May 25, 2023

Dear Valued Member;

Today (Thursday May 25th) at 12:19 PM, the corporation finally responded to the questions and concerns that were sent over to the corporation from IBEW on May19th.  44 minutes later at 1:03, we received notice that Manitoba Hydro would be sharing the final and complete offer on M-Power and publicly disclose many of the contents throughout the entire corporation.  If you are annoyed, you have every right to be.  At the beginning of bargaining the parties agreed to a specific set of ground rules (below) as a result of the employers’ actions during the last round of bargaining.  As you can see the corporation is back to its old tricks and games.  IBEW will review and consider its next steps regarding filing an unfair labour practice again regarding the corporations’ actions.

22. To the extent possible the parties agree to keep the specific items being discussed at the bargaining table and options put forward for discussion confidential, until a formal all[1]inclusive offer has been made. This includes limiting, to the extent possible, communications regarding negotiations through the Hydrogram and mass media platforms until after the Union has had a reasonable opportunity to assess and/or communicate such an offer to its members. This no way prohibits the parties from communicating with their principals.

In the attachment (IBEW Preamble - Memorandum of Settlement), you will see an all-encompassing version of the current final offer from Manitoba Hydro offer with notes and commentary from the bargaining team (in Red).  We hope that you have had the opportunity to review the offer in its entirety.   It is both disappointing and frustrating that the corporation has not been able to take this round of bargaining seriously.  As you read over the current offer and consider your vote to “accept” or to “reject”, I’ll leave you with the following quick points.

• The corporation is forecasting $700 million in net profits for 2022-2023.  While Hydro records record profits, it struggles to retain and attract the very staff that have and will continue to ensure its success in the years to come. Manitoba Hydro should not be Impoverishing employees to bolster profits.

• In Manitoba, Minimum wage earners will be making $3.35 more per hour than they were in September 2022.  As a result, every employee should receive a minimum increase of $3.35/hr for 2022 to help maintain their relationship to the hourly entry point into the labour market.  A $3.35/hour increase across the  IBEW 2034 membership for 2022 would represent less than 2% of the $700 million profit. 

• The supply of skilled and qualified staff is at an all-time low, while the demand for the very staff is at an all-time high.  The labour market across Canada is one that currently favors employees and their ability to demand competitive wages.

• While IBEW has been attempting to negotiate a fair and reasonable contract, there are rumors that the corporation has been working on a project that would see increases for corporate exempt staff across the corporation.  IBEW is not opposed to positions across the corporation being competitive in the industry that we reside, but many would view the timing as being offensive and irresponsible.

It is for these, and many more reasons not listed that the bargaining committee recommends the membership vote to “reject” this current offer and send a STRONG message to the corporation that it needs to engage in fair and meaningful negotiations.  The bargaining committee remains steadfast in our commitment to seek and attain a fair deal.

A Ballot will be sent out Friday May 26th (by simply voting) after noon and the vote will conclude by Tuesday May 30th at noon.  Please check your spam and inboxes to ensure you receive.  If you are missed, Please notify admin@ibew2034.com and we will do our best to reissue a ballot if necessary, after lunch on Monday May 29th (as required).

Thank you for support.

In solidarity,

Business Manager
IBEW Local Union 2034