Thousands of health care support workers, including ones in Southern Health-Sante Sud, could walk off the job as early as Tuesday.
Gina McKay is CUPE Manitoba President. McKay says negotiations have stalled this week as government has made no new move towards a deal.
"It's very disappointing to see and we know that health care in Manitoba is in crisis," says McKay.
McKay says 25,000 health care support workers in Manitoba are preparing to go on strike on October 8th unless government and health care employers come forward with a fair deal that includes real improvements to workers' wages. The 25,000 are represented by either CUPE or MGEU.
These health care support staff members work at hospitals and personal care homes, and in the provincial home care program. The workers include health care aides, laundry workers, dietary aides, ward clerks, recreation coordinators, maintenance, housekeeping and other support staff.
McKay says the two sides are at odds over wages, noting that our province's health care aides make less than any other health care aide in Canada. In fact, McKay says their hourly wage is approximately $3 less than the next closest province.
"We have positions making minimum wage, we have many other health care support workers making $17 an hour, barely a dollar more than minimum wage and far less than similar private sector jobs," adds McKay.
CUPE conducted a survey from over 5,000 support workers in Southern Health-Sante Sud, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Northern Regional Health Authority, and Shared Health. According to the survey, one in 16 Manitoba health care support workers rely on foodbanks or charity, while one in nine have faced housing insecurity.
"The members who are doing this work, they are doing hard work on the front line, they are thankless jobs in many ways, and they are reporting to us massive economic uncertainty including housing insecurity," notes McKay. "This is real for our members, and they need it to be lifted out of poverty wage."
McKay says CUPE is fighting hard for a fair deal and better working conditions for these health care workers, noting government has an opportunity to start towards fixing, retention and recruitment."
McKay says CUPE is waiting to hear back from the employer group, noting a strike is the last resort. However, McKay says each day that passes without an offer, only brings them closer to strike action.
Meanwhile, according to Shared Health, a strike would disrupt services for residents living throughout much of Manitoba, excluding the Northern Health Region. It says community health services, particularly home care services, and some clinic appointments could be significantly disrupted.
In a statement, Shared Health says that system employers remain committed to bargaining in good faith with both unions in the hopes of reaching an agreement and avoiding a strike.
The statement goes on to say that in the event of a strike beginning October 8 at 6 am, essential services agreements will be implemented. These agreements reached between employers and unions are intended to support ongoing vital health services, including priority home care. All efforts will be made to minimize service disruptions. However, clients should expect some delays and/or changes to services – including the possibility of some cancellations.
Impacted clients began being notified last week that their care plans were being reviewed in order to determine service modifications on a case-by-case basis.
Service priority will be focused on ensuring clients continue to receive essential services, while some lower priority tasks are offered less frequently or postponed. Clients whose home visits will be postponed or cancelled can expect to be contacted by phone and notified of the change.
For many home care clients, families and caregivers are a fundamental partner in assisting with the care clients need. While essential services will continue to be provided, some clients may benefit from additional support. Families and caregivers are asked to plan accordingly during this time as a part of their backup plan to bridge any gaps in services. Home care clients are encouraged to contact the health region they receive services from if they have questions or concerns. For each region, clients and/or their loved ones are asked to call:
- Winnipeg: your case coordinator;
- Interlake-Eastern: 204-785-5577;
- Prairie Mountain: 1-855-474-3338; and
- Southern: 204-346-6135.
Other community health services will continue as planned, but clients can expect disruptions or delays if a strike occurs.
The potential work stoppage can also be expected to disrupt other clinical activities. Affected patients that have a clinical or outpatient appointment will be contacted directly.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says patients should always be the top priority.
"Whether you are the patient in the community who needs the home care services, or your loved one is a patient in the hospital or the personal care home, we need to make sure that the aides are there to deliver high quality care because these health care aides, the home care aides, these are people who have been doing so much of the heavy lifting in these health care settings," says Kinew.
The Premier says there is a very good offer on the table.
"It's about 2.5 times the raise that was offered last time around," says Kinew. "So, it is responding to that inflation that we've all been living through."
Further to that, he says the gas tax cut, offered by his government, should save money for home care aides who must travel for their work.
"This is a serious situation, and we hear that concern," says Kinew. "We hope that a good, negotiated path forward can be here relatively soon because as I say, it's all about the patients."
Kinew made the comments in the latest Premier's report.
With files from Candace Derksen