Days before the deadline, a tentative agreement has been reached, effectively putting a stop to the strike action planned by thousands of health-care workers in Manitoba.

A tentative agreement has been reached between Shared Health and the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals (MAHCP), preventing the planned strike action by approximately 6,500 health-care workers in rural areas of Manitoba. Shared Health, the provincial organization, announced the agreement on Monday.

The threat of a strike arose when the MAHCP set a deadline of 8 a.m. on Thursday to receive a new collective agreement, following a 99% vote in favor of a strike mandate by the members in April. The union had expressed concern about the prolonged absence of a collective agreement for over five years.

Negotiations began in March 2022, and mediation commenced in April. Shared Health stated that the new tentative agreement builds upon a similar deal reached on May 31.

The MAHCP, in its statement, indicated that the strike deadline has been postponed as a gesture of good faith, as progress was made during recent bargaining sessions. However, a new deadline has not been set, and there are still unresolved issues, both financial and non-financial, that need to be addressed.

According to Shared Health’s news release, the tentative agreement covers the major monetary aspects of the negotiations and was achieved through rigorous mediation. It includes compounded wage increases, retroactive back pay starting from April 1, 2018, as well as other financial benefits and measures to enhance employee well-being, recruitment, retention, education, and career development.

The parties, with the assistance of a mediator, will continue negotiations on remaining proposals and issues in the coming weeks to finalize a new collective agreement promptly.

Shared Health noted that if the agreement is ratified, it would mark successful collective agreements for approximately 56,000 health-care workers in the province in recent years.

The MAHCP represents a diverse range of health professionals, including social workers, pharmacists, physiotherapists, dietitians, and others. The union had warned that the strike action could lead to increased wait times and potential service cancellations across various health-care sectors.