Thousands of health-care workers could soon go on strike in Manitoba
Thousands of Manitoba’s health-care workers could go on strike in two weeks.
On Thursday, the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals (MAHCP) issued a strike deadline for 6,500 allied health-care workers who have been without a collective agreement for more than five years.
Unless the parties are able to reach an agreement in the next two weeks, a strike will begin at 8 a.m. on June 15.
Negotiations began in March 2022, and entered mediation six weeks ago after 99 per cent of MAHCP members voted in favour of a strike mandate.
“A strike is a last resort for us, but at this point we feel like we have no other option,” said MAHCP president Jason Linklater in a news release.
“The staffing crisis gets worse every day. Allied health professionals have gone over five years without a contract, Manitoba can’t retain them, and we are out of time.”
Allied health-care professional work in a number of roles, including as diagnostic imaging and lab technologists; scientists and pharmacists; rural paramedics and emergency dispatchers; mental health and addictions counsellors; respiratory therapists; midwives; and many in many other jobs.
In the event of a strike, agreements are in place to allow employers to schedule a minimum number of staff in each service area. However, the MAHCP expects a strike will cause “significant” service delays and disruptions at more than 200 sites across Manitoba.
The union said the strike could lead to cancellations and increased wait times for a number of services including non-emergent surgical and diagnostic procedures; routine or non-emergent lab results; and non-crisis mental health and addiction services.
The MAHCP said the “unprecedented” length of time that allied health workers have been without a contract has led to issues for staff retention and recruitment.
The wages of the 6,500 workers have been frozen since 2017, while the cost of living has continued to rise. During this time, other provinces have offered raises and other incentives for those in the allied health professions.
“We continue to lose highly specialized allied health professionals to other sectors and other provinces that are way ahead of us in wages and benefits,” Linklater said. “Manitoba has to start fixing this by giving them a reason to stay.”
Shared Health is surprised at the announcement, believing they were close to reaching a deal.
“Much progress has been made in recent days through intensive mediation with MAHCP on a new agreement that includes compounding general wage increases for every year, significant retroactive pay for general wage increases, and other extensive monetary and non-monetary improvements to support recruitment, retention, career advancement and education, and staff wellness,” said a statement from Shared Health.
“An agreement in principle had been reached on both the parameters and approach to general wage increases for the full term under negotiation.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States, injuring at least three people.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.