Category: Health & Safety

Health & Safety

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Manitoba, representing 37,000 public sector workers across the province, welcomes the introduction of Bill 29: The Workplace Safety and Health Amendment Act. This bill helps ensure safer workplaces for all Manitoba workers.

The definition of psychological health and safety has been a longheld priority of CUPE locals, who have fought to get it into our Collective Agreements and workplace policies for over a decade.

Events

April 28 is the National Workers' Day of Mourning for workers injured or killed on the job.

The Workers’ Day of Mourning was created by CUPE members more than 40 years ago to remember those who lost their lives on the job and to inspire workers to fight to prevent further tragedies.

Health & Safety

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is calling on public health officials, including the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, to immediately conduct in-person inspections at each private personal care home that currently has COVID-positive cases, and automatically launch inspections for any future outbreaks.

“We need to be proactive and have public officials inspect these privately-operated homes,” says Shannon McAteer, CUPE Health Care Coordinator.

COVID-19

Front-line health care support staff cite inconsistent provision of PPE
WINNIPEG - Seven months into a global pandemic, and many front-line health care support staff in Manitoba are still fighting for adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep themselves and the people they care for safe, says CUPE.

“Hospitals, long-term care homes, and home care employers are inconsistent in the provision of adequate PPE to support staff on the front-line in the fight against COVID-19,” said Debbie Boissonneault, President of CUPE
Local 204, representing 14,500 health care support staff within the WRHA and Shared Health.

COVID-19

CUPE has been working hard to get answers from health authorities. The following Q&A provides some answers to frequently asked questions from health care members. Keep in mind, this update is as of April 24, 2020.

Things change very quickly, and CUPE will continue trying to provide up-to-date information.
14-day Paid Administrative Leave

Q.

Health & Safety

Winnipeg – Manitoba’s largest union is calling for an immediate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and staffing strategy for long-term care facilities in Manitoba, including a commitment from health officials to ensuring consistent and adequate PPE for all staff in personal care homes.

“We are hearing from health care support workers in many long-term care homes, public and private,
that front-line staff are not receiving adequate PPE, and that available levels change daily,” said Shannon McAteer, CUPE Health Care Coordinator.

COVID-19

Today the Manitoba government announced 14-days paid administrative leave for health care workers who are sent home due to possible contact with COVID-19 in the workplace. This announcement is retroactive to March 1st.

CUPE has been advocating for 14 paid sick days for all Manitoba workers who are told by their employers to self-isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19

Straw poll of 1,900 Manitoba health care support workers offers stark insight into experiences of front-line health care workers during COVID-19.

WINNIPEG – Manitoba health care support workers are not getting enough training, personal protective equipment (PPE), or support from the government, according to a new membership survey conducted by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

About Us

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.

Childcare

WINNIPEG – Manitoba’s NDP government has once again offered the province a progressive vision for the upcoming year in its annual speech from the throne, in what CUPE Manitoba is calling “a responsible and visionary plan.”

“The Manitoba government has offered an incredibly progressive plan that reflects the needs of a great cross-section of Manitobans” said Kelly Moist, President of CUPE Manitoba, “offering paid leave for victims of domestic violence, ensuring support for new refugees, confirming funding for Shoal Lake’s freedom road – this is the whole package.