MGEU health care support members in Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) and Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (IERHA) have overwhelmingly voted to reject the employer's offer at the bargaining table and to provide the Bargaining Committee with a strike mandate. Voting on the employer's offer started on Tuesday, August 13 and closed today at noon.
“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. “Without a fair contract that recruits and retains dedicated support workers, Manitoba’s health care system will continue to struggle with critical staffing shortages.”
The MGEU will be requesting that the employer return to the bargaining table as soon as possible. No official strike date has been set yet, but planning will begin immediately to prepare for the possibility that job action becomes necessary.
“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,” added 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.