MPI workers walk off the job

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) employees hit the picket lines on Monday morning after ongoing contract negotiations broke down last week.

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) employees hit the picket lines on Monday morning after ongoing contract negotiations broke down last week.

As of 7:30 a.m. on Monday, 1,700 unionized employees across the province walked off the job. The employees include estimators, adjusters, call centre workers, and service centre representatives.

“It didn’t really have to come to this,” said Kyle Ross, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU).

“It’s unfortunate that Manitobans again have to pay the price for the government’s inability to bargain with workers in Manitoba."

According to MPI, the strike action comes after the MGEU rejected an enhanced four-year collective agreement worth 17 per cent in total monetary value, as well as an offer to avoid strike action by going directly to voluntary arbitration.

“This offer includes general wage increases, a new and permanent pay step of 3.5 per cent for unionized employees, a special wage adjustment for operations staff, a lump sum signing bonus, and other benefit enhancements for MPI employees and their families,” said Ward Keith, chair of MPI’s board of directors.

The MGEU said the 17 per cent figure is misleading as it includes benefits.