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Manitoba government to contract out more seasonal road work

“With the expiration of the no-layoff clause, there are now no checks and balances on the government’s public service cut and privatization agenda. This now adds up to about 150 privatized positions in just the last few months from this government.” — Michelle Gawronsky, MGEU President

Winnipeg (07 Jan. 2019) —Recently the provincial government announced plans to further privatize seasonal construction work that was previously provided by members of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU/NUPGE) working in Manitoba Infrastructure. 

This maintenance road work, which was the responsibility of 47 government employees in 2018, will be privatized as of April 10, 2019. The government says that it’s too early to say how many positions will be affected in the future. 

Cuts in addition to previous civil service job eliminations

The cuts are in addition to the 1,200 civil service jobs that the Pallister Government has already eliminated, mainly through attrition, since a negotiated no-layoff clause in the collective agreement prevented them from laying off workers. That agreement expires March 29, 2019 and Michelle Gawronsky, President of the MGEU, says that it’s clear the government is looking at layoffs to further cut the public service.

“With the expiration of the no-layoff clause, there are now no checks and balances on the government’s public service cut-and-privatization agenda. This now adds up to about 150 privatized positions in just the last few months from this government.”

Broad range of positions privatized

The recently privatized positions include about 50 in Special Operations, 50 in Manitoba Government Air Services, 30 positions at the Pineland Forest Nursery, eight jobs in French Translation Services and up to 11 positions in the Real Estate Services Division.