Welcome Place employees back at work after nearly three-month lockout

Welcome Place – also known as the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council – is a not-for-profit organization that helps refugees navigate coming to Canada. (Source: Scott Andersson/ CTV News Winnipeg)

WINNIPEG -

After a nearly three-month-long lockout, settlement workers at Welcome Place are returning to work.

CUPE, the union representing the employees at Welcome Place, announced the end to the lockout on Wednesday.

“We are disappointed that this employer chose to lock out its own staff in the middle of the pandemic,” Vivienne Ho, President of CUPE Local 2348, said in a statement.

“Our members are relieved that they can return to helping refugees and newcomers settle in Manitoba."

The lockout started in April, when Welcome Place – also known as the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council (MIIC) – locked out 23 unionized settlement workers.

The not-for-profit organization helps refugees navigate coming to Canada. The union previously said these workers had already taken a wage decrease.

“CUPE 2348 members at Welcome Place stood their ground and refused to accept concessions that would decimate their Collective Agreement,” Ho said. “The actions that staff at Welcome Place took are inspiring and shows that workers will not back down when facing unacceptable attacks on their livelihoods.”

The union said the lockout ended after it filed a request to the Manitoba Labour Board. Staff are now back to work, and the union said an arbitrator is being appointed to help settle the agreement.

-With files from CTV's Josh Crabb