Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) says they plan to maintain some services amid potential strike action by Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union workers.
Approximately 1,700 unionized MPI employees are expected to be on the picket line beginning Monday at 7:30 a.m. if a new contract isn’t negotiated by end of day Sunday.
MPI said general inquiries and service transactions can be done at any of its nearly 300 broker partners across the province, including licence renewals, new insurance policies and insurance payments.
MPI’s contact centre will stay open for reporting personal injury claims, non-drivable collision claims and total-theft claims.
Customers reporting all other types of collision damage claims, including hail claims, can go directly to an MPI accredited repair shop.
Last week, members voted in favour of strike action after a new contract couldn’t be settled between the two entities. MPI employees have been working under an expired contact since September 2022 and rejected the Crown corporation’s offer of a two-per cent annual wage increase.
MPI claims they offered the union an agreement with a monetary value up to 17 per cent.
“Our members have been clear – they want an agreement that helps everyone keep up with the soaring cost of living… This strike can end before it even starts, and our bargaining team is willing to meet over the weekend to make that happen so our members can continue to go to work and serve Manitobans,” MGEU President Kyle Ross said in a Friday press release.