Staff at 3 Manitoba Child and Family Services agencies poised to strike after rejecting bargaining proposals

More than 500 child and family support workers at three separate Manitoba agencies are prepared to strike if a new collective bargaining agreement can't be reached, their union says.

Workers under the Métis Child and Family Services Authority and the Michif Child and Family Services Authority, represented by the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union, rejected the latest offer from their employers last month, a Wednesday news release from the union said.

The offer was rejected in a vote ending Dec. 19 by approximately 259 members of the Winnipeg-area Métis Child and Family Services Local 383, as well as 126 workers with Michif Child and Family Services locals 384, 385, and 422 — representing workers in the Dauphin, The Pas and Brandon areas.

Workers with both the Métis and Michif CFS agencies have been without contracts since Jan. 31, 2023. 

Workers with Southeast Child and Family Services Local 395 also voted earlier in December to reject their latest contract offer, MGEU said. Those 170 workers have been without a contract since March 31, 2022.

MGEU president Kyle Ross said the three agencies have returned to the bargaining table.

"We're hopeful that we can return to the table and try to resolve this in a way that doesn't involve taking strike action, but we have to continue working at it," Ross told CBC on Friday. 

The CFS agencies are asking for changes in line with the four-year, 14 per cent wage increase MGEU members in other civil services have recently got, Ross said.  

"If these workers fall behind, they're likely to choose another employer that's going to treat them fairly," he said. 

All three employers and their respective bargaining committees have also discussed changes around contract language, working conditions and benefits, the release said.

CBC contacted the Southeast, Métis and Michif family services on Saturday, but had not received a response prior to publication.

In a statement sent to CBC Friday, Manitoba Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine said the government recognizes the important work of CFS employees, adding "we know the best deals for workers are reached at the table," but said to respect the ongoing bargaining process, the province will not comment further.

CBC also requested comment from Mona Buors, the child and families minister for the Manitoba Métis Federation, but did not receive comment before publication.

Child and family support workers provide important services for Manitobans in need, so going on strike is "the last thing we want to do," said Ross.

The union says the Southeast CFS employer has requested the Manitoba Labour Board appoint a conciliation officer to help in the negotiations and work on the details of an essential services agreement.

The Michif and Métis CFS agencies have also had discussions on finalizing an essential services agreement, MGEU's news releases said.