Health care workers rally, demanding province takes action on lapsed contracts

Healthcare workers gathering on the steps of the Manitoba Legislative Building, demanding the province take action on lapsed contracts many have been waiting six years for.

The Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals (MAHCP) organized the rally.

The union represents over 7,000 allied health-care professionals, which includes support workers like paramedics, technicians, and therapists.

“There’s just been no effort on the part of the employer to come to a deal. We’ve been at the table for over a year already. We didn’t get to the table until the four year mark,” said Jason Linklater, MAHCP President.

Back in April the MAHCP received an overwhelming strike mandate, with 99 percent of the membership voting in favour of the move.

The union is looking for improvements to wages, staffing levels and benefits.

“A strike is possible. If we are unable to come to a resolution, we will end up going on strike and that is a significant impact to Manitobans,” said Linklater.

NDP Health Critic Uzoma Asagwara says the lack of a contract boils down to the provincial government taking allied healthcare workers for granted.

“It’s taken so long because this PC government under Brian Pallister and continues under Heather Stefanson they do not respect Health Care workers,” said Asagwara.

In a statement to CityNews, Shared Health says they are hopeful a deal can be met with MAHCP as mediation is underway.

The agency added that they expect after negotiations, workers will receive “compounding annual increases in each year, significant retroactive pay and special market adjustments.”

Paramedic Matt Hollingshead, who works in Manitoba’s Interlake Region, says if workers don’t get a new contract soon, the state of healthcare especially in rural areas of the province will get worse.

“Quite a few of my colleagues, I don’t even know how many, but many have left to Winnipeg, where they’re making about 26 per cent more.”