The Bill 29 Commissioner will be issuing interim bargaining unit certificates to successful unions in the recent representation votes, effective as of December 13, 2019 for the new WRHA and Shared Health bargaining units. A new interim bargaining unit certificate will also be issued for the NRHA effective December 8, 2019, but there will be no change for MAHCP members in the NRHA Professional/Technical/Paramedical sector.
The new certificates will mean significant growth for MAHCP – our membership will be growing by 66%, and we will represent 85% of Allied Health Professionals in Manitoba.
It will also bring significant change for our union. For example, we will be taking on new Laboratory, Diagnostic Imaging and Rural Paramedic members in all Manitoba regions (we currently represent these classifications only within the boundaries of the NRHA and some within the Southern Health region). We will also be gaining members at WRHA-affiliated community sites, such as Access Centres and Community Health Centres like Klinic, as well as all Professional-Technical employees at Grace Hospital and Riverview Health Centre.
We are excited by the opportunities and challenges this growth represents, and we look forward to working with all current and new members to achieve our shared goals.
In addition, Monday, November 18, 2019 marks the next step in our fight against Bill 28, Pallister’s unconstitutional wage-freeze legislation that fundamentally undermines our Charter-protected right to free and fair collective bargaining. MAHCP is joining with other public-sector unions to fight Bill 28 in court, and that challenge will be heard at Manitoba’s Court of Queen’s Bench beginning Monday. This court challenge affects us all, and we will keep you updated on the outcome. Regardless of the court’s decision, we expect the losing side to appeal and the case is likely to go to the Supreme Court of Canada for a final decision at some point in the future.
Please stay tuned for further updates in the coming weeks and months, including important information regarding collective bargaining for our central-table members and President’s tours. And please feel free to contact us at info@mahcp.ca or your Labour Relations Officer with any questions.
In solidarity,
Bob Moroz, MAHCP President