Yates said he was concerned about the 24-hour ultimatum from Wall.

"It seems to be all about politics and not about the real concerns," he told reporters.

"The issue is, he ideologically said he was going to war with labour and we're seeing that clearly. But to say it will have this massive instant impact on farmers when there's clearly differing opinions over whether it will or not, he's playing on the emotion for his political and ideological reasons."

Yates said crop insurance workers are seeking the same settlement as that received by Information Services Corporation employees.

And the monetary difference between what SGEU is asking for and what the government is offering totals $450,000, Yates said.

The government said there are so far 5,300 claims for unseeded acres, 2,000 of which came in Tuesday alone. Thousands more are expected.

The last collective agreeent expired in fall 2009.