Westman Regional Lab workers approve four-year deal

'My hat is off to the bargaining committee and to the membership here.' - Peter Olfert

Brandon (15 May 2007) - Workers at the Westman Regional Lab in Brandon have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a contract offer put forward by management of the facility, narrowly averting a strike. The new contract is retroactive to 2006 and runs until 2010.

“We are very pleased for our members at Westman Lab,” says Peter Olfert, president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU/NUPGE).

The final management offer went "a long ways to addressing the recruitment and retention issues" facing the facility, Olfert says.

"We had been seeing increasing workloads as a result of staff shortages that could, if not addressed, adversely affect patient care. Our members were very concerned about that.”

Olfert said management and the government "largely" addressed some of the main monetary issues in the dispute, meaning it will be earlier to retain staff and attract additional lab technologists, lab technicians and pathology assistants in the field.

The contract includes increases of 2.5% for 2006, 2.5% in 2007, 2.5% in 2008 and 2.9% in 2009. Recruitment and retention adjustments are also included over the life of the agreement, varying according to job classification.

“My hat is off to the bargaining committee and to the membership here,” says Olfert. “This was a difficult negotiation, and it was their strength and solidarity that made all the difference.”