Today the membership of the Manitoba Government Employees Union (MGEU) rejected a contract that was negotiated between the negotiating committee and the provincial NDP government.  The government had been advocating for a wage freeze in the first two years.  The government continued to make the workers pay for the recession even though it was caused by the capitalists. 

The MGEU executive has a long history of involvement with the NDP.  With both of their recent presidents, Peter Olfert and Gary Doer, being NDP members.  Doer was the premier of Manitoba till 2009.  There is a sort of willingness for the union executive to bend to the will of the NDP government.  There has only been a few instances of the union standing up to the government, this mainly comes from the Corrections Component.

The union agreed with provincial governments want of a wage freeze for the first two years of the contract in return for a no layoff clause.  The MGEU president, Lois Wales sold the contract to the membership by stating that they are the only government union to get a no layoff clause.

The main problem with the contract that was ulimately rejected by the membership is that after the wage freeze the workers only got a 2.75% increase in the next two years of the contract.  Also, workers with more than 20 years experience got an extra 2% increase.  Resulting in a two-tiered membership where some members benefited more from the contract then other members.  A union cannot do that to its membership. 

The membership have sent the MGEU executive a message.  The workers are not to blame for this recession do not allow the provincial government to force the blame on us through wage freezes.  Hopefully the executive takes the message.