MPI refuse binding arbitration with firm, continue second week of strike

The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) has refused an offer by Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) to enter a binding arbitration, as the employee strike entered its second week.

MPI said its enhanced offer includes proceeding directly to binding arbitration on the issue of general wage increases, while locking in all other increases already on the table, including a protected eight percent in general wage increases, while MGEU makes its case to an impartial third party for higher levels.

“Proceeding to binding arbitration would enable the union to make its case for higher wage increases while protecting the 17% offer that is already on the table for employees,” said Ward Keith, the chairperson of MPI.

Keith also claimed that the MGEU had previously encouraged employees in other public sector bargaining units to accept lesser deals than what MPI was offering.

“MPI has been open and clear about the components of that deal and the benefits it would provide. Despite encouraging employees in other public sector bargaining units to accept lesser deals, MGEU has chosen to keep MPI employees on the picket lines,” Keith said.

On August 28, 1,700 MPI employees walked off the job to call for better wages. The MGEU said that their members deserved raises in their wages similar to what provincial politicians had received.

The MPI strike began one day after the end of a weeks-long Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries strike. A CBC News report said unionized members of that Crown corporation voted to accept a 12% wage increase over four years.

To minimize the impact of the strike, MPI said it has enacted a contingency plan that includes:

• All general enquiries and service transactions, including driver licence and insurance renewals, new insurance policies, and payments being handled by any of Manitoba’s 300 broker partners.
• The MPI Contact Centre remaining open for reporting new personal injury claims, collision claims involving non-drivable vehicles, and total thefts.
• Customers reporting all other passenger vehicle (car, SUV and light duty truck) claims can begin the process by filling out MPI’s new online claim form.
• Other essential services, such as income replacement payments for personal injury claimants, continuing uninterrupted.
• MPI resuming Class 5 driving test services, with customers with cancelled appointments being contacted to reschedule.

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