October 14, 2021
Statement from Premier Kelvin Goertzen, Health and Seniors Care Minister Audrey Gordon on New Collective Agreement Between Manitoba Nurses Union and Health-Care Employers
On behalf of all Manitobans, we welcome the announcement of a finalized new and long-term collective agreement between all of Manitoba’s health-care employers and the Manitoba Nurses Union. Our dedicated nurses fully deserve the comfort and security this seven-year agreement provides, along with the wide-ranging collaborative improvements it delivers.
We applaud both the Manitoba Nurses Union and the health-care employers for concluding this agreement in challenging circumstances. The bargaining unit restructuring process administered through an independent commissioner meant that bargaining could not commence until 2020, and then the intervening COVID-19 pandemic created further complications. This mutual agreement is a testament to the hard work and commitment of the leadership and negotiating teams of both sides.
Throughout this unprecedented pandemic, our dedicated nurses have heroically delivered the care that all Manitobans depend upon. Once again, we salute them, for their abilities, their compassion and their unwavering sense of commitment when their special skills have been needed most.
To each and every nurse, on behalf of a grateful province, thank you for everything you do.
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