The strike by 1,700 Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) employees is in its third week, and the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) is now hoping a conciliator can help them reach a new agreement.
MPI Chairperson, Ward Keith said in a media release this week that “conciliation is not required to end this strike – that could happen tomorrow without any risk to our employees. But we’re still open to exploring conciliation with MGEU if we’re on the same page.” A conciliator helped to reach a deal in the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries workers’ strike last month.
Keith also said, “Our proposal to proceed to binding arbitration on the matter of general wage increases remains on the table, as it has been since the day we presented this enhanced offer.”
But MGEU president Kyle Ross told the CBC “the union would rather make a deal at the negotiating table. Arbitration is an imposed deal, and we would rather have an opportunity for our members to vote on a deal.” He said “When you go to arbitration it takes our members’ democratic rights away.”
MPI workers have been on strike since August 28th.
