Province’s contract offer not enough to make Manitoba competitive or fix health care
Today, MGEU released new research that shows health care support workers in Manitoba are the lowest paid in Canada. The research is based on data obtained from the Government of Canada and a review of collective agreements from every province.
“It’s no wonder that Manitoba’s health care system is struggling with a serious staffing crisis,” said MGEU President Kyle Ross. “You can’t expect to fix health care when you have the lowest paid workers in the country.”
Highlights from the research released today include:
- According to labour market data published by the Government of Canada, hourly wages for Manitoba Health Care Aides rank 10th among the provinces.
- Even with the Province’s recent contract offer to health care support workers, hourly wages for Manitoba Health Care Aides are projected to remain the lowest (10th) among provinces (assuming conservative wage increases of just 2.5%/year in other provinces where bargaining has not yet concluded).
- Starting hourly wages for Housekeeping Aides ($17.07/hr), Laundry Aides ($17.07/hr), Dietary Aides ($17.07/hr), Cleaners ($17.07/hr), and Maintenance Workers ($18.51/hr), in Manitoba are the lowest (10th) among provinces.
View details and supporting documentation on the new research.
“It takes a whole team to deliver quality health care. Manitoba won’t be able to fix health care if key members of the health care team are left behind and the staffing shortages grow,” said Ross. “That’s why health care support workers should reject the Province’s so-called ‘best offer’.”
Between August 13-15, 6,500 MGEU health care support workers will vote either to accept the Province’s contract offer, or to reject it and give their bargaining committees a strike mandate. Results will be announced on the afternoon of August 15. Other health care support workers will vote on the offer later this month.