October 4, 2024
Earlier today, the employer requested that we enter “conciliation” to continue negotiations into the weekend. We have agreed to move forward with conciliation in an attempt to achieve what we have heard from our members as their top priorities: improved wages that don’t leave anyone behind and improvements to working conditions.
WINNIPEG, TREATY 1 – Health care support workers in Manitoba are experiencing a new kind of health care cut, according to a survey conducted from over 5,000 support workers in the WRHA, Shared Health, Southern Health-Santé Sud, and the Northern Regional Health Authority.
One in sixteen Manitoba health care support workers report relying on foodbanks or charity, while one in nine have faced housing insecurity.
Nearly 50% of health care support workers have been, or plan to, look for a new job, according to a survey conducted from over 5,000 support workers in the WRHA, Shared Health, Southern Health-Santé Sud, and the Northern Regional Health Authority.
“Recruitment and retention of health care support workers should be a priority for government and health care employers,” said Shannon McAteer, CUPE Health Care Coordinator.
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.
For CUPE health care members in:
CUPE 204 (Community & Facility)
CUPE 4270 (Community)
CUPE 500 (Community & Facility)
With your strike mandate, the CUPE bargaining team went back to the bargaining table today.
Based on all the feedback we received from our members, we were able to present a strong case on why health care support workers are ready to strike for better.
Your CUPE bargaining team is pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement for Health Care Support Workers in Community Support and Facility Support in Shared Health (CUPE 204), WRHA (CUPE 204 & CUPE 500), Southern Health-Santé Sud (CUPE 4270), and Northern Regional Health Authority (CUPE 8600).
This tentative agreement comes after only four months of negotiations between your CUPE team and the Provincial Health Labour Relations Services (the Employers).
Highlights from the 2024 CUPE Manitoba 60th Convention
[caption id="attachment_98533" align="alignright" width="263"] CUPE members and guests joined a round dance with Ebb & Flow Drum Group[/caption]
Dauphin Manitoba, Treaty 2 – CUPE activists from across Manitoba gathered from April 29 – 3, 2024 in Dauphin, Treaty 2 Territory, for the 60th annual convention of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Manitoba.
Winnipeg, Treaty 1 – Manitoba’s largest union is applauding the NDP government’s first budget, which should help address chronic understaffing in healthcare, childcare, municipal services, and education.
“Hiring 600 health care aides will help fill the staffing holes created by the previous government”, said Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba. “We hear every day from health care support staff across Manitoba who are calling for backup, and now the help is coming”.
Health care workers at Ten Ten Sinclair have voted 97% to accept a new deal after four years without a new contract.
“Front-line health care support workers at Ten Ten Sinclair stood up and demanded fair wage increases and won,” said Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba. “After over two weeks on strike, these workers have achieved significant gains, and are heading back to work to care for the people they love”.
WINNIPEG, Treaty 1 – The largest health care strike in Manitoba in over a decade began on Wednesday, March 6 at 12:00 am, with 160 health care support workers at Ten Ten Sinclair Inc. officially on strike.
“After all they’ve been through, these health care workers are literally being left out in the cold”, said Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba.