After rejecting the latest offer from their employer, health care support workers in Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) and Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA) are preparing for possible job action.
According to a release from the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union (MGEU), their members voted “overwhelmingly” to reject the latest offer and provide their bargaining committee with a strike mandate. Voting began on Tuesday, August 13, and carried into the afternoon on Thursday.
Health care support workers can include anyone ranging from health care aides and occupational therapists to maintenance and clerical staff.
“It takes a whole team to deliver quality health care, but health care support workers are being left behind – with the lowest pay in Canada,” said MGEU President Kyle Ross in a statement. “Without a fair contract that recruits and retains dedicated support workers, Manitoba’s health care system will continue to struggle with critical staffing shortages.”
According to the release, no official strike date has been set but they have begun planning for any potential job action. In the meantime, they want their employer to return to the bargaining table as soon as possible.
“Health care jobs were once seen as highly desirable in Manitoba communities, but it’s hard to recruit when the starting wage for many of these jobs is just $17.07/hour,” said Ross. “We’re asking the employer for a contract that makes health care jobs competitive and helps grow the workforce needed to care for Manitoba patients.”
The last contract expired March 31, 2024.
