Your CUPE bargaining team met with the employer today expecting a meaningful proposal at the bargaining table. Unfortunately, the employer came back to the table with no new offer.
CUPE is fighting for a fair deal and better working conditions for Health Care Workers, and we continue to prepare for our strike deadline of October 8th.
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.
The following letter of solidarity was sent by CUPE Manitoba President Gina McKay to Locals 204 (Facility and Community), 4270 (Community), and 500 (Riverview/health care unit) as they prepare for possible strike action.
Sisters, Brothers, and Friends,
On behalf of CUPE Manitoba and our provincial executive, I want to send along our solidarity and support to all CUPE health care locals, units, members of the bargaining committee and health care members throughout the province.
On Thursday last week, CUPE presented the employer a package of proposals that seeks significant changes to the recently rejected tentative agreement.
Our bargaining team submitted proposals that reflect what we heard throughout the ratification process including wages that catch up, recruitment and retention initiatives, immediate improvements for home care workers, and more.
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.
For immediate release August 30, 2024
HEALTH CARE SUPPORT WORKERS IN SHARED HEALTH, WRHA, AND SOUTHERN HEALTH-SANTÉ-SUD AUTHORIZE STRIKE ACTION –
WINNIPEG, TREATY 1
Health care support workers in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (community and facility support), Shared Health (community and facility support) and Southern Health Santé-Sud (community support) have rejected a proposed tentative agreement and have authorized strike action.
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).
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”.