Winnipeg, Manitoba — On Wednesday evening, the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) announced that its members voted in favour of a tentative agreement that was originally reached on Tuesday with MPI.
With the acceptance of this new agreement, MGEU members have agreed to end strike actions that initially began on August 28, 2023.
The new agreement will give employees a 13 percent wage increase over four years. The agreement will also include a lump sum signing bonus of $1,800 for full-time employees.
“It’s been a tough round of bargaining and strike action stretching from summer into fall, but our members stood their ground to achieve the fairness they deserved all along,” said Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) President Kyle Ross in a news release.
The new agreement will span until September 26, 2026, and members will return to their jobs on Friday.
“Our members are keen to get back to work helping Manitobans,” said Ross. “We ask the public to have patience with members as they work to ramp up services.”
Matt Wiebe, the minister responsible for MPI, said he and the provincial government are happy to see the strike come to an end.
Wiebe said he and the NDP government were well aware of the frustration from both MPI workers and the Manitobans who have been impacted by the two month strike. He noted it was one of the first priorities the government wanted to deal with when they took power.
When asked on how these new wages will be paid for, Wiebe said MPI will have to go to the Public Utilities Board to figure out next steps.
“I think it’s clear that we do need to find a path forward that doesn’t impact ratepayers. That’s going to be a major concern for us.”
