Today CUPE and the MGEU jointly announced a strike notice for Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
Why is there a potential strike?
Health care support workers have made it clear that if government wants to fix the staffing crisis in health care, they need to offer better wages and supports that don’t leave health care support workers behind. In August CUPE and MGEU members voted against the employer’s last proposal, and we have not seen significant movement from the employer since then.
CUPE is demanding fair wages and better working conditions for health care support workers.
Who will be on strike?
If the government and health care employers do not provide an acceptable offer, then CUPE health care support workers could be on strike beginning October 8th in the WRHA, Shared Health, and Southern Health-Santé Sud (Community Support), and MGEU members in Prairie Mountain and Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.
I need more Information:
CUPE will be providing updates and more information as we get closer to the strike deadline. Over the past month CUPE has issued Strike FAQs, including information on Essential Services and Strike Pay, as well as held in-person strike duty sign-up events. If you have not received any information, please update your member contact information as soon as possible so we can send you updates.
You can do this online at:
CUPE204.ca (WRHA and Shared Health, sign up in the YOUnified member portal)
CUPE4270.ca (Southern Health-Santé Sud, sign up in the new member portal)
CUPE500.mb.ca (Riverview Health Centre)
We have had hundreds of members sign up for Picket Captain duty. If you are interested in being a picket captain sign up at cupe.mb.ca/members/picketcaptains
CUPE is arranging more strike pay sign up events and will send the schedule today. Please update your member information to ensure you receive information.
What happens next?
CUPE will continue to put pressure on the government to remind them that fixing health care starts with the front lines. You can sign and share our online petition at allinforhealthcare.ca. We will also be launching our radio ads and billboard campaign this week.
Please reach out to CUPE at healthcare@cupe.ca if you have any questions and stay tuned for our next bargaining update.
– Your Bargaining Team