This week, CUPE is celebrating the 19,000 CUPE members who work as health care support workers across Manitoba in Locals 204, 8600, 4270, and 500. The Manitoba Government has proclaimed October 21 – 25 as Health Care Support Workers’ Week.
“Health care support workers are part of the foundation of our health care system and a critical part of the health care team,” says Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba. “This is a week to officially recognize each and every health care support worker in every community across Manitoba”.
On October 8th, 18,000 CUPE members in Locals 204, 4270, and 500 — joined by MGEU members in health care — were less than 2 hours from launching the largest health care strike in Manitoba history, when CUPE’s health care bargaining committee reached a new tentative agreement at 4:30 AM. The new agreement adds an additional $3.00/hour in wage increases for most members to the earlier offer, bringing the total value of wage increases in the agreement to an average of 27% over 4 years.
“CUPE Health Care Support Workers rejected the July offer because it didn’t do enough to address the low wages and the recruitment and retention crisis in health care,” says Margaret Schroeder, who represents 16,000 Manitoba Health Care Support Workers as President of CUPE Local 204.
“As frontline Health Care Workers, our members said ‘enough is enough’ and they were willing to strike for fairness”, says Holly Chaperon, President of CUPE Local 4270 in the Southern Health Region.
On Friday October 18th, CUPE members in all affected bargaining units completed their vote to ratify the new agreement.
Gord Delbridge, President of Local 500 says that “Health care workers deserve a fair wage. This is the best increase support workers have seen in three decades, and it’s much deserved”.
The terms of the new agreement will also cover CUPE members in Local 8600 in the Northern Health Region. Local 8600 President Christine Lussier says, “The recruitment and retention crisis in health care is even more acute in the North. Hopefully more competitive wages in health care will help address our high job vacancy rates in the North”.
McKay notes that “For years, with a peak during the pandemic, media, governments, and communities referenced only ‘doctors and nurses’ when speaking about health care, often as the only people in health care. I think we are now starting to see that narrative change. The Manitoba Government’s proclamation of Health Care Support Workers’ Week is an important way to recognize the essential role of Health Care Support Workers”.
“This new health care contract shows that this provincial government respects healthcare support staff”, says McKay. “This is a government that is fulfilling its election commitment to fix healthcare in Manitoba”.
In recognition of CUPE Health Care Support Workers and their historic stand for better wages and safer working conditions, the Esplanade Riel Bridge and the Winnipeg sign at the Forks will be lit up in CUPE pink on October 22nd, from dusk until dawn.
LISTEN to CUPE’s radio ad for Health Care Support Workers’ Week.
READ the Proclamation and Letter from Honourable Uzoma Asagwara, Minister of Health, Seniors, and Long Term Care
On behalf of CUPE Manitoba, Thank you! to all Health Care Support Workers in Manitoba!
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing 750,000 members. In Manitoba, CUPE represents approximately 37,000 members working in health care facilities, personal care homes, school divisions, municipal services, social services, child care centres, public utilities, libraries and family emergency services.