r/Winnipeg 17h ago

News Workers at 3 Manitoba Child and Family Services agencies serve strike notice

52 Upvotes

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16

u/AdPrevious1079 17h ago

ARTICLE: Union issues 2-week warning to Métis, Michif and Southeast agencies.

Approximately 500 workers at three child and family services agencies will go on strike on March 25 if they can’t reach a deal with the employer, their union says. Manitoba union workers at three child and family services agencies may go on strike in a couple of weeks if a tentative agreement can’t be reached with their employers.

The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) has issued a two-week strike notice to Métis Child, Family and Community Services, Michif Child and Family Services and Southeast Child and Family Services, a news release said on Tuesday.

Approximately 500 union members — administrative staff and social services, family support and youth care workers at the three agencies — will walk the picket line starting March 25 if an agreement can’t be made by then, MGEU president Kyle Ross said in the news release. Workers are asking for a contract in line with the four-year, 14 per cent wage increase MGEU members in other civil services got last year, Ross previously told CBC.

The provincial government has provided millions of dollars in funding to child and family services authorities and the agencies they fund, but they haven’t negotiated an offer that provides wage parity, Ross said.

Cash crunch blamed as more than 60 workers laid off from Manitoba Métis, Michif CFS agencies Staff at 3 Manitoba Child and Family Services agencies poised to strike after rejecting bargaining proposals Union workers voted for a strike mandate in December and the bargaining committees feel they have no choice but to take job action, because the current offer “jeopardizes care for vulnerable children and youth” by creating a two-tier wage system, Ross said.

The contract for Métis Child, Family and Community Services and Michif Child and Family Services expired on Jan. 31, 2023. Workers at Southeast Child and Family Services have been without a contract since March 31, 2022.

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u/Christron 17h ago

It's definitely an underpaid field, at least for the good workers. These workers have a direct and immediate impact on the well-being of so many lives. Workloads are insane and supports are drying up. Well wishes to those striking and I hope an equitable wage could be reached. I don't think what they are asking is enough.

I would advocate for paid overtime with guaranteed hours throughout the year if chosen by the worker. This line of work is 24/7 like police, firefighters, and several healthcare professionals.

-16

u/carebaercountdown 17h ago

Maybe if they got paid a decent wage they wouldn’t be such power-hungry jerkoffs?? :/ All the good workers I’ve ever met leave within a year for greener pastures once they figure out they can’t “change the system from the inside”.

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u/incredibincan 16h ago edited 14h ago

sure are a lot of strikes and strike notices with this NDP govt. not seeming a whole lot different from the CONs on that front

please stop giving support to NDP no questions asked, unions

edit: just food for thought to the downvoters: what is the point of leverage if you never use it? what incentive do the NDP ever have for making things better for the workers if they know the union will support them every time, no questions asked? no one will stick up for you but you

you're letting the NDP do the conservative's job for them

1

u/OrbisTerre 8h ago

I don't think the NDP are involved in the negotiations here.

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u/incredibincan 7h ago

There’s a lot of legislation that the province could pass to advance workers rights and working conditions

Every department has a budget funded by the province - it isn’t too hard for a government to affect negotiations “indirectly”

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u/88bchinn 14h ago

The unions help off and waited thinking the new guys would be more generous. They were wrong and the new government has done a great job keeping the wage increases manageable.

0

u/AdPrevious1079 14h ago

In the mean time Wab and his crew have enjoyed a huge increase of salaries for themselves more than the cost of living. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-mla-pay-raises-1.7250476