Driving instructors call for an end to MPI strike, say it's hurting their business

Winnipeg driving instructors are getting out of their cars to walk with striking MPI workers on the picket line, calling for an end to the strike that they say is hurting their business.

Close to 1,700 unionized Manitoba Public Insurance employees have been on strike for almost two weeks after collective bargaining talks hit an impasse between the Crown corporation and the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union.

Because of strike-related disruptions, MPI is only administering road tests that were booked before the strike began or were cancelled because of the strike, but isn't booking any new appointments for road tests. 

WATCH | Driving instructors join MPI workers on picket line:

Driving instructors join MPI workers on picket line

1 year ago

Duration 1:44

The strike by MPI workers is heading into its third week. That's having an impact on businesses that rely on MPI's services — including driving schools. Some instructors made their voices heard as they call for an end to the strike.

That's having a huge impact on business for driving instructors, said Paul Phangureh with Pan Am Driving School. 

With the number of road tests reduced, Phangureh said students at his driving school have been cancelling their lessons. He estimates that business at his driving school is down by about 80 per cent since the strike began. 

"Without the road test, there are no lessons. With no lessons there's no work. So it is getting very slow for us," he said. 

Safety concerns

Another concern among the driving instructors is MPI's use of certified driving education instructors to administer road tests. 

Neena Bedi, a driving instructor at Bridgewater Driving School, said she doesn't think this is appropriate because the regular MPI examiners have to take weeks worth of training. 

"As driving instructors we are trained to instruct people, not trained to examine them," she said. 

Regarding the safety concerns, MPI board chair Ward Keith said the Crown corporation is only using provincially certified driving instructors who also have received training on road testing protocols and additional training through MPI's instructor preparation course. 

"When it comes to switching from being an instructor to being a tester, we believe that these driving instructors, the ones that have been selected and vetted, are able to make that change and that they will only be passing people who are safe to drive independently," he said. 

Bedi said her driving school has been hit hard by the strike too, saying aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, business has never been this slow. 

"Everybody's just reduced so much. Instead of doing like four lessons a day, five lessons a day, we're reduced to one lesson or two. Some days there's nothing. So it's a lot."

The instructors say they want both sides to come back to the bargaining table so that the strike can end soon. 

"Please sit down with the workers and come to some terms. I mean, you can't go on like this," Phangureh said. 

In an email, MGEU president Kyle Ross said the union appreciates the support. 

"Seeing so many driving school instructors join our picket lines to show their support has been really uplifting for our members," he said.

"We all just want to get back to the bargaining table to work out a fair deal and end this strike."

For MPI's part, Keith said the Crown corporation is eager to end the strike too but still believes that the issue of general wage increases should proceed to binding arbitration — something the two parties are not in agreement on. 

"I can assure you, there's no organization more anxious than MPI to end these disruptions and have its unionized employees return to work."