Sask. health-care workers demand action over payroll issues

Some health-care workers in Saskatchewan say they haven't been getting paid properly and are facing logistical issues after a new IT system launched, but the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) says the number of employees affected is less than one per cent, on par with numbers under the old system.

The rollout of the Administrative Information Management System (AIMS), designed to manage payroll, human resources and finances for the SHA, began this summer.

"We have tried to work with the SHA to properly implement the AIMS project, but it still does not work the way it should. Our members are missing hundreds, even upwards of $1,000 in some cases on their paycheques, and that is unacceptable," CUPE 5430 president Bashir Jalloh said. 

CUPE 5430 represents around 14,000 workers and is the largest health-care union in Saskatchewan. 

Jalloh said there have been two paydays since the new system rolled out and workers who had their pay impacted are now worried about their next pay, due on Friday. He said workers are concerned about their mortgages and bills, and not being able to put food on the table. 

"There is real fear and anxiety in members because, with the rising cost of living, people are living paycheque to paycheque. And if you have a situation where people go to work, they do their part, and then you are holding their paycheque, what are they going to do?" Jalloh said. 

Samantha Dixon, a lab technician at Weyburn General Hospital, said she was short $900 on her first paycheque after the new system was deployed. Since then, she has received $375 but is still waiting for the rest.  

"I just feel disrespected and demoralized working for a company that doesn't seem too concerned with staff missing substantial amounts of money," Dixon said. 

Mike Northcott, chief human resources officer at the SHA and member of the AIMS executive steering committee, acknowledged there have been some employees affected by errors.

"As with any payroll process, errors occur and small number of employees did not receive a bank deposit at the expected time." Northcott said in a statement. 

"All missing wages from the first and second payroll runs have now been paid out to employees," he said. "The number of employees affected by this in the first pay run was fewer than one per cent, which is the same as the pre-AIMS rate. The second pay run required even fewer advances." 

Jalloh said minimizing workers' concerns is disrespectful and unfortunate. He wants the SHA to fix the issues promptly and pay members who saw their cheques impacted. 

"People feel they are not being respected with the basic right. People go to work; they need to be paid. If you don't pay them, how do you expect them to go to work and focus on dealing with human life when they are worried if they are going to get the full paycheque," he said. 

He said people working overtime, on callback and at different locations are increasingly facing issues with their paycheques. 

AIMS was originally meant to roll out in 2021. However, it was delayed until November 2022 and quickly cancelled due to widespread functionality errors related to pay and scheduling. It was re-launched on June 24, 2024. In the meantime, the cost of the project ballooned from an expected $86 million to a projected $240 million. 

In 2023, the provincial auditor recommended that the SHA conduct a "lessons learned report" for the AIMS rollout, after significant delays and almost tripling its projected budget.