'It’s not really any different': HSC nurse speaks out amid critical contract vote

A nurse at Manitoba’s largest hospital is calling for better working conditions and a salary that can keep up with the cost of living, as thousands of nurses employed by Shared Health prepare to vote on a new contract.

A nurse at Manitoba’s largest hospital is calling for better working conditions and a salary that can keep up with the cost of living, as thousands of nurses employed by Shared Health prepare to vote on a new contract.

“They gave it to us saying it was their final offer,” said the nurse, who asked to remain anonymous in fear of retaliation for coming forward. “So the only other option is to strike."

“Voting for a strike is really not an easy decision,” she continued. “And it’s definitely not anything that any of us take lightly.”

Nurses in Manitoba have been without a contract for nearly three months.

The most recent tentative agreement included a 2.5 per cent general wage increase starting in April, a 2.75 per cent increase for 2025 and three per cent increases over the following two years.

In May, the Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) announced members in five of six health regions narrowly voted in favor of that agreement, with a 51 per cent acceptance rate. It was rejected by 56.97 per cent of Shared Health nurses, many of whom work at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre (HSC).

“I think what that tells us is actually quite a bit of disagreement within the bargaining unit itself among nurses about the contents of this contract,” said Adam King, an assistant professor in labour studies at the University of Manitoba.