MPI employees could be on strike next week: Union

Staff members with Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) could be on the picket lines by Monday if a new deal is not reached between the Crown Corporation and the union.

The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) announced Friday that its members that work for MPI would be walking off the job amid an ongoing dispute. The MGEU said the latest contract offer from MPI would not help all of its members make a living.

“Half of the members would only receive an increase of eight or nine percent over the four years this is not a fair deal for our members and they don’t like it,” said MGEU president Kyle Ross.

MPI chair Ward Keith said the corporation believes the deal is fair.

“It is very unfortunate that MGEU has rejected MPI’s enhanced offer, which includes a proposal to go directly to arbitration to settle the issue of general wage increases beyond the eight per cent already offered over the four-year term,” Keith said in a statement. “Arbitration is a fair and independent process that would have averted a strike and allowed MGEU an opportunity to make their case for higher general wage increases to an independent arbitrator.”

Ross said the 1,700 employees that are MGEU members will be on strike if no deal is reached.

“Our members are facing difficult inflation, their offer doesn't help with that,” he said.

Keith said MPI has contingency plans in place to mitigate service disruptions, but driver testing, estimating, and adjusting appointments scheduled for Monday will be cancelled.

“I don't want to understate this there will be service disruptions,” he said. “1,700 of our 2,000 employees are unionized, but we do have non-union staff and professional staff. They are being assigned to critical functions.”

The Crown corporation’s contact centre will remain open for injury, non-driveable and total theft claims. MPI-accredited auto shops will handle all other claims for estimates and repairs, and private brokers will take over customer inquiries and service transactions.

“We are doing what we need to, to help them help us in terms of reducing the administrative burden that they will take on,” Keith said.

The potential work stoppage is similar to the MGEU’s dispute with Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries. The month-long strike involving Liquor Mart employees was also over wages.

A tentative deal is on the table, and the strike could end by Sunday.