CUPE Manitoba Supports Team Canada With Five Key Actions, Manitoba Government Can Do Today
CUPE Manitoba Supports Team Canada With Five Key Actions, Manitoba Government Can Do Today
WINNIPEG, TREATY 1 – Manitoba’s largest union released five key actions the Manitoba Government can take to remove American companies from government contracts and support Winnipeg workers.
“We have heard the call loud and clear,” said Gina McKay, President of CUPE Manitoba. “We want to make sure that workers and local businesses come first and get the support they need to ensure we focus on building Manitoba’s local economy, not American companies.”
The plan calls for the Manitoba Government to:
1. Eliminate the Dynacare contract and bring the work into the public sector (in-house).
2. Direct crown corporations to review all contracts with an eye to bringing work in-house where work is being done by an American firm:
• Many crowns utilize Allied Universal Security, an American firm, when the legislation allows for in-house Institutional Safety Officers, as well as Canadian firm, GardaWorld, operating across Manitoba.
3. Direct school divisions to review all contracts with an eye to bringing work in-house where work is being done by an American firm:
• Many school divisions, including the St. James Assiniboia School Division, utilize Student First, an American owned school bus company, when the majority of divisions hire their own drivers and operate their own buses, keeping tax dollars in Canada.
4. Work across the public sector to eliminate Jani-King contracts and bring that work in-house to locally hired cleaners. Jani-King and similar American owned cleaning contracts currently clean municipal buildings and schools, such as in Prairie Rose School Division.
5. Review contracts within Manitoba Hydro, including their IT call centre, to ensure work is brought back into Manitoba Hydro to prioritize the hiring of Winnipeg workers.
“There are opportunities here to ensure our money isn’t ending up in the US economy,” said McKay. “At the same time, we have an opportunity to provide good jobs to Winnipeg families and workers. It’s a win-win when we focus on public service workers and services.”
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is Canada’s largest union representing more than 800,000 members. In Manitoba, CUPE represents approximately 40,000 members working in health care facilities, personal care homes, home care, school divisions, municipal services, social services, disability support services, child care centres, public utilities, libraries, and family emergency services.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Garett Williams CUPE Communications / Media Contact 431-482-3688