Manitoba union accuses MGEU of 'fear-mongering' in government merger of health sector bargaining units

Two Manitoba unions that stand against a new government decision to shrink the number of health sector bargaining units in the province are at odds over how the change will impact their members.

On Thursday, Manitoba Health Minister Cameron Friesen announced the province will be merging the current 180 bargaining units into 40. Friesen said the move will improve patient care and find efficiencies as the government carries on its health-care system overhaul. 

The new units will organize health-care employees by the kind of work they do and not based on where they work. 

But the move triggered an angry response from Manitoba Government and General Employees Union president Michelle Gawronsky. She accused the government of "changing the rules at the last minute."

Gawronsky suggested the changes aren't in the best interest of patients and could result in employers sending workers typically stationed in one facility to another, unfamiliar environment to fulfil staffing shortages and other needs.

Home-care staff and health-care aides in places like hospitals would be in a single group and could potentially work in different facilities, she said. Friesen said employees would still have a choice in the decision-making process.

The timing and tone of that MGEU message wasn't unanimously supported by every Manitoba union.

"MGEU is fear-mongering and we've heard from members whom are fearful for their jobs — that's just wrong," said Liz Carlyle, campaign co-ordinator for the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

Carlyle said the changes were known by union leaders months before the announcement and that CUPE had shared the information with its membership in advance.

"It appears that other unions like MGEU have been hiding this information from their members," said Carlyle. "We believe that MGEU has purposely not shared this information with their members."

MGEU denies knowledge

But MGEU staff negotiator Sheila Gordon fired back, saying her union had no idea.

"We didn't believe that that was going to happen and in fact it wasn't until yesterday that they announced these heavy handed regulations that made it happen," Gordon said. "To suggest that we knew is actually not the case."

Gordon would not respond to the CUPE accusations of fear-mongering.

"From our perspective this is a very real concern for our members," said Gordon.

CUPE and MGEU both oppose provincial bills 29 and 28. The latter, Bill 28, The Public Services Sustainability Act, has passed but hasn't yet been proclaimed. If proclaimed, it would impose a two-year wage freeze on all government workers. The issue is currently before the courts.

Bill 29, The Health Sector Bargaining Unit Review Act, passed in 2017 and involves the current changes to health sector bargaining units. It was proclaimed last year.

As restructuring of bargaining units takes off, the two unions are vying to sign thousands of workers in coming voting processes.

In the meantime, health-care workers including home-care staff, the majority of whom are represented by MGEU, have been given an invitation. Members of that union with concerns are welcome to contact CUPE, said Carlyle. 

"We get calls every day from home-care workers [represented by MGEU] who are worried about what will come out of these votes," said Carlyle.

"Home-care workers are very much aware that there are some big holes in their contract. CUPE would be happy to welcome them into our union. We have protections that would follow us into bargaining if we win these votes."

MGEU represents about 4,000 home-care workers who provide direct care, and 3,000 health-care aides working in hospitals and personal care homes. The union represents another 7,500 facility support workers. All of these members will be directly impacted by the new bargaining unit framework imposed by the provincial regulation change.

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