Manitoba General Employees Union asks for independent arbitration to end CFS strikes

The union representing Metis Child, Family and Community Services and Michif Child and Family Services is applying for independent arbitration to end a two-week strike.

The Manitoba General Employees Union is asking the Manitoba Labour Board to order an arbitrator to help resolve their contract dispute. The union says the layoffs at both agencies are impeding their right to strike.

“Effective today, these employers have laid off 20 per cent of their staff,” says MGEU President Kyle Ross. “And the number of staff remaining in some areas will fall to essential service levels or below. That leaves our members with little ability to exercise our right to strike in a way that will meaningfully impact the employers’ operation.

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“For that reason, they need access to independent arbitration to resolve that dispute.”

Over 300 employees have been on the picket line since March 25th. The dispute is mainly centred on wage parity, with workers saying they make $3 an hour less than other agency employees doing the same work.

The union is also alleging the agencies are dragging their feet in coming to an agreement to avoid paying retroactive wage increases to workers who are being laid off. Employees have been working under collective agreements that expired in 2023, and retroactive wage increases would only apply once the new agreement is ratified.

“Those workers who were laid off today stand to lose two years of retroactive pay,” says Ross.

In a statement, the Manitoba Metis Federation claims they have not received adequate funding from the provincial or federal governments to prevent the layoffs. The province has previously announced $2.4m in funding, but MMF says that is only enough to support significantly less employees than the agencies currently have.

“In the end, our hands are tied,” said Mona Buors, MMF Minister for Child and Family Services. “We have every interest in providing equal wages and benefits to our staff, so we can recruit and retain the best people to support our kids in care. If the union can bring Manitoba to the table to help us achieve this, we are happy to participate. If they can’t, there is little more we can offer.”

Buors also accused the union of “trying to score points with its membership by making political hay out of the real and serious situation we find ourselves in.”

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