MPI strike heads to conciliation

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This article was published 20/09/2023 (750 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba Public Insurance and the union representing 1,700 striking workers are scheduled to meet with a conciliator Thursday in a bid to resolve job action that began Aug. 28.

With wages remaining a key sticking point, the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union said this week marks four years since its members last received a raise.

“It’s quite a long time, considering everything that’s happened,” said MGEU president Kyle Ross, referring to rising living costs. “We know the price of fuel, the price of everything has gone up astronomically over those years. It’s really impactful on families.”

Conciliation talks are also scheduled for Friday, after the Crown auto insurer last week agreed to MGEU’s request.

“Hopefully, we can resolve this rather quickly,” Ross said Wednesday.

The two sides continued to trade barbs ahead of the meeting. MGEU accused MPI of disrespecting workers who’ve contributed to the corporation’s “success and prosperity.”

MPI board chair Ward Keith again blamed the union for the strike.

“MPI officials remain optimistic that a conciliator can help to either resolve the ongoing dispute or streamline the process toward arbitration on the issue of general wage increases,” he said in a statement provided by a spokeswoman.

“The option to proceed to binding arbitration on the issue of general wage increases was tabled by MPI before strike action began and, had it been accepted, would have prevented this MGEU-initiated service disruption for Manitobans.”

MGEU said its members went on strike because MPI failed to make a fair offer.

Insurance brokers are among those hoping a deal is reached soon.

“What we’re hoping for is some positive meetings,” Kurt Gutoski, HUB International’s vice-president of operations for Manitoba, said of the conciliation talks. The brokerage has 25 branches in Manitoba.

As part of its contingency plans, the insurer has given brokers the ability to complete certain tasks that would normally be conducted over the phone by MPI staff. The move was “much appreciated,” said Gutoski.

There are limited circumstances in which brokers and customers are facing delays ranging from 45 minutes to four hours for some tasks or verifications that still have to be completed by MPI during the strike, he said.

Gutoski said brokers have shown resilience and innovation amid the job action. MPI managers who are answering phones have been “fantastic,” he said.

Ross said striking employees have told him brokers are “feeling the pinch” and facing long response times from the Crown corporation.

MPI spokeswoman Kristy Rydz said contingency plans are in place to limit disruption as much as possible.

“MPI’s broker partners have been critical to ensuring the continuation of service delivery for our shared customers during this period,” she wrote in an email.

The strike is now in its fourth week. The workers have been without a contract since September 2022.

The last agreement included two years without a pay increase, meaning they haven’t had a raise in four years, said MGEU. A fair resolution, said Ross, would see members receive annual wage hikes that are in line with the 3.3 per cent raise for MLAs this year.

“We think our members should be afforded those same protections against inflation,” he said.

MPI said its “enhanced” offer contains a two per cent general wage increase for all staff in each of the four years.

According to the insurer, the proposal represents a total monetary value of up to 17 per cent, when signing bonuses, benefit improvements and other incentives are factored in. However, MGEU said the figure is misleading because it doesn’t apply to all workers.

The walkout began a day after a weeks-long strike by Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries staff came to an end. MLL workers accepted a contract with wage increases of about 12 per cent or higher over four years. A conciliator helped the two sides reach an agreement.

Manitoba could see additional strike action by MGEU members this fall. More than 11,000 provincial civil servants will begin voting Sept. 22 on the Manitoba government’s revised four-year contract offer.

Votes will be counted Oct. 6.

MGEU is recommending members reject the offer and provide a strike mandate.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @chriskitching