The Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals (MAHCP) is on the brink of a strike that could affect public health services across the province. Representing 7,000 allied health professionals, the union met with employers on Sunday, but no resolution was reached. This comes after nearly all members voted in January, with 96 percent supporting job action. The professionals have been without a contract for nearly a year, and no further bargaining meetings are scheduled this week.
Negotiations, which began last April, have yet to produce a new agreement. Shared Health, negotiating on behalf of employers, stated its commitment to bargaining in good faith. However, union president Jason Linklater expressed dissatisfaction with the progress, citing insufficient movement to consider making a deal.
"We still have not enough movement for us to be able to consider making a deal at this time," union president Jason Linklater said Monday.
The MAHCP has given until Friday to reach an agreement addressing wage and retention concerns. Failure to do so could result in significant service disruptions, including delays in ultrasounds and radiation treatments, backlogs in emergency room discharges, and longer wait times for non-emergent patient transports in rural areas.
"A strike is not something that we want. Our goal is to ensure that we are creating a stable allied health sector and certainly that's the only way to comprehensively fix health care." – Jason Linklater
This is the second time MAHCP members have voted in favor of a strike in two years. A previous deal was implemented retroactively but expired last year. The union seeks wage increases that align with those of professionals in other jurisdictions, though specifics have not been disclosed.
"We are looking to make up for lost ground," – Jason Linklater
Linklater emphasized the urgency of the situation, urging the Manitoba government to commit additional funding to avert a strike and fulfill its promise to improve the health-care system.
"If the Manitoba government wants to avoid a strike and keep their promise to health-care workers and to Manitobans to fix the health-care system, they are going to have to step up and commit additional funding to this process." – Jason Linklater
Shared Health remains hopeful for a resolution and is reviewing essential service agreements to ensure safe patient care in the event of a strike.
"We remain hopeful an agreement will be reached. Essential service agreements are being reviewed to ensure safe patient/resident/client care," – Shared Health
