CUPE Health Care Support Staff Ratify Seven-Year Deal

Update for CUPE health care support members

CUPE Health Care Support Staff from CUPE 204/Shared Health and Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA), CUPE 500/WRHA – Riverview Health Centre and WRHA Corporate, CUPE 4270/ Southern Health-Santé Sud (SH-SS) and CUPE 8600/Northern Regional Health Authority (NRHA) have voted to accept the new collective agreement.

The ratification date is September 23, 2022.  The collective agreement will expire on March 31, 2024.

The new agreement includes wage increases in each year of the agreement including retroactive pay, a signing bonus for all members, an increase in shift premiums, improvements for the Community Programs/Home Care groups, a more flexible “single-day” vacation system for all members, double overtime and market adjustments.

“This was an incredibly difficult round of negotiations due to government interference, attempted wage freeze, disruptive restructuring, forced union amalgamations, and the pandemic” said Shannon McAteer, CUPE Health Care Coordinator.  “Despite these challenges, this new agreement sets a solid foundation for the next round of negotiations.”

The employer has 120 days within which to issue retroactive pay and the signing bonus. It will be issued on a separate pay deposit.  Former employees (retired or quit) have 90 days to write to the employer requesting retroactive pay they are owed following the rules posted on the Local’s website.

“We thank all CUPE members who took the time to vote either electronically or in person and are committed to continue to improve your contract,” said McAteer. “We will continue to hold the provincial government accountable and push back against any attacks on our public health care system and the workers who support it”.

Throughout negotiations, health care support staff have felt extremely disrespected by the current government–and continue to feel undervalued. Many members told us they voted not because they liked the deal, but because they couldn’t wait any longer.

In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Council

 

Health Care Contract Ratification Info Sessions

CUPE reached a tentative agreement on August 29, 2022.  CUPE will be hosting Info Sessions both in person and virtually via Zoom (see links below).

Members can attend any of the virtual or in-person meetings at the hotels/inns or halls or at their own Employer’s site.

The information is the same for everyone.  A video presentation will be available on the Locals’ websites or through your Local Executives starting Sept. 7, 2022.

 

IN-PERSON INFO SESSIONS for CUPE 204 members

 

DATE TIME PLACE
Wed., Sept. 7th 10 am to 7 pm Canad Inns Transcona (Ambassador A/B)
826 Regent Ave. W., Winnipeg
Thurs., Sept. 8th 10 am to 7 pm Canad Inns HSC (Ambassador A)

720 William Avenue, Winnipeg

Sat., Sept. 10th 10 am to 7 pm Canad Inns Polo Park (Ambassador 2)

1405 St. Matthews Avenue, Winnipeg

Tues., Sept. 13th 10 am to 7 pm St. Boniface Hospital (N-1012 Boardroom)

409 Taché Avenue, Winnipeg

 

HEALTH CARE RATIFICATION
VIRTUAL INFO SESSIONS

(open to all members)

Please download the FREE Zoom app.

DATE & TIME ZOOM MEETING LINK
Thurs., Sept. 8th

6 pm to 8 pm

Click on link:

https://cupe-ca.zoom.us/j/86558261119?pwd=eU1ZWERXcE53VmJabWptaDZsazcyZz09

 

Or call #: 204-272-7920  /  Toll free #:  1-855-703-8985

 

Meeting ID: 865 5826 1119

Passcode: 541446

 

Sun., Sept. 11th

6 pm to 8 pm

Click on link:

https://cupe-ca.zoom.us/j/86960066020?pwd=NFhibTFIY090QllxR2hhMFdTd3dHZz09

 

Or call #: 204-272-7920  /  Toll free #:  1-855-703-8985

 

Meeting ID: 869 6006 6020

Passcode: 391454

 

Wed., Sept. 14th

6 pm to 8 pm

Click on link:

https://cupe-ca.zoom.us/j/86773423003?pwd=dlA2SGxBazZYQ2RrM2d4QlRoQ3lXZz09

 

Or call #: 204-272-7920  /  Toll free #: 1-855-703-8985

 

Meeting ID: 867 7342 3003

Passcode: 514044

 

 

The ratification votes will be done electronically
and will take place September 20th, 21st & 22nd.

Details will follow in the next week.

CUPE reaches tentative agreement for Manitoba health care support workers

Late last night (Monday, August 29, 2022) the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) health care bargaining team and the Provincial Health Labour Relations Services (PHLRS) reached a tentative agreement after twenty-one months of bargaining, for 18,000 health care support workers in Manitoba.

The CUPE bargaining team includes representatives from CUPE 204 (Shared Health, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority), CUPE 4270 (Southern Health-Santé Sud), CUPE 8600 (Northern Regional Health Authority), and CUPE 500 (Riverview Health Centre/WRHA).

A tentative agreement is when both parties agree that the proposed contract can be presented to workers for a vote on whether to accept or reject the new agreement.

The CUPE bargaining team will be recommending acceptance of the new agreement.

Please take time to review the highlight document.  A full ratification document will be available prior to the ratification.

Ratification (voting) will occur in the coming weeks.  Details on when these votes will take place will be shared in the next few days.  There will be many information sessions for CUPE members to ask questions about the tentative agreement, held in-person as well as virtually.

Members are encouraged to ensure their personal contact information is up to date.  We want to make sure all CUPE members have the opportunity to ask questions at the info sessions before the voting takes place.

We thank the CUPE health care bargaining team for their steadfast dedication to members through an incredibly difficult round of negotiations, including throughout the pandemic.

We also thank all CUPE members for their patience, support, and encouragement over the past five years, and for giving CUPE the strike mandate needed to keep the pressure on government.

Your support has helped push the government towards a deal that is acceptable, and which lays a stronger foundation for the next round of bargaining.

Tentative agreement highlights document (pdf)

Health Care Bargaining Update, August 5, 2022

CUPE continues to negotiate your collective agreement with the goal of leaving no health care worker behind.

Your negotiating team continues to meet with the mediator, Arne Peltz, including on July 28th and 29th as well as August 3rd and 4th in the evenings.  Mediation will continue August 10th, 29th and 30th.  We will most likely get additional dates between August 10th and the 29th.

On August 3rd, CUPE tabled all our remaining proposals.  The Employer is working on a comprehensive response for next week.  We are seeing some movement at the bargaining table on our issues, so we are working hard to continue fighting for improvements to the collective agreement.

We have made great progress on more monetary proposals such as shift premiums, shoe allowance, and uniforms, as well as numerous letters of understanding.

Outstanding issues are vacation, training and education, how STAT days will be taken, sick time for pick-up shifts, and letters of understanding around hours of work.  There are a few monetary items still outstanding as well, such as northern isolation/retention allowance, benefits/pensions for community groups, responsibility pay, and wages.  The remaining language proposals are important and will affect your day-to-day job, so we are fighting for these improvements.

CUPE has also requested market adjustments for several classifications.  A market adjustment is adjusting the salary scale to match other similar jobs in the province.  Most often the need for an adjustment comes from not being able to hire and retain employees.  CUPE and the MGEU are discussing forming a multi-union table to discuss the market adjustments with the Employer.

MGEU has reached a tentative agreement in Prairie Mountain and the Interlake regions.  The reason they reached an agreement before our table is because they simply did not have as many collective agreements to merge.  With so many groups in CUPE we want to make sure none of them are left behind. That is why our table is taking longer.  The Bargaining Council is fighting very hard to get a good collective agreement that addresses all members concerns including the general wage increase.

Please make sure we have your most recent contact information, including cell phone number and personal email.  We do not use work contact information to reach you for union business.

Abortion rights are human rights!

The U.S. Supreme Court has made a decision that directly targets the health & safety, human rights, and reproductive health rights for those accessing abortion and reproductive health services in the United States.

The court’s decision is rooted in politicizing and legislating the rights and decisions away from those needing safe and legal abortion and reproductive health services in their home communities.

All people needing access to abortion services are impacted, as this decision ensures that their bodily autonomy is no longer their own decision. Instead, individual states will have decision making power over what reproductive health services will be available, based on oppressive control measures.

The deep rooted oppressive measures taken are reflective of classism, sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and discriminatory governance and control.

As Manitoba’s largest union, we share our voice and solidarity with the labour movement, reproductive health clinics, 2SLGBTQI+ organizations, and community organizations in the United States that are advocating and opposing the dismantling of these rights.

We will advocate for everyone who needs abortion services, regardless of race, class, socioeconomic status, gender or identity.

For those who are forced to access abortion services and care in a non regulated or private program, we know that the risks are great for infection, complications, and even death. Public service reproductive care centres and clinics are crucial to ensure all humans have access to inclusive health care services in 2022.

If travel and access to reproductive health care increases in Manitoba as a result of this decision, CUPE & unionized workers stand with anyone seeking reproductive health care in our province.

The following resources and services are available for immediate support:

The Women’s Health Clinic:

https://womenshealthclinic.org/what-we-do/abortion/

Sexuality Education Resource Centre (SERC)

Winnipeg 204-982-7800
or Brandon 204-727-0417
https://serc.mb.ca/reproductive-justice-in-rural-and-remote-manitoban-communities/

For Teen Health information and a list of Teen Clinics in Manitoba visit: www.teentalk.ca

Klinic Crisis Line
204-786-8686 or 1-888-322-3019

Services in the Northern Health Region:

https://northernhealthregion.com/programs-and-services/medical-abortion/

To donate to abortion services in Manitoba, visit:

Health Care Bargaining Update, June 1, 2022

CUPE met with the mediator, Mr. Arne Peltz, on May 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th.  An additional day for mediation was added on June 1st.  Mediation will continue June 20 – 23, 2022.

CUPE continued to meet with the Provincial Health Labour Relations Services (PHLRS) to finalize negotiation of the Letters of Understanding and any changes to the pension and benefits articles on May 4th, 11th, and 18th.  These discussions include home care/community programs being “brought up” to the same level as the rest of the health care support sector.  The next regular bargaining dates are June 8th and 15th.

The first week of mediation was successful.  We were able to agree to more contract language provisions and some monetary items including some language on overtime and pick-up shifts/additional hours, overtime banks, standby/callback language, sick time (income protection), mileage/transportation allowance and salary increments for casual employees.

The first few days of mediation were spent explaining our positions and proposals to the mediator. CUPE highlighted our priorities that were left on the table which included overtime, pick-up shifts, vacation, pensions and benefits for everyone, seniority, job security and improvements for home care workers as noted above.  The Bargaining Council spent long days working very hard to resolve the language and monetary proposals we tabled.

The mediation process can be slow.  It takes longer for each side to explain their position to the mediator.  The mediator then goes back and forth sharing his thoughts and the other side’s issues.  CUPE and the PHLRS do not communicate directly with each other during the mediation process, but rather through Mr. Peltz.

The outstanding language is about vacation (single days vs. blocks), union representation at meetings, how STAT days will be taken, seniority for job vacancies, sick time on pick-up shifts, training and education funding, uniforms/safety shoes, bumping, benefits and monetary matters including shift premiums.

Please make sure we have your most recent contact information, including cell phone number and personal email.  We do not use work contact information to reach you for union business.

Health Care Bargaining Update, April 21, 2022

CUPE met with the Provincial Health Labour Relations Services (PHLRS) on April 20, 2022 and have confirmed Mr. Arne Peltz as the mediator.

The first dates available to meet with Mr. Peltz to begin the process are May 24-27, 2022.  The next available mediation dates will be in mid-June.  More dates will be booked as they become available.

 

Until mediation begins, CUPE and the PHRLS will continue to meet to finalize negotiation of the letters of understanding and any changes to the pension and benefits articles.  This will include discussions about including anyone not currently in the HEB Manitoba pension and benefits plan, being brought into HEB Manitoba.  Riverview Health Centre will remain with the City of Winnipeg plans.

 

Why are we going to mediation?

Mediation is a common part of the negotiating process.  The Manitoba Nurses’ Union (MNU) was able to finalize their collective agreement through mediation also using Mr. Peltz as the mediator.  We are going to mediation because CUPE and the Employer are very far apart on certain proposals.  The Bargaining Council has heard the membership and are committed to getting the best collective agreement possible.  We believe that with the assistance of Mr. Peltz that we will be able to achieve a collective agreement that leaves no health care worker behind.

 

The outstanding language is about vacation (single days vs. blocks), union representation at meetings, how STATs will be taken, how overtime and pick up shifts will be awarded (seniority vs. equitable), and bumping.

 

Will I still get to vote on the proposed new collective agreement?

Yes.  Any agreement reached through mediation will still be voted on by the members.  Everything that has been agreed-to prior to mediation will not be a part of the mediation process.

 

What happens if we don’t get a collective agreement through mediation?

If we are unable to get a collective agreement through mediation and our continued negotiations, CUPE could officially serve notice to strike.  We must provide seven (7) days notice to go on strike.  If this should happen, we will notify the members when the decision is made to serve notice.

 

Please make sure we have your most recent contact information, including cell phone number and personal email.  We do not use work contact information to reach you for union business.

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.