Manitoba's new government replaces most of MPI's board as strike drags on

Two days after being sworn in, Manitoba's NDP government has replaced most board members at the provincial Crown corporation that provides vehicle insurance.

Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, who is also the minister in charge of Manitoba Public Insurance, said the top priority for the new board of MPI is to end a strike by 1,700 workers, represented by the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union, that started in late August. The corporation's workers have been walking picket lines for several weeks in a dispute over wages.

"It's absolutely vital to be perfectly clear with the workers of MPI and with all working people across Manitoba that … as a new government, we're setting a new tone and we're setting, in this case, a new mandate for the board of MPI," Wiebe said during a Friday news conference.

"We know that by bringing in a strong, capable board that we'll be able to move forward on that very, very quickly."

MPI presented what it called a final offer last month, and the two sides were supposed to head toward binding arbitration. Under Manitoba's labour laws, parties involved in a labour dispute can apply for binding arbitration — in which a decision is legally binding and enforceable, similar to a court order — if a strike or lockout continues for 60 days. 

The MPI workers began their strike on Aug. 28.

Wiebe says he has directed the board not to immediately seek binding arbitration and instead work with the union to establish new bargaining dates.

Friday's shakeup is a "light at the end of the tunnel" for workers who are wrapping up their eighth week on the picket line, Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union president Kyle Ross said during a separate news conference.

"I think  there's a bit of a sigh of relief for our members where they can say, 'OK we're gonna get treated fairly now and we can get a fair deal," he said.

However, while he called it "a good first step and … a real show of faith by the government," he added "there's still a lot of work to do."

MGEU is looking forward to getting back to the bargaining table, he said.

Wages have been a main sticking point in the negotiations, but Wiebe said a mandate letter he's issued to MPI, outlining  priorities for the new board, didn't include compensation for workers or other details regarding the collective bargaining agreement.

All negotiations will be left to MPI's new board, he said.

Wiebe wouldn't comment on any specific timeline for negotiations.

"We have asked the board to move quickly to get to work to begin the negotiations, or reset the relationship and start negotiating, but we're not being prescriptive on a timeline," he said.