MGEU to use decorated bus to send message to province
Bus heads to Selkirk where its first stop will be Finance Minister Greg Dewar's office
A bus carrying members of Manitoba's largest union is hitting the road on Monday in an ongoing attempt to pressure the province to negotiate contracts for workers it represents.
The first stop is Selkirk, Man., where they will visit Finance Minister Greg Dewar's office.
Once there, members of Manitoba's Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU) want to send a message:
"They just aren't getting … recognition for the service they provide," said Michelle Gawronsky, the union's president. "Members are frustrated. They definitely feel devalued by their government … their employer."
Approximately 14,000 workers have gone without contracts for 18 months, Gawronsky said, adding it's time for action. That includes travelling on the decorated bus, making stops at different MLAs' offices.
While in Selkirk, they also plan to rally outside the Selkirk Mental Health Centre, where a number of the union's members work.
Gawronsky said she would like to see attention from Manitobans in response to seeing the bus.
"Come over and talk to us," she said, adding it's important for people in the province to understand what's going on between union members and the government.
She is calling on those who are aware of the situation to do something about it.
"Please contact the MLAs to let them know that the services that are provided are important [and] needed by Manitobans," she said.
The bus is the latest step in a campaign that MGEU started in June. At the time, it aimed to pressure the province to negotiate contracts for 25,000 government employees.
Gawronsky said MGEU and those it represents had a simple goal.
"What we're hoping to achieve is a final offer; an offer from the government that we can recommend to our members, something that is respectful of what they do," she said.
Negotiations, she said, are good for workers and the province alike.