No unpaid days off or wage rollbacks in debt reduction plan
The provincial government introduced legislation that is set to reduce the cost of the public sector. Bill 28, the Public services Sustainability Act will freeze wages for the first two years and limit wage increases to .75% in year three and 1% in year four after existing collective agreements expire. The new limits will apply to 120,000 union and non-union employees but do not apply to Judges or Judicial Justices of the Peace.
The legislation will apply to health organizations, financial reporting organizations, child and family service authorities and agencies, universities, colleges, independent offices, the legislative assembly, political staff and school divisions/districts, government agencies and the government itself.
The legislation does not impose wage rollbacks or unpaid days off as was widely speculated in the days leading up to the introduction of the bill. Pensions are also not affected .
Accompanying legislation was also introduced which reduces the number of bargaining units within the health sector. Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen introduced the Health Sector Bargaining Unit Review Act, Bill 29, which reduces the number of bargaining units from 182 to less than 50. The legislation will allow employees to choose which union or association will represent them as well as define the units by category and region.
“Pay and benefits represent approximately 73 percent of the province’s total health budget,” said Goertzen. “When you take into consideration the fact that the health budget makes up nearly half of Manitoba’s total provincial budget it is obvious that we have a unique opportunity before us to work together to improve patient care while ensuring the long-term sustainability of our province’s health-care system for all Manitobans.”
-News4 Staff-
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