Manitoba Budget Continues to Fall Short

WINNIPEG – The 2022 Manitoba budget continues to put public services at risk, says CUPE Manitoba.

“Manitobans expect to see a budget that protects the public services they rely on,” says
Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba.  “This government continues to cut taxes for ideological reasons rather than fully supporting our schools and health care facilities.”

CUPE is concerned that the government’s plan to reach a balanced budget by 2028 will come on the backs of Manitoba workers and public services families rely on.

“The government spent years cutting health care and eliminating full-time jobs, and now they pat themselves on the backs for this year’s budget,” added McKay.  “Manitobans won’t forget how this government decimated our health care system.”

“We are also deeply concerned that the government will look to privatizing, contracting out, and selling off public services in order to balance their budget,” says McKay.

“We are pleased that the government is providing wage support for community living workers,” says McKay. CUPE joined with MGEU and UFCW in a public campaign to call on the government to increase support for these critical workers.

“We need a government that takes bold steps to support public services, especially during a pandemic that is not yet over,” says McKay.  “This budget doesn’t do that.”

CUPE will continue to analyze the budget.

 

“Wall Report” on Manitoba Hydro projects opens new doors to privatization

The release of the much anticipated “Wall Report” opens the door to new forms of privatization in Manitoba Hydro through the use of Private Public Partnerships (P3s), the sale of entire divisions of our provincialpublic utility, and the introduction of private companies to generate electricity in Manitoba, says CUPE 998.

“Pallister’s approach to privatizing Manitoba Hydro is about taking one slice at a time,” says Michelle Bergen, President of CUPE 998. “This government is carving off pieces of our Crown Corporation for sale, winding down subsidiaries, and now potentially introducing P3s to our hydro infrastructure and allowing private, for-profit generation of electricity.”

Wall’s report recommends continuing the government’s agenda of breaking apart Manitoba Hydro by dissolving Manitoba Hydro’s subsidiaries, which the report suggests are not “core” to the work of the utility. Wall suggested the government could sell these off and “use the proceeds” to reduce debt. Wall specifically alluded to Manitoba Hydro’s natural gas division.

Wall’s report explicitly calls for the end of a fully public system by introducing private, for-profit companies to the market. For example, recommendation #2.1 in the report encourages the government to consider private sector access to hydro transmission to allow private companies to compete with Manitoba Hydro for export customers

The report also focuses on introducing Private Public Partnerships (P3s) to Hydro projects.

P3s are a form of privatization, and it’s clear that the Wall Report recommends opening the door for privatization of Manitoba Hydro ‘by stealth’. “P3s are more expensive, reduce public oversight, and result in significant profits for the private sector at the public’s cost.

P3s are often promoted with the claim that the private sector takes on responsibility for risks previously assumed by the public. However, so-called risk transfer comes with a very high price tag.

“Private, for-profit corporations in P3s aren’t participating in projects for the public good, they are there to make a profit,” says Bergen. “At the end of the day no private company would ever take on risk associated with building hydro-electric dams in Northern Manitoba without the expectation of significant private profit, and Manitobans will be the ones paying for that profit with even less accountability.”

The previous NDP government enacted legislation that ensures thorough oversight, transparency, and accountability for any proposed P3 project in Manitoba. This was among the first laws that the Pallister government scrapped upon taking office in 2016.

In October 2019, the Pallister government commissioned former Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall to take over as commissioner of a secretive inquiry into Manitoba Hydro’s Bipole III transmission and converter station project, and Keeyask Generating Station. The report was announced on Friday, February 26, 2021, and can be found here.

CUPE Local 998 represents approximately 900 clerical and technical staff at Manitoba Hydro.

Premier Pallister is playing smoke and mirrors with Hydro

Winnipeg – Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister is playing smoke and mirrors with the public, and is using the COVID-19 pandemic to justify his agenda of public sector cuts, says CUPE 998 President Michelle Bergen representing clerical and technical staff at Manitoba Hydro.

“The half-truths and disinformation coming out of the Premier’s mouth show a deep lack of leadership, and need to be addressed,” says Bergen in response to Pallister’s media conference today.

The Premier consistently claims that public sector unions have not been participating in meaningful dialogue with government or government departments as per Pallister’s April 17 demand for reduced spending.

There is no merit to the latest claim that Manitoba Hydro staff and their representatives have not been participating in constructive dialogue.

On April 20, CUPE and other unions representing Manitoba Hydro employees provided numerous suggestions for alternatives and requested more in-depth discussions, including the option of pursuing Work Share programs (as suggested by Pallister himself), but were turned down by Hydro.

The mandate from government becomes clear: it is either wage rollbacks or layoffs, regardless of what discussions took place.

“The reality is that unions have been at the forefront of constructive labour relations during the pandemic, offering solutions and ideas, and I don’t think the Premier expected that”, says Bergen.

“Pallister is caught in his own web, and is looking for anyone to blame, whether it be unions, universities, school divisions or Crowns who are telling him they just can’t cut any more.”

The government has resisted questions on what employees constitute ‘non-essential’ for the purposes of layoffs.

To-date Pallister has provided only deflections and musings about how we’re all family and we need to pull up our boot straps, or something tedious like that.

“Premier Pallister needs to stop using the pandemic as a smoke screen for his austerity agenda, and he needs to come clean to Manitobans”, concludes Bergen.

In the meantime, it is CUPE 998’s intention to get back to meeting with Hydro to discuss alternatives to mass layoffs.

Pallister pushes reckless plan to lay off 700 at Manitoba Hydro

WINNIPEG – Unions representing Manitoba Hydro workers across the province are outraged that the Premier is putting the safety and reliability of public energy at risk by forcing mass, unjustified job cuts.

AMHSSE, CUPE, IBEW and Unifor have been in talks with Manitoba Hydro. Government demanded huge cuts from public bodies, and Hydro plans to move ahead with up to 700 layoffs to meet the target. The Unions are warning Premier Pallister that this is no time to cut essential services and frontline workers.

“This is reckless. Manitoba Hydro is an essential public service that is operating at full capacity throughout this pandemic,” said Michelle Bergen, President of CUPE Local 998. “Pallister has had his eyes on our public Hydro since he was elected in 2016. Pallister’s cuts are not to support the fight against COVID-19, they are purely political. This will be devastating.”

Added Terry Dunlop, President of AMHSSE: “The government’s demand for cuts at Hydro has been relentless. The government is supposed to be supporting frontline workers and Manitobans. These job cuts hurt, not help.”

The Unions learned that Hydro found temporary savings in other areas and would have been able to deliver nearly all the demanded savings over fours months – but Pallister insisted on deep job cuts. Unions proposed a work share plan, but Hydro claimed it would not be eligible. Unions learned that Hydro included vacancy management (leaving vacant positions unfilled) measures in their cost-cutting plan, but even that was not enough for government. Hydro told unions today that they would be laying off 11-13% of the workforce, or 600-700 people.

“It’s time for us to stand up for safe, reliable public energy,” said Mike Espenell, Business Manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. “These mass job cuts will put Hydro in a dangerous position. We are working full-tilt and using safe practices during the pandemic. We are doing our part, coming to work every day. This pandemic could be a lot worse to handle if Manitobans in care, at home, at work and in industry have to wait longer for service because of Pallister’s reckless cuts.”

The Unions argue that job cuts and wage depression for frontline workers at the utility have left no room for more job cuts. In recent years, at the Premier’s behest, Hydro workers have already taken two years of flatlined wages, and the frontline workforce has been downsized.

Added Victor Diduch, Acting President of Unifor Local 681: “We have already been cut to the bone – Hydro’s annual payroll cost has been going down for four years. To meet Pallister’s demands to cut costs, we are getting into the danger zone. It makes no sense to hammer workers – all that does is compromise our public hydro and gas service, and take money away from families who are trying to get through this crisis. Pallister is clinging to an austerity agenda during the pandemic, against all evidence.”

For more information or to arrange an interview:

Association of Manitoba Hydro Staff and Supervisory Employees (AMHSSE)
Terry Dunlop, President                         204-981-4505   tdunlop@hydro.mb.ca

Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 998
Michelle Bergen, President                    204-792-7412   mibergen@hydro.mb.ca

International Brotherhood Electrical Workers Local 134
Mike Espenell, Business Manager          204-941-3766   mespenell@ibew2034.com

Unifor Local 681
Victor Diduch, Acting President              204-791-1679  vdiduch@hydro.mb.ca

 

 

 

 

 

CUPE Seeking Alternatives to Pallister Public Sector Layoffs

Last week, with extremely short notice, CUPE was advised by the Pallister government about their desire to reduce the cost of so-called “non-essential” public sector workforce by 10-30 per cent. Unions and employers were initially informed about the plan through a provincial news release.

The workforce reduction will not apply to essential workers in areas like health care, child care, K-12 teaching and certain other public services and utilities – but it is alarming news from our government in the midst of the crisis of our generation. To do this, they are asking government departments and agencies to submit plans that cut workforce spending by 10%-30%.

The Manitoba Federation of Labour, CUPE, and our union friends in the Partnership to Defend Public Services attended a meeting on April 14th to discuss the request from government.

The government has presented two main options to avoid full layoffs of individual employees:

  1. Implement work-sharing agreements where “non-essential” staff would have their work week reduced to as few as two days per week and receive Employment Insurance for lost workdays. This work-sharing would have to be workplace-wide or possibly department-wide, unless positions are “essential”. The EI maximum of $54,000 per year would apply to income under this option.
  2. Expand employees’ ability to participate in a Voluntary Reduced Work Week. Under such a scenario, employees would be allowed to take up to 35 days of absence without pay. Approved VRWs may be treated as regular working days for pension, group life, and accumulated service calculations.

The work-sharing option is only possible if the federal government deems your employer eligible. Currently, the Federal Government has deemed Government Business Enterprises eligible (such as crown corporations and certain independent, revenue generating agencies) and Universities, but core government services such as the civil service and K-12education are not. The Federal Government would need to expand program eligibility further to include these last groups.

The government has so far been unable to say which public services they believe are non-essential. At the same time, the government has also made it clear that they will start making decisions on these matters very soon. The government has requested options for cost reductions by as early as Tuesday, April 21th. The provincial government has new powers under emergency legislation and could pass orders to require workforce reductions. CUPE is calling on the provincial government to respect our collective agreements.

CUPE Manitoba has serious concerns about these proposals, and some are worse than others. We are working towards the best solutions to the financial pressures of COVID-19, options that keep the public sector working. We want to keep doing our part to support health care and other public services that are so important and to work towards a collective social and economic recovery.

Across Manitoba, we are seeing the difference that public service workers are making in our communities. We know that quality public services are essential for all Manitobans – in normal times, and in these unprecedented and extremely challenging times, too.

The government’s job during a crisis is to demonstrate leadership, keep people safe, and make sure people can pay their bills and put food on the table. Cutting services and laying people off isn’t the answer. These measures reduce the government’s ability to respond and support people, and further shrinks the economy and the tax base.

We know this is creating more anxiety in your life during an already overwhelming time for all of us. We know that members have mortgages, rent, utilities and other bills to pay, and that a forced reduction in hours or days of work could create a personal crisis for you.

Please let us know how this might affect you – we would like to have stories and concerns and questions to share with management as we continue to look for answers. (We will keep your identity confidential.)

Protecting the jobs and livelihoods of our members and our communities is one of our top priorities, and we are working hard to avoid layoffs and mandatory workforce reductions across our provinces.

CUPE is here with you, and for you. Please contact your local CUPE executives if you have questions or concerns, and we’ll do everything we can to support you.

WCB staff calling for presumptive coverage for workers who contract COVID-19

MANITOBA – The Union that represents staff at the Workers Compensation Board is joining the call for presumptive coverage for workers who contract COVID-19 on the job.

“As the staff who deal with WCB claims every day, we want to do our part in supporting the front-line heroes who are fighting COVID-19,” said Dennis Kshyk, President of CUPE Local 1063 representing 500 staff at WCB.

“Presumptive coverage for workers is the right thing to do, and we believe the Manitoba government can and should be a leader in Canada.”

More front-line staff are being exposed to COVID-19, and while CUPE is calling for more Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all workers, presumptive WCB will help any worker who contracts COVID-19 on the job.

CUPE Local 1063 supports the Manitoba Federation of Labour’s call for presumptive WCB coverage and is ready to provide that support to Manitobans.

Today the government made an announcement that WCB should extend relief from penalties for late payments to WCB, but nothing that supports workers on the front-line fighting COVID-19.

“WCB staff are ready and willing to help support our front-line workers however we can, and presumptive WCB coverage is the way to do it,” said Kshyk.

“We know how hard health care, school, childcare, emergency services, grocery store workers, cleaners, and others are working to fight COVID-19 and support our community, and they deserve the security of knowing WCB will be there for them.”

Contact the Premier through MFL’s email petition today!

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing more than 700,000 members.  In Manitoba, CUPE represents approximately 37,000 members working in WCB, home care, health care facilities, personal care homes, school divisions, municipal services, social services, childcare centres, public utilities, libraries and family emergency services.

Manitoba budget fails to protect Manitoba families. More funding needed today – CUPE

WINNIPEG – The 2020 Manitoba budget does little to ensure the public health funding that will be
needed to properly contain the coronavirus now, and in the future – says CUPE Manitoba, the
province’s largest union.

“Public Health should be getting a huge cash infusion to staff up for public health task forces,
immunization clinics, and ensuring enforcement of quarantine: instead this government is cutting
public health during a time of its most dire need,” says Abe Araya, President of CUPE Manitoba.
“This government is more focused on cutting taxes for ideological reasons rather than fully
supporting the health and well-being of Manitoba families.”

CUPE is concerned that the reduction of the PST to 6%, and the reduction in the payroll tax will
further strangle the province’s ability to adequately fund our public services.

“We need to be investing heavily in our education and health care systems, especially now,”
added Araya. “The only people in Manitoba who think cutting public health spending at a time
like this are members of the Premier’s Cabinet.”

Highlights of the budget include:

• Cuts to public health programs
• Cuts to post-secondary grants Frozen grants to school divisions
• Well-below inflation increases in funding to health care
• $318 million increase in Federal Transfers
• $300 million set aside in a rainy-day fund

“This government continues to cut taxes and set aside money in a rainy-day fund, while cutting
health care, education, and other public services, and freezing the wages of workers on the frontline
of the COVID-19 crisis. Our message to Premier Pallister is this: “It’s raining!” says Araya.

CUPE also wants to ensure that this government properly staffs personal care homes, hospitals
and primary care sites, especially as additional demand is placed on our health care system.

Critical health care support staff, such as those who work in laundry and housekeeping, should
be commended for their role in maintaining sanitary conditions for health care to occur in, helping
to slow the transmission of the virus.

CUPE Manitoba Convention Postponed – COVID-19

The CUPE Manitoba Annual Convention scheduled for April 15-17, 2020, will be postponed to a later date.

Out of an abundance of caution related to the COVID-19 pandemic, CUPE Manitoba will not be holding our annual convention until the pandemic has subsided, or until health authorities recommend such gatherings can take place without potentially putting participants at risk of contact with COVID-19.

CUPE Manitoba is the province’s largest public sector union, representing workers in health care, long-term care, K-12 education, post-secondary education, municipalities, crown services, child and social services, and more.

Our members care for vulnerable populations, and CUPE Manitoba takes COVID-19 very seriously.

Health authorities have suggested “social distancing measures”, which include the avoidance of large, prolonged group gatherings.

“Members should rest assured that the postponement of the CUPE Manitoba Convention does not mean that the work of the union has stopped,” says Abe Araya, President of CUPE Manitoba.

“CUPE Manitoba will continue to represent our members, hold government to account, and continue to advocate for strong protections for members who work in sectors with increased risk of contact with COVID-19.”

CUPE encourages all members to avoid misinformation, and read more about COVID-19 from official sources.  CUPE Manitoba also encourages members to follow the recommended guidelines (with the links below) for disease prevention which includes washing your hands.

Government of Canada:  https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/being-prepared.html

Government of Manitoba:  https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/coronavirus/

Shared Health: (including resources for health care staff):  https://sharedhealthmb.ca/health-providers/coronavirus-resources/

For more information related to CUPE Manitoba’s Convention, contact CUPE Manitoba at
204-560-2140.

Abe Araya Elected as President of CUPE Manitoba

BRANDON – Delegates at the 2019 CUPE Manitoba Convention in Brandon elected Abe Araya as President of the province’s largest union. Abe Araya comes from CUPE Local 110, representing custodians, maintenance, and painters at the Winnipeg School Division.

“Our union is focused on fighting back against cuts to health care, education, social services, and privatization,” said Araya. “Despite Brian Pallister’s attempts to divide working people, we will be uniting workers from across Manitoba to put a stop to Pallister’s austerity agenda.”

Delegates at convention voted in support resolutions, ranging from health and safety in the workplace, anti-oppression training for activists, pushing back against privatization, fighting against health care and education cuts, and supporting the Green New Deal.

“CUPE is an incredibly diverse union,” said Araya. “With the strength of Manitoba’s largest union, we will be on the front line defending public health care and education, public Hydro, and fighting for properly funded childcare and social services for all Manitobans.”

CUPE’s annual convention featured guest speakers, including NDP leader Wab Kinew, NDP Critic for Infrastructure and Municipal Affairs Matt Wiebe, NDP Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre Leah Gazan, Winnipeg School Division Trustee Yijie Chen, and Manitoba Health Coalition Director Breanne Goertzen.

CUPE National President Mark Hancock and CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Charles Fleury spoke to delegates, committing the full strength of CUPE’s 700,000 members to fight against cuts and privatization.

Manitoba Federation of Labour President Kevin Rebeck provided updates on labour’s united front against Bill 28 (The Public Services Sustainability Act) and committed to fight against the Pallister government’s unconstitutional wage freeze.

Two hundred people rallied outside Brandon City Hall with CUPE Local 69 on Wednesday evening, voicing concern over the contracting out of work at the Wheat City Golf Course.

Gord Delbridge, President of CUPE Local 500 served as interim CUPE Manitoba President throughout 2019. Delbridge continues to serve as Vice-President of CUPE Manitoba. Barb Gribben of CUPE Local 737 was this year’s recipient of the prestigious Jack Rodie Award, recognizing dedication and activism in the union.

“Our union is stronger, and more united than ever,” said Araya. “Manitobans can count on CUPE to defend good jobs, and fight for our public services.”

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing more than 700,000 members.  In Manitoba, CUPE represents over 36,000 members working in health care facilities, personal care homes, school divisions, municipal services, social services, childcare centres, public utilities, libraries and family emergency services.

Changes to Manitoba’s Public Services Sustainability Act continue to undermine fair collective bargaining – CUPE

On October 7th the Pallister government introduced Bill 2, an amendment to the current Public Services Sustainability Act, commonly known as the “wage freeze” Bill.

The government continues to limit wage increases through legislation, as well as other monetary items that would otherwise be negotiated through free collective bargaining.

“This legislation continues to interfere in free collective bargaining, by legislating wage limits, rather than allowing employers and workers to negotiate”, says Gord Delbridge, President of CUPE Manitoba, the province’s largest union and partner in the multi-union group currently challenging the government in court.

“Why is this government so afraid of getting to the bargaining table and negotiating a fair deal?”

Amendments to the act gives government more authority to make decisions behind the closed door of the Cabinet table, rather than through meaningfully at the bargaining table.

“Rather than coming to the table and participating in traditional negotiations, which have seen thousands of successful contracts bargained between employers and unions in Manitoba over numerous governments, the Pallister government continues to come up with new confusing schemes”, said Delbridge.

“This new act doesn’t make bargaining easier for anyone, and continues to be unfair and unconstitutional”.

Link to full amendment.

Notes:

  • The Public Services Sustainability Act has not yet been enacted.
  • Amendments to the act include potentially shortening the “sustainability period”, but also create numerous limitations and barriers for that to happen.
  • The Act could also undermine current awards determined by arbitration, as well as provides authority to the Minister to interfere with tentative agreements between employers and unions.
  • The amendments to this act do not address union concerns about free and democratic collective bargaining.
  • Government says that this will make collective bargaining more flexible – but in reality, it provides further restrictions and attempts to control the outcome.