Manitoba health-care support workers authorize strike action: CUPE
Posted August 31, 2024 2:39 pm.
Unionized health-care workers in Manitoba could be walking off the job as they look to establish a new collective agreement.
Community and facility support workers at the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and Shared Health, as well as community support workers at Southern Health Santé-Sud, authorized strike action after rejecting a proposed tentative agreement.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the workers, says the previous collective agreement expired March 31.
“What we’re hearing from front-line health care support workers is that they’ve been falling behind for too long,” said Holly Chaperon, president of CUPE 4270, which represents support workers at Southern Health Santé-Sud.
CUPE says it will return to the negotiating table. A strike deadline has not been set.
Not all workers rejected the proposed tentative agreement. Facility support staff in Southern Health Santé-Sud voted to ratify, as did community and facility support workers with the Northern Regional Health Authority last week.
Community support workers include health care aides, home care attendants, rehabilitation aides, and recreation aides.
Facility support workers include laundry aides, housekeeping aides, unit clerks, maintenance workers, and security guards.
CUPE says it represents 37,000 health workers in Manitoba.
