Category: News

News

WINNIPEG – Today the Manitoba Government announced the hiring of a private consulting firm, KPMG, to pursue the government's plan to build four new schools in Manitoba under a Public-Private Partnership (P3) model, despite growing concern nation-wide that P3 schools end up costing more.

“Premier Pallister first announced the new P3 schools to the Canadian Council for Public Private Partnerships, P3 lobbyists,” said Terry Egan, President of CUPE Manitoba.

Health Care

The WRHA has once again announced a slew of cuts to patient care and privatization of services that will directly affect Manitobans and the front-line health care workers who provide the services.

Today’s WRHA announcement cuts deeper than before, with whole clinics being shut down, and promises to reduce staffing levels in WRHA facilities.

Community

CUPE members were out en-force on July 6, protesting the Manitoba government's cuts to health care.

"Employees at Health Sciences Centre (HSC) and CancerCare Manitoba are overworked, understaffed, and deeply concerned with the Pallister government’s massive changes to health care" said CUPE Local 1550, representing support staff at HSC and CancerCare Manitoba.

Bargaining

Today CUPE, through the Manitoba Federation of Labour’s Partnership to Defend Public Services filed a court injunction to the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench against Pallister’s Bill 28, the “Public Services Sustainability Act”.

[caption id="attachment_3588" align="alignright" width="300"] Terry Egan (second, back row) with other labour leaders.[/caption]

Bill 28 is also known widely as the public sector wage freeze bill.

Manitoba Provincial Election

Today the Manitoba government announced the opening of a request for proposals for Social Impact Bonds, a scheme in which private companies profit off social service delivery.

“There was a time when the private sector would simply make philanthropic donations as part of their corporate responsibility to the community” says Terry Egan, President of CUPE Manitoba.

Childcare

Via Manitoba Federation of Labour

Today the Partnership to Defend Public Services, representing more than 110,000
Manitoba workers, filed for an injunction against the so-called Public Services Sustainability Act,
recently passed by the Pallister government.

"The Pallister government has passed a new law that fundamentally undermines collective bargaining
rights. It's unfair and it's unconstitutional," said Manitoba Federation of Labour President Kevin Rebeck,
on behalf of the Partnership.

Health Care

Today the Minister of Health has once again announced major changes to Manitoba’s health care system. These changes will cause greater confusion and frustration within the health care system which is already facing government cuts and restructuring.

“Pallister is already assaulting our ERs, Urgent Care centres, and other hospital programs in Winnipeg, and now he wants to restructure the system province-wide?

Health Care

WINNIPEG – The Canadian Union of Public Employees remains opposed to the sweeping changes to Winnipeg’s health

care services announced by the WRHA in April 2017. These changes included the closure of community ERs, Urgent Care, as well as the shuffling of community-based mental health programs.

Today’s WRHA announcement that identifies the timelines in which these changes are to be made is troubling.

Bargaining

Winnipeg – CUPE Local 500 members from across City of Winnipeg departments voted 85% in favour of a strike mandate at a meeting held on June 7, 2017.  Nearly 80% of eligible voters cast their ballots in an overwhelming show of support for the bargaining committee.

“The CUPE Local 500 bargaining committee takes this direction from our members seriously” said Gord Delbridge, President of CUPE 500.

Childcare

Winnipeg – With the conclusion of the 41st Legislature, the Pallister government is willfully passing legislation that will disrupt health care, hurt working families, and will leave Manitobans with more questions than answers, says CUPE Manitoba.

“Pallister’s government is willfully passing irresponsible and ill-conceived legislation that leaves more questions than answers,” says Terry Egan, President of CUPE Manitoba.