Stefanson blames politics, union for MPI strike
Posted August 29, 2023 10:02 am.
Last Updated August 29, 2023 7:23 pm.
Workers at Manitoba’s auto insurance Crown corporation went on strike Monday, as Premier Heather Stefanson criticized union leaders for rejecting a wage offer.
About 1,700 workers at Manitoba Public Insurance walked off the job after negotiations on a new collective agreement stalled.
Picket lines were set up at MPI offices across the province and the corporation suspended some non-essential services such as driver testing.
Officials at the corporation said they have offered wage increases of two per cent each year for four years, plus other enhancements that total up to 17 per cent in increases.
The Manitoba Government and General Employees Union has said the 17 per cent figure is inaccurate because it includes some non-wage benefits andincreases available to only some workers.
The union said its members deserve raises similar to recent ones granted to provincial politicians, which were more than three per cent annually.
Summer of strikes: will job action have impact on Manitoba election?
Stefanson took to social media to say her government could not say yes to the union’s demands.
“They’re demanding increases double the size of health-care workers. That’s where I draw the line,” Stefanson said in a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Because it’s time to stop playing politics, start binding arbitration and get back to serving Manitobans today.”
It’s time to stop playing the NDP’s politics and get back to serving Manitobans.#manitoba #mbpoli pic.twitter.com/vuk5llY3il
— PC Party of Manitoba (@PC_Manitoba) August 28, 2023
Union president Kyle Ross said Stefanson was the one playing politics.
“Why is she so obsessed with keeping wages for working families as low as possible when she and her cabinet ministers are taking so much more for themselves?” Ross said.
“All we’re working for is a fair wage for our workers.”
The union would like to see negotiations continue before resorting to arbitration, he added.
WATCH: 1,700 MPI employees walk off the job Monday
‘Just a bad look’
University of Manitoba political science professor Christopher Adams says the NDP are closely connected with unions, so the PCs are highlighting that and laying the blame on the MGEU for the strike.
“I’m not sure if it will work,” Adams told CityNews. “I know, so far, the union has been very effective, the MGEU has been quite effective in setting the tone of the debate. And with the Crown Corporation, having just resolved one strike, are now into the new one with the MPI.”
Adams says this is just the beginning of attack ads such as these.
“Stefanson is coming out with a fairly aggressive campaign, attacking the NDP and we should expect to see more attack advertisement such as this,” he said.
Political analyst Shannon Sampert doesn’t believe this video will tarnish Stefanson’s campaign but could potentially turn away voters she desperately needs.
“It just is a bad logic and is just poorly thought out,” Sampert said. “She opens up herself so readily to ridicule. I don’t know what the communication strategist was thinking, but it was a poorly thought-out communication strategy.
“This is just a bad look, and she needs to reconsider her media strategy if this continues.”
One strike ends, another begins
Monday’s walkout followed the settlement on the weekend of a strike at Crown-owned Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries that had started July 19. That walkout prompted the closure of government-run liquor stores and disrupted supplies to private vendors.
The liquor workers, also represented by the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union, ratified a new deal on the weekend that includes wage hikes of 12 per cent over four years.
RELATED: Manitoba Public Insurance preparing for Monday’s anticipated strike
MPI advised the public Monday that while the strike is on, licence renewals and insurance payments can continue to be done through brokers.
The corporation’s call centre remained open for people reporting personal injury claims, non-driveable collision claims and total-theft claims.
Customers reporting all other collision claims, including hail damage, were advised to go directly to a MPI-accredited repair shop.
