Winnipeg autobody shop owner pleads for patience amid MPI strike

The owner of a Winnipeg autobody repair shop pleaded with his customers for patience after a strike by Manitoba Public Insurance employees resulted in a wave of damage claims coming his way. 

Peter Posillipo, owner of Finish First Autobody, said he has been "overwhelmed" by phone calls ever since the public auto insurer announced that people can directly initiate claims and make arrangements for repairs.

"It becomes trying to juggle, keeping people happy, getting their cars estimated," Posillipo said.

"And we still gotta keep people happy getting the cars fixed. So … we're like management crisis at this point."

About 1,700 unionized MPI workers across the province went on strike at 7:30 a.m. on Monday after an agreement on a new contract couldn't be reached during weekend bargaining with the Crown corporation. Close to 1,200 of those workers are in Winnipeg.

Board chair Ward Keith said at a news conference on Monday the corporation had made "contingency plans" with the Insurance Brokers Association of Manitoba, the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association and the Automotive Trades Association to deliver service previously handled by MPI staff.

While drivers can have their claims and repairs done at his shop, Posillipo said any deductibles must be paid, and MPI can determine who is at fault after the strike ends. Drivers who are not at fault will have their deductible credited back to them, Posillipo said.

There are many variables that can affect how long it will take for repairs, Posillipo said.

"At this point, we're probably between a month-and-a-half to two months, as far as trying to get someone in, depending on courtesy cars available and parts issues and making sure that parts arrive on time and so on," he said.

The strike comes less than a week after a massive hailstorm caused widespread damage in parts of northeast Winnipeg.

MPI said as of Saturday morning, it had received around 1,500 hail damage claims. 

Road test woes

The strike has also affected people looking to take their road test, as MPI said driver testing appointments will be temporarily suspended during the strike.

Paul Phangureh owns Pan Am Driving School, and he had three tests booked for this week. One booked for Monday was cancelled and unable to reschedule, another set for Tuesday will likely need to be cancelled or rescheduled and one set for Wednesday was pushed back to Thursday.

"The one who was cancelled this morning, I talked to him and he's not very happy, because he had prepared for this for the last month or so, and it was his first test," Phangureh said in an interview on Monday.

"He was all prepared, all set to go. And then suddenly there's no test. So he might end up waiting another month for the next appointment. We don't know, right? Which means he might have to take another lesson before the next test, which is more money for him."

Phangureh also had booked an appointment Monday to get one of his instructor vehicles tested at the MPI centre on King Edward Street, but when he arrived there was no one there.

"That means I have one less car I can put on the road for this week," he said.

Keith expressed sympathy for drivers looking to take their tests.

"I know that this is a major disappointment, particularly for new drivers in the province who were already anxiously awaiting a road test," he said, adding that officials are contracting external service providers with the hope of resuming services by Wednesday.