Negotiations take 4 months instead of 21 months seen with previous government
Manitoba’s healthcare system is on the verge of a significant change as the union representing 18,000 healthcare support workers has reached a new tentative agreement with its employers.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing community support and facility support staff at Shared Health and the Winnipeg, Southern, and Northern regional health authorities, said this new agreement, which still requires ratification by CUPE members, covers workers such as healthcare aides, home care attendants, and dietary and clerical staff.
According to CBC News, the negotiations, lasting four months, contrast sharply with the previous bargaining period under the former Progressive Conservative government, which dragged on for 21 months. During that time, members endured seven years without a new deal. The current contract expired in March.
Swift negotiations
Shannon McAteer, CUPE’s healthcare coordinator in Manitoba, noted the improved negotiation process, describing it as a “night and day” difference.
“I guess there wasn’t as much contention coming from the employer side that our [bargaining] committee had to take exception to, so that also helped,” McAteer said in the CBC article.
CUPE said its members will soon receive a document detailing the agreement’s highlights and are invited to information sessions. Voting on the agreement is scheduled for August 20-22.
While the specific terms of the tentative agreement are yet to be disclosed, McAteer indicated that it is similar to agreements recently reached with nurses and teachers. These agreements feature annual wage increases of 2.5% in the first year, 2.75% in the second year, and 3% in each of the final two years.
McAteer expressed optimism to the CBC that the new contract would reflect the respect and recognition that frontline support workers deserve.
“We did share [with the employer] that the frontline support workers were not feeling respected and hopefully… that will come through in the package when they get to see it,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union, representing healthcare support workers in the Interlake-Eastern and Prairie Mountain health regions, is still in negotiations, CBC noted.