Manitoba has too many bargaining units; Premier pushing public sector unions for more changes

WINNIPEG — Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister says he wants to see fewer bargaining units in the public sector, and is hoping union leaders will agree to a reduction.

In his annual state of the province speech, Pallister said there are 169 bargaining units in health care alone, and reducing that number would mean less time and money spent on contract talks.

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“Less time on bargaining and more time on caring can mean better services to the front line of our province,” said Pallister. “It just makes so much sense to benefit the working people of our province to reduce the top-heavy nature of too many collective bargaining agreements.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Less time on bargaining and more time on caring can mean better services to the front line of our province," said Pallister. "It just makes so much sense to benefit the working people of our province to reduce the top-heavy nature of too many collective bargaining agreements."

Labour groups said the premier’s call for change came as surprise to them.

“I wonder what’s underneath all that and what the end goal that’s being worked towards,” said Kevin Rebek, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL). “Finding out these kind of questions or this kind of wish from government at a forum like this is unfortunate.”

It’s the latest in a series of statements that Pallister has made about wanting changes from public-sector workers.

He has already said legislation is coming in the spring to control public-sector spending including wages.

The MFL said this is just the latest attack on the public sector.

“It’s a surprise… I think the labour movement as a whole feels that we are not part of a conversation,” said Rebek. “We are being talked about, not being talked to.”

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Pallister has also left the door open to reworking existing collective agreements to save money.

The Manitoba Federation of Labour says it is surprised by Pallister’s latest move and is worried the premier may be trying to drive down wages and benefits.

— With files from the Canadian Press