In a media release Tuesday (Sept 26), Manitoba Public Insurance said, “Following four days of conciliation with the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU), the conciliator urged Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) to make an enhanced final offer in an effort to end the five-week-old strike. MPI did so through the conciliation process this morning and is hopeful that our employees will now be given an opportunity to vote on the significant and immediate gains built into its enhanced offer.”
The release said “MPI’s significantly enhanced final offer would provide more universal and impactful coverage for more employees sooner while building on the deal MPI tabled on August 22:
• The new 3.5 per cent permanent base pay step applicable across all pay grades has been moved forward by a year, so it is now effective at the beginning of year two of the contract, effective October 1, 2023
• A new one per cent permanent special market adjustment for all in-scope non-operational staff in year two of the contract, effective September 27, 2023.
MPI’s enhanced offer to MGEU also includes:
• 8.0 per cent – General wage increases of two per cent per year over four years
• 2.8 per cent – $1,800 one-time, lump sum signing bonus
• 1.0 per cent – Retention adjustment for Operations employees in year four
• Up to 1.7 per cent – Impact of expanded benefit enhancements on the average unionized salary
“MPI has been as responsive as it can be to the union’s clear preference for a bargaining table solution that our employees can finally vote on,” said Ward Keith, MPI Chairperson. “We appreciate the efforts and skill of the conciliator and the bargaining teams for both sides, who both seem eager to resolve this five-week strike as soon as possible for the benefit of our employees and all of the Manitobans we serve.”
The 1,700 unionized employees have been on strike for nearly 5 weeks.
