Within 6 hours of their legal strike, Roy and the boyz and girlz (yes, even the most progressive women among them are toeing the line) introduced back-to-work legislation. The passing of Bill 23 makes the nurses strike illegal.
It’s not enough that the act is law. Oh, no. The Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO aka Management) got an injunction - a court order - telling the nurses’ union to get back to work and specifically ordered the SUN leadership to tell their membership to go back.
Would these women defy both legislation *and* a court order? You bet your sweet ass they would! And they are. Just a couple days after the legislation and the court order the nurses held a rally, one of the largest Saskatchewan has seen in the past decade. Choruses of “Solidarity Forever” in three-part harmony and “Hell no! We won’t go!” echoed across the lake. Not only did Roy piss off the nurses with the legislation. You see he put the icing on the cake when he released, to the media, details regarding the nurses’ bargaining position. Way to play unfair, Roy.
So Roy, it’s not enough that you make it to the national stage (again) sounding the horns about National Unity and such. But, after Brother Bob White, *dares* to challenge your unfair ways, you tell him to “stay on his own turf!” How hypocritical, Roy, to encourage that kind of dissidence among Canadians.
We’re tired of you and your image, Roy. We’re tired of your schmoozing with business. We’re tired of your games. Run, Roy, run! Run out of provincial politics before we vote you out! Tories are easier to deal with; we know what to expect from them. Tories in disguise are another matter.
or more than a decade, the voice of Saskatchewan nurses has been squelched, misinterpreted and worse, ignored. The nurses finally said enough and walked off the job in a legal strike position.
Not only did Roy piss off the nurses with the legislation. You see he put the icing on the cake when he released, to the media, details regarding the nurses' bargaining position. Way to play unfair, Roy.
Bernadette is a feminist activist in Regina who is sick and tired of the games people play, particularly when it involves the lives of women and children.
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