MPI employees approve new agreement, strike coming to an end

The strike involving Manitoba Public Insurance employees has come to an end.

The union representing MPI employees announced Wednesday evening that its members voted in favour of a tentative agreement that was reached on Tuesday.

The new agreement will give MPI employees 13 per cent wage increases over four years.

"It's been a tough round of bargaining and strike action stretching from summer into fall, but our members stood their ground to achieve the fairness they deserved all along," said Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) President Kyle Ross in a news release.

The agreement also includes a lump sum signing bonus of $1,800 for full-time employees.

The MGEU said the new agreement will span from Sept. 27, 2022 to Sept. 26, 2026.

A return to work plan is being finalized but MGEU said the plan is to have members back on the job by Friday.

"Our members are keen to get back to work helping Manitobans," said Ross. "We ask the public to have patience with members as they work to ramp up services."

The strike started on Aug. 28, 2023.

Matt Wiebe, the minister responsible for MPI, said he and the provincial government are happy to see the strike come to an end.

"This deal demonstrates our respect for workers at MPI but also out commitment to responsible management of the public purse," Wiebe said at a news conference Wednesday evening.

"It really sets the tone that we are ready to work with the working people of Manitoba to get fair deals, to make sure that they feel included in the future of Manitoba. It's been an antagonistic relationship between the previous government and workers. We want to tell workers now that we're willing to sit down with them and make sure that they get fair wages."

Wiebe said he and the NDP government were well aware of the frustration from both MPI workers and the Manitobans who have been impacted by the two month strike. He noted it was one of the first priorities the government wanted to deal with when they took power.

When asked on how these new wages will be paid for, Wiebe said MPI will have to go to the Public Utilities Board to figure out next steps.

"I think it's clear that we do need to find a path forward that doesn't impact ratepayers. That's going to be a major concern for us."