As unionized Manitoba Public Insurance workers continue to walk the picket line amid disputes between the union representing them and the province, the two parties went back to the negotiating table Tuesday.
The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union says the latest offer has “barely” changed since strike action began on Aug. 28.
According to the union, the Crown corporation’s latest offer extended a one per cent retention adjustment to all workers, and an extra step that would provide a 3.5 per cent increase to just under half of MPI members in 2025 was moved up to 2023.
The government also withdrew the no-layoff clause it had previously offered.
“It still falls far short of the rising cost of living … no matter how the government spins and misrepresents their offer, the reality is that one third of MPI workers would receive wage increases of just 9% over four years,” MGEU president Kyle Ross said in a statement.
Unionized employees started strike action after unsuccessfully agreeing to a contract that would see a general wage increase. The Crown corporation later came under fire when it announced it was hiring replacement workers to resume driver testing.
MPI said included in its latest offer to employees is a wage increase of two per cent over four years and a $1,800, one-time lump sum signing bonus.
“MPI has been as responsive as it can be to the union’s clear preference for a bargaining table solution that our employees can finally vote on,” MPI chairperson Ward Keith said in a news release.
“We appreciate the efforts and skill of the conciliator and the bargaining teams for both sides, who both seem eager to resolve this five-week strike as soon as possible for the benefit of our employees and all of the Manitobans we serve.”
MPI hopes to take the offer to a vote soon, but Ross said it won’t be so easy.
“We have said from the beginning that all members at MPI need wage increases that help them start to catch up and keep up. This latest offer leaves far too many members behind,” he said in a statement.
“After four years without any wage increase at all, all MPI members have earned a fair raise.”