5 March, 2021

Dear Member;

This is to update you on the progress of negotiations with Manitoba Hydro that took place on March 3^rd and 4^th, 2021.  Your Bargaining Committee returned to the table with the hopes that the Corporation would be open to various suggestions.  Unfortunately, very little progress was made.  One consideration that we were seeking dealt with the recovery of COVID-19 days.  We felt we were making progress in this area until the Corporation insisted that it would accept our proposal, only if we agreed to reducing the request in one of our different proposals.

One of the issues that your Bargaining Committee was concerned with was its being told by Hydro’s Bargaining Team that it was not empowered to change its mandate.  When pressed on this matter, Hydro’s team informed us that representatives of the Provincial Government were Hydro’s principals.  In other words, no-one at the table had the authority to make any monetary decisions.  Your Committee’s feeling about this is that those with the actual decision-making authority should be the ones with whom they bargain.

Fearing that they might be approaching an impasse, your Committee asked Hydro’s team to go back to government and seek a different mandate.  It adamantly refused to do this.  Likewise, when your Bargaining Committee asked Hydro to seek binding arbitration, it also flatly turned down this option.

We left our two days of bargaining no further ahead than we were previously.  We are in the process of analyzing our most recent efforts and considering what our next steps should be.  Once a decision has been made, we will keep you informed.

In solidarity,

Business Manager
IBEW Local Union 2034