Manitoba Government Employees Union (MGEU) representyed health care support workers in Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) have voted to reject the employers offer at the bargaining table and to approve a strike mandate.  

 “It takes a whole team to deliver quality health care, but health care support workers are being left behind - with the lowest pay in Canada,” said MGEU president Kyle Ross.

“Without a fair contract that recruits and retains dedicated support workers, Manitoba’s health care system will continue to struggle with critical staffing shortages.”

Union members in the  Interlake-Eastern Health Authority (IERHA) also voted in favour of strike action.

 The MGEU is requesting that negotiations resume as soon as possible. No official strike date has been set yet, but planning will begin immediately to prepare for the possibility that job action becomes necessary. 

“Health care jobs were once seen as highly desirable in Manitoba communities, but it’s hard to recruit when the starting wage for many of these jobs is just $17.07 per hour,” Ross said, adding the last contract expired Mar. 31.

“We’re asking the employer for a contract that makes health care jobs competitive and helps grow the workforce needed to care for Manitoba patients.”

The MGEU represents 6,500 members in the two regions including health care aides, laundry aides, dietary aides, maintenance staff, clerks and may other health care workers.