Cupe Urges Saskatchewan Government To Take Action As Library Workers Face Violence - Beritaja

Albert Michael By: Albert Michael - Thursday, 05 March 2026 01:32:37

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A national representing Saskatchewan room workers says they are dealing pinch escalating threats and violence.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) said Tuesday that supplier addiction issues are the root of specified problems.

It’s calling connected Premier Scott Moe’s authorities to return emergency action.

“Members person had weapons pulled connected them,” national president Kent Peterson said successful an interview. “This is simply a beautiful communal occurrence.

“It’s conscionable an denotation of the reality that group are turning up successful libraries because location are truthful fewer supports and services disposable to them.”

Peterson said a room worker successful Regina mislaid a digit about a twelvemonth agone aft it was trim disconnected by a machete.

The Regina Public Library, however, disputed Peterson. In a statement, the room said the 2023 machete altercation began extracurricular the building and ended pinch the wounded occurring successful the room entrance.

“No unit mislaid a finger,” the room said successful a connection Wednesday.

Peterson besides recounted a female successful Saskatoon who fought pinch a man successful a parking batch aft he reportedly tried to worldly her into the trunk of his car.

“We’ve had members who person been sexually assaulted astatine work, successful the hallway astatine activity because of these (addiction and homelessness) issues,” Peterson said.

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“It is not uncommon for our room workers to woody pinch folks who are overdosing.”

 'Saskatoon Public Library temporarily closes 2 locations complete overdose concerns'

2:08 Saskatoon Public Library temporarily closes 2 locations complete overdose concerns

Peterson joined the Opposition NDP astatine an earlier news convention successful Saskatoon to telephone connected the Saskatchewan Party authorities to supply meaningful finance into organization services.

NDP wellness professional Vicki Mowat said the toxic supplier situation continues to spiral retired of control, pinch Saskatoon’s bum organization larger than it was a twelvemonth ago.

“Library workers are not first responders and they should not beryllium near to do the occupation of the provincial government,” she told reporters.

Last year, 2 libraries successful Saskatoon temporarily closed owed to heightened supplier usage and violence.

At the legislature Tuesday, Joan Pratchler of the NDP asked whether Social Services Minister Terry Jenson would return work for the increasing violence.

In response, Jenson told the assembly the state is moving pinch the cities of Regina and Saskatoon and organization organizations to tackle the issue.

“We person outreach teams that meet group successful spot … whether that beryllium location successful the community. It could beryllium connected the street, it could beryllium successful beforehand of the library,” he said.

Jenson later told reporters the state has spent $118 cardinal to reside homelessness, addictions and intelligence wellness issues. The state is besides adding much lodging units successful Saskatoon and Regina, he said.

“This is not thing that is going to beryllium solved overnight, this is not going to beryllium solved pinch a threat of a finger,” he said.

“This is thing that is only going to beryllium solved pinch the collaboration and co-operation of municipalities.”

Peterson said issues are conscionable arsenic bad arsenic they were a twelvemonth ago.

“If the curate thinks that what they’re doing is adequate, they’ve ne'er stepped ft successful a room successful the past number of years,” he said.

Jenson said he hasn’t been wrong a room successful Saskatoon, but has seen “individuals” extracurricular from clip to time.

Asked if he should sojourn pinch workers to talk violence, the curate said labor should telephone the constabulary if they are ever threatened.

“If somebody’s emotion harmed moving astatine 7-Eleven, does that mean I should spell talk to the individual astatine 7-Eleven?” he said. “The room is simply a civic facility.”

Saskatchewan’s authorities provided libraries pinch $11.6 cardinal successful backing past year. The cities of Regina and Saskatoon chiefly money their libraries done municipal taxes.

“Violence successful the workplace is wholly unacceptable, nary matter the workplace,” Jenson said.

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