As one strike in Manitoba appears to be moving in a positive direction with the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) reaching a tentative agreement Wednesday, another one could be getting underway soon.
Manitoba Public Insurance says it’s finalizing labour interruption plans after the union, representing 1,700 workers, rejected the latest offer.
MGEU says it has been in negotiations with MPI since September 2022 and claims the latest offer would provide annual wage increases of two per cent per year over four years.
“The latest employer falls far short of inflation and far short of what the Premier and her cabinet ministers are taking for themselves,” said MGEU president Kyle Ross. “That’s why our bargaining committee is preparing for a possible strike.”
MPI claims the offer included a global monetary value of up to 17 per cent over four years, with an offer to proceed directly to binding arbitration on the issue of general wage increases.
“Voluntary arbitration on general wage increases is a fair and binding process that would avoid any income loss for MPI employees and their families, prevent unnecessary service disruption to customers, and eliminate inconvenience for all of the Manitobans we serve,” said MPI board chair Ward Keith. “There is no downside to MPI employees, so it is difficult to understand why strike action is still being considered by MGEU.”
The union says this is a disingenuous stance from MPI and says this “grossly inflates their actual offer by including non-wage items, one-time payments and other increases that flow only to some members.”
Ross says strike action is a last resort and there is hope a deal can still be reached.