Health-care worker strike ends after tentative deal reached with Manitoba

The Ten Ten Sinclair strike that saw 160 health-care workers at an independent living facility in Winnipeg hit the picket line has ended, according to the union.

Canadian Union of Public Employee (CUPE) Manitoba says 97 per cent of workers voted in favour of a new agreement in principle.

BACKGROUND: Strike for workers at Ten Ten Sinclair continues for second day

“I’m feeling great for the health-care workers here,” said CUPE Manitoba president Gina McKay. “They came together, they raised their voices and it’s a win for frontline health-care workers.”

McKay called the reponse a “very loud statement.”

“We felt the passion in the room when those members were voting,” she added.

The Ten Ten Sinclair workers were without a new contract for four years, the union says. They went on strike March 6.

“This is a contract with huge gains for health-care workers in Manitoba,” said McKay, adding it sets the tone for future contract bargaining.

The agreement includes general wage increases, wage adjustments, an additional pay step, a long-service premium, double overtime rates, increased shift premiums, retro-pay and a signing bonus, according to CUPE.

Previously, CUPE says the top rate for a trained health-care aide was $18.06 per hour. That will increase to $22.54 per hour, the union says.

“Overall, that’s about 20 per cent for these workers,” McKay said. “We see it in general wage increases, we see it in shift premiums, we see it in long-term recognition.”

The agreement also includes a memorandum of understanding to continue discussions between CUPE, Ten Ten Sinclair and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority on the facilities status in the WRHA.

Ten Ten Sinclair is a non-profit organization that also serves people with disabilities.