WINNIPEG – After weeks of difficult bargaining, the government and the employers have not come back to the union with an acceptable wage offer to complete contract bargaining with Manitoba’s health care support workers.
Negotiators for the CUPE members have served notice for strike action to start on Thursday, September 19th. Workers at 13 health facilities in Winnipeg and one in Gimli will be on the picket line immediately after.
According to Lorraine Sigurdson, CUPE Health Care Coordinator who has been the main negotiator, “We really don’t have a reasonable offer from the government on the table. We’ve been talking for almost a month now and there hasn’t been any movement from the government that we can respond to.”
The Negotiating Committee has advised the mediator, Wally Fox-Decent, that they are prepared to continue bargaining, but that there must be a serious offer before discussions can continue.
“We’re obviously frustrated. We have been discussing different options and ideas for too long now but we just have not received a wage increase offer we can deal with. It seems the government wants us to go out on strike,” said Sigurdson.
CUPE, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, represents health care support workers in the 14 bargaining units involved in negotiations since August 15th – Health Sciences Centre; Grace, Seven Oaks and Concordia Hospitals; CancerCare Manitoba; the Regional Distribution Facility; Riverview Health Centre; Rehab Centre for Children; and Bethania, Golden West, Pembina Place, Luther Home, Middlechurch and Betel (Gimli) long term care facilities.
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For more information, contact:
Lorraine Sigurdson, CUPE Health Care Coordinator
Phone: 942-0343, ext. 214
Dennis Lewycky, Research/Communications Representative
Phone: 942-0343, ext. 298
Negotiators for the CUPE members have served notice for strike action to start on Thursday, September 19th. Workers at 13 health facilities in Winnipeg and one in Gimli will be on the picket line immediately after.
According to Lorraine Sigurdson, CUPE Health Care Coordinator who has been the main negotiator, “We really don’t have a reasonable offer from the government on the table. We’ve been talking for almost a month now and there hasn’t been any movement from the government that we can respond to.”
The Negotiating Committee has advised the mediator, Wally Fox-Decent, that they are prepared to continue bargaining, but that there must be a serious offer before discussions can continue.
“We’re obviously frustrated. We have been discussing different options and ideas for too long now but we just have not received a wage increase offer we can deal with. It seems the government wants us to go out on strike,” said Sigurdson.
CUPE, the Canadian Union of Public Employees, represents health care support workers in the 14 bargaining units involved in negotiations since August 15th – Health Sciences Centre; Grace, Seven Oaks and Concordia Hospitals; CancerCare Manitoba; the Regional Distribution Facility; Riverview Health Centre; Rehab Centre for Children; and Bethania, Golden West, Pembina Place, Luther Home, Middlechurch and Betel (Gimli) long term care facilities.
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For more information, contact:
Lorraine Sigurdson, CUPE Health Care Coordinator
Phone: 942-0343, ext. 214
Dennis Lewycky, Research/Communications Representative
Phone: 942-0343, ext. 298