The Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU) continues to reject Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI)’s offer to proceed to binding arbitration on the issue of general wage increases, choosing instead to keep employees on strike in an attempt to disrupt services for Manitobans.
MPI’s enhanced and guaranteed total monetary offer of up to 17 per cent of the average bargaining unit salary includes general wage increases of eight per cent over four years, and a new and permanent wage pay step of 3.5 per cent that will apply globally to all unionized employees. In addition, the offer includes a lump-sum signing bonus of $1,800 or 2.8 per cent of the average bargaining unit salary, and other benefit enhancements totaling 1.7 per cent of the average bargaining unit salary. A further special wage adjustment of one per cent is included for employees in the Operations division, which accounts for three-quarters of unionized staff.
This offer could be actioned immediately, while the specific issue of general wage increases beyond 2 per cent per year is resolved through a fair binding arbitration process as MGEU makes its case for further increases.
“Proceeding to arbitration would enable MGEU to seek the increases they claim are preventing them from accepting the deal, while fully protecting the offer that is on the table,” said Ward Keith, MPI Chairperson. “It would also bring MPI employees back to work, ending service disruptions and reducing financial impacts to those on the picket line and their families.”
Despite the ongoing labour disruption, MPI continues to expand its service delivery, including the resumption of hail estimating services next week. Beginning Monday, September 11, MPI will be opening up dedicated resources at its Physical Damage Centre using new technology to provide faster hail estimates, helping more customers get their vehicles repaired sooner.
MPI is experiencing one of the worst years for hail-related claims in the past 20 years. To date in 2023, the Corporation has received over 11,600 hail claims, with over 3,800 alone coming from the severe storm in Winnipeg and surrounding areas on Aug. 24. This has left thousands of MPI customers in need of an estimate before their vehicle can be repaired.
“The combination of the unnecessary strike by MGEU and this staggering number of hail claims has required MPI to find contingencies with trusted partners and service providers,” said Keith. “Establishing solutions to manage this surge in claims will allow MPI to process the backlog of hail claims faster and more efficiently than ever before.”
Impacted customers are being contacted to schedule appointments, with priority given to customers whose appointments were cancelled during the week of August 28. Customers who have not yet reported hail damage on a drivable vehicle can open their claim online using MPI’s new online claim form and they will be contacted to schedule an appointment.
