Patient-transport workers reject contract offer

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This article was published 14/02/2024 (945 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Workers who transport non-emergency patients between hospitals and personal-care homes have rejected a final contract offer from their employer.

More than 120 Patient Transport Services workers, who are represented by the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union, have been working without a contract since July.

“Members always have the final say with their vote, and in this case they didn’t believe the offer was good enough,” MGEU president Kyle Ross said in a statement after Wednesday’s vote.

“We support our members and their decision and will be asking the employer to return to the table as soon as possible.”

A spokesperson for Ontario-based Transdev Canada, which last year bought Patient Transport Services — formerly known as Stretcher Service of Manitoba — deferred comment to the local company.

“The outcome of today’s vote is not what we had anticipated. We will be returning to the bargaining table with MGEU next week,” Patient Transport Services CEO Lolo Eckert said Wednesday evening.

The workers were voting for their second contract since unionizing with the MGEU. The last three-year contract, which began July 15, 2020, saw the minimum wage paid for a stretcher attendant start at $14 per hour and rise 1.5 per cent after the first year and another two per cent after the second year.

Manitoba’s minimum wage went up last October to the current $15.30 per hour.

A worker, who asked not to be named, said pay played a large part in the vote, but was not the only issue .

“It’s just that we don’t feel valued enough, we aren’t given the credit for the work we do,” the worker said.

“Nobody is doing this job for money, but we can’t live without it, as well. Seeing that the company is making so much money on every single patient, we are just grinding ourselves for such low wages and still getting no respect.

“They consider us as robots that can easily be replaced.”

The worker said if the group goes on strike, people will feel the effect.

“It will be a big loss for the city. You already know the condition of (ambulance) services, just imagine what will happen if we aren’t in the picture for just one day.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca