Some reasons for not laying off Manitoba Hydro employees:

• Manitoba Hydro work has not diminished.It is always increasing.Hydro continues to hire contractors claiming it has insufficient human resources to accomplish the work that it needs to do.Unlike other businesses, everyone has been working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Other layoffs came about as a result of decreased business.The way to fight off unemployment in other sectors is not to add to the unemployment rolls by laying off fully employed workers at a successful corporation.

• Current staffing levels already produce longer than acceptable wait times for power outages, as witnessed in last year’s ice-storm.Reductions in staffing levels compromise the provision of “reliable” power to Manitobans who depend on it for their livelihood and personal safety.

• Manitoba Hydro is an essential service provider. Cutting back on staffing levels effectively reduces the utility’s ability to deliver that service to Manitobans, the ultimate owners of the Crown Corporation.

• Cuts in the workforce at Manitoba Hydro threaten our power’s reliability.As a result, contract price of power purchased from Manitoba Hydro will go down, and consequently lessen the economic contribution made by the Corporation to the province.

• It’s not been shown how layoffs at Manitoba Hydro will offset costs incurred by the COVID pandemic.Costs are extra expenditures as a result of the pandemic, not reductions in revenue from other sources.Those reductions are the result of COVID and cannot be offset by increasing the number of reductions.

• Economists from all over have noted that Manitoba’s economy is in a precarious position and needs to be bolstered, not further hampered.An additional 700 unemployed will further reduce spending (re-investment in the economy) while taking away resources from those who are truly in need, through no fault of their own.

• Premier Pallister has stated the public sector must share the economic pain of the COVID-19 pandemic with the private sector.This is tantamount to saying, “If I’m going to hurt, then you have to hurt too.”Equalizing the pain does nothing to cure the problem.Having others suffer needlessly does nothing to address the problems of those who have unfortunately been placed in painful situations.

• Premier Pallister has yet to give any concrete supportable evidence that Manitoba Hydro has suffered decreased economic activity.If this is truly the case, why will he not substantiate his claims by providing irrefutable proof?His statement, "I think reality is Hydro provides many services to the private sector that it does not need to provide to such a degree right now because the private sector in Manitoba is dysfunctional,” has not been corroborated by either Manitoba Hydro or the government.

• If Hydro were to realize savings, they would then be part of the Corporation’s profits.By law, those profits must remain with the company and therefore would not help defray any of the extra costs incurred by the government because of the pandemic.

• Manitoba Hydro reduced its staffing levels by 18% in 2017.By its own admission, Bruce Owen (hydro’s spokesperson) stated on May 1^st, 2019 that the Corporation believed “that further staff reductions would significantly increase the risk of public and employee safety, of system reliability, and as well as our ability to provide reasonable levels of service to our customers." Today, one year later, this same utility that’s managed to keep pace with just the minimum number of employees, is suddenly capable of reducing its staff complement by another 11%.Taking Hydro at its word, it will be impossible to maintain safety, reliability, and service to Manitobans.

• You may have other reasons with which to convince your MLAs of Premier Pallister’s folly.Don’t be shy to include them in your email.Just try to present a convincing balance of members’ concerns and public concerns.

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Updated:  November 2019