Members of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals who are part of the bargaining unit at the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities have voted unanimously in favour of a strike mandate.
During a meeting on July 16, there was much discussion about the state of bargaining. Members expressed their frustration at the lack of funding on the employer’s part and the two layoffs that were recently announced with no notification nor discussion with the union.
A previous post on this collective bargaining process stated that negotiations with the employer were progressing well until the bargaining committee reached monetary items. On June 11, the employer informed the committee that they have not received any funding letters to support any increased monetary compensation for the new collective agreement.
As a result, the committee and MAHCP decided to apply for conciliation, which was granted and has been set for July 29.
“The 100 per cent support of a strike mandate shows that the bargaining committee has the steadfast support of the membership,” said Bob Moroz, President of MAHCP.
“This was the strong showing they were looking for, and will go a long way towards demonstrating to the employer that the staff at SMD want a fair collective agreement.”