Corrections - Component 2 - Bargaining Brief

Updated: Jan 17, 2023
Approx. Number of Members: 2,040
Current Contract Expires: March 29, 2019
MGEU Staff Negotiator: Chris Drosdoski
Elected Bargaining Committee Members: James Alexander, Dylan Almdal, Nelson Bean, Steve Howells, Jason Klinkhammer, Brent Poclitar, Bob Wells, Peter Yourchenko

LATEST BARGAINING NEWS

The MGEU presented its case to the arbitrator for special wage adjustments and other provisions unique to the Corrections Component on November 30 and December 1, 2022. A binding decision is expected in spring 2023.

Overview of Bargaining So Far

Members of Corrections had the opportunity to put forward their ideas and proposals for improving their collective agreement at proposal meetings held throughout the province in November 2018.

The Bargaining Committee then worked to pull together these proposals into a package to present to the employer.

The Bargaining Committee exchanged bargaining proposal packages with the employer on Monday, March 4, 2019. Negotiations with the employer began on Thursday, April 18, 2019 and continued May 16, June 12, July 4 and July 15, 2019. 

The Corrections Bargaining Committee resumed negotiations with the employer again in November 2020, and both sides continued to meet over the next several months.

On April 27, 2021, the MGEU filed an unfair labour practice complaint with the Manitoba Labour Board concerning the employer’s refusal to provide specific monetary proposals and a monetary mandate at the Corrections Component bargaining table.

The Corrections Bargaining Committee has been at the table with the employer for over two years. During this time, they have tabled specific proposals and explained them in detail. The employer has provided its non-monetary proposals but has consistently refused our requests to provide its monetary proposals/mandate. Also, the employer has offered only sporadic bargaining dates, which has made the process more difficult. They tabled a host of concessions but refused to provide specifics about their proposals. After repeated requests, they recently revealed that, after all this time, they have not even sought a mandate from Treasury Board. 

Given the employer’s ongoing refusal to provide its monetary proposals and mandate, and its refusal to respond to the union’s monetary proposals more than two years into bargaining, the union felt it had no option but to file an unfair labour practice complaint, requesting an order from the Labour Board that the employer produce its monetary proposals and mandate.

On July 23, 2021, the employer finally provided the MGEU with a settlement offer. 

Given that monetary improvements for the Corrections Component Agreement were identified as a priority by the membership, the Corrections Bargaining Committee recommended that members vote "no" to the offer.

Information sessions were held August 17 and 18, 2021 and ballots counted on Friday, August 27, 2021.  

Members of the Corrections Component of the Civil Service overwhelmingly rejected an offer put forward by their employer in July 2021.

The Bargaining Committee had recommended that members say "no" to the offer, which contained no meaningful improvements specific to the Corrections Component.  

The rejection put the Committee in a position where they were able to file for arbitration re: the Corrections sub-agreement. 

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