Health

Monday is the kick off for Regina's ride your bike to work week.

It all gets going at 1 p.m. at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum with a bike festival. Later in the afternoon, there will also be a community ride around Wascana Park

Spokesperson Ada Chan Russell says the week emphasizes the healthy aspects of cycling.

"Especially today, now when we have work hours and that we're mostly indoors and not doing much exercise on our own. It's a great way to get exercise and be healthy."

Wages is a big part of this dispute, but Cathy Dickson with the Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan says patient safety is also being compromised.

"There are huge waitlists for, especially in the pediatric (assessment) area, where little children are needing to have that assessment done so their development isn't further delayed," said Dickson.

The union will have a news conference at 11 this morning - News Talk Radio will have a reporter at the conference.

This story continues to develop...

At least one person is expecting a strike in the health sector to be a long one thanks to the essential services legislation.

The essential services legislation, introduced by the Brad Wall government in 2007, means that not all members of the Health Services Association of Saskatchewan are allowed to strike because they are essential to public health in this province.

Ben Dachus, a public policy analyst with the CD Howe Institute, says the fact that not everyone is aloud to strike often draws these thing out.

Saskatchewan's health sciences union has rejected a new offer put on the table by the Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO) Tuesday morning.

SAHO's offer would have given EMTs and paramedics closer to a 16 per cent wage increase over four years instead of the seven and a half offered across the board.

Union president Cathy Dickson says that's great for EMS workers, but not for everyone else. 

“We represent 3000 people and this new wage proposal has done nothing to address the recruitment and retention issues,” said Dickson. 

It looks like a promise made is a promise kept for the Health Sciences Association of Saskathchewan (HSAS).

About 60 workers with HSAS are striking today.

The Prince Albert Parkland Health Region has been picked as the strike location. The workers include addictions counsellors, physical therapist and public health inspectors.

The union has been offered a seven and a half percent wage hike over four years. Workers want 18.5 percent over four years.

The North Saskatchewan River Municipal Health Holdings has lost one of its doctors. Dr. Van den Heever was working in Turtleford up until last month when he resigned and returned to South Africa. Chair Red Pearce believes Van den Heever was lonely and didn't like living here in Canada. He says they are currently in negotiations with two other doctors. "We are working with two doctors, in South Africa, and hopefully they will be here to start their training in Saskatoon for the May assessment," said Pearce.