REGINA: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the Saskatchewan government to prepare to legislate Health Sciences Association of Saskatchewan (HSAS) employees back to work in the event of a full-scale strike.

On Monday, HSAS, which represents 2,700 unionized health-care workers, served 48-hour strike notice on Saskatchewan's 12 health regions and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency. HSAS represents social workers, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, psychologists, paramedics, occupational therapists and trained addiction counselors.

"Above all other considerations, the health interests of Saskatchewanians must be foremost in the mind of government at this time," said CTF Saskatchewan director David MacLean. "Taxpayers must not be asked to forego necessary health treatment due to a labour dispute between the union and the province."

Near the end of 2006 and the beginning of 2007, a labour dispute between the government and the Saskatchewan Government Employees Union resulted in corrections and highway workers walking off the job - the latter jeopardizing the safety of Saskatchewan highways.

"Health unions must not be allowed to hold the health system hostage," added MacLean. "As long as Canadians live under a health care monopoly with nowhere else to turn in the event of a strike, health services must be deemed an essential service and the government must be prepared to defend the interests of patients."

"The government must act now and prepare back-to-work legislation, before citizens across the province are denied health care services," said MacLean. "Nobody should be asked to endure pain and suffering because of someone else's wage demands."