'Deeply troubling': Labour groups concerned over review of apprentice wages

Labour groups are raising concerns about the province's review of apprentice wages.

The fear is the review will lead to cuts.

"We've got a skilled labour shortage here in Manitoba. That's all we hear from business. We hear it from our build trade unions and this government has launched a review out of nowhere," said Kevin Rebeck, the president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour.

"(The review) really looks at examining a change that would cut a scheduled wage increase for apprentices in Manitoba across the board. That's deeply troubling and concerning for us."

Rebeck said young people need to be attracted to come to Manitoba to work and to do that, it means higher wages.

He fears if cuts do come, it will mean young workers will look elsewhere in the country for work.

"If you're a young person that's planning your career for the future and you've decided that an apprenticeship is the way to go, then you're going to pursue that. But you're going to look at where rates are in other jurisdictions and if we're offering cheap wage rates, then you are going to look somewhere else and you're going to leave our province, which is the last thing we need."

Viewers can watch the full interview with CTV News' Maralee Caruso and Rebeck at the top of the article.