Allied health-care workers are eyeing a strike once again.
Of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals' (MAHCP) members, 96 per cent have voted in favour of a strike mandate, citing a lack of competitive wages, and severe understaffing. That includes paramedics, mental health and addictions workers, and lab and diagnostic imaging staff.
The group's previous contracts expired on March 31 last year.
While the MAHCP represents workers in the Shared Health region, the union's president, Jason Linklater, says, "People who live in Southern Manitoba would certainly be impacted by things like surgeries being cancelled, and diagnostic testing being backed up too. So, it's all kind of interconnected."
Essential services would still be provided.
While 96 per cent is an overwhelming number, Linklater said it's not because members want to stand on the picket line.
"We have no desire for a strike. We certainly do not want to see a strike happen. The fact that we're in this position again with this government takes the air out of people," he said.
A survey taken by the union shows 48 respondents reported losing people in their department in 2024, 59 per cent said morale dropped, and 62 per cent said their workload had increased.
Two per cent saw a decrease in workload.
"It's depleting. Absolutely depleting. We had full expectation that fixing culture in health care, fixing the health system, was a priority," Linklater continues.
While union members usually vote for a strike mandate because of an employer, he said this largely has to do with provincial powers.
"Trust with this current government has profoundly been lost. The health minister has spoken publicly many times that retention is the most important step in fixing allied health. A vote of this magnitude clearly indicates that isn't happening," he said.
"It's depleting. Absolutely depleting."
While the government often says it is listening to the concerns and ideas of frontline workers, particularly through a listening tour, Linklater said it doesn't seem anyone is being heard.
"I think a vote like this means that allied health professionals in Manitoba believe the government isn't going to do the right thing unless they are forced to. That's sort of what a strike mandate is. The threat that if they don't start to fix things, there will be further impact on the system," he said.
Premier hopeful for a deal
In response to MAHCP's strike mandate and the concerns of allied health-care workers, Premier Wab Kinew noted, "I hope we get a deal. We've been staffing up, I think everybody in health care sees that, and that's the first step to fixing healthcare. So, we'll continue to listen to the voices that come from the frontlines."
"Allied health workers are super valuable. I hope they notice that I try to say 'allied health' all the time when we're talking about health care staffing. That's just one small example of the emphasis, and the respect, that we put into the work that they do," the premier added.
MGEU remains at the bargaining table
Meanwhile, Kyle Ross, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) — which represents allied health professionals in southern Manitoba — said they are still at the bargaining table, too.
"It's been another challenging round, but we're hopeful that we can work with employers to try to find some type of resolution that all our members will accept," he said, and noted recruitment and retention is a big concern.
"We know that there's high vacancy rates in southern Manitoba and Southern Health-Santé Sud, and there's a lot of patients waiting for care. It's a frustrating situation for the workers and for the patients," Ross said.
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) requests obtained by the MGEU show a 23 per cent, overall, vacancy rate for allied health workers in Southern Health-Santé Sud.
The FIPPA documents also show over 4,400 Manitobans in the region are waiting for services provided by allied health professionals.
"It's pretty challenging... when you're always rushed, but trying to do the best you can when working with people. It's even worse when you don't have the time to give them that special touch, right? The quality care that these professions are expected, and expect, to give," Ross said.
The MGEU president noted it's important to encourage and incentivize people to take up these professions in their local communities.
"If we really want a stronger health care system across Manitoba and the rural areas, we need people to want to live there," he said.
Both Ross and Linklater agree that a plan needs to be arrived at soon.
"We know at some point, if we have to, we will go get a strike mandate from our workers," Ross said, but emphasized it's a last resort. "Our goal is to bargain a deal at the table; something that's fair for Manitobans, and fair for our workers."
Linklater said the provincial government has an opportunity to right the course.
"You cannot create a good culture when there are not enough people to do the work. All that happens when there's not enough people to treat patients, is that you end up with people who are overworked and burnt out," he said.
MAHCP will continue to bargain in the meantime, Linklater said. While no dates have been pinpointed, he expects negotiations to last up to the last week of February.