Macdonald Youth Services workers strike

CounsellorsatMacdonald Youth Services are walking a picket line on Tuesday, after being without a collective agreement since 2014.

About 28crisis stabilizationworkerswent on strikeat 8 a.m., forminga picket line on Portage Avenue in downtown Winnipeg.

Macdonald Youth Services offers help and shelter toyoung people in violent situations, including those facingfamily conflict,sexual exploitation and mental health issues. Counsellorsalsoassist with suicide prevention.

"We're dumbfounded that we're finding ourselves in this position. You can't get any more public service than these folks do," saidMichelleGawronsky, president of theManitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU).

It's the first time in two decades that members of MGEU have gone on strike.

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The employees are asking for a two per cent wage increase and Gawronsky said it would cost the government under $100,000 to meet their demands.

"We don't understand how other groups have been afforded this deal, the two per cent increase, without having the hassle, without having to go to this length, and to end up in a strike position," she said.

Wage increase promiseat issue

MGEU representatives said the province's Progressive Conservative government has not committed to a wage increase for the workers so far.

The previous NDP government did commit to the wage increase, following two years at the bargaining table, before it was defeated by the PCs in the April 19election, the union said.

Gawronsky said the currentgovernment needs to sit down with the union and work things out.

"We've done the costing for the 28 members that are there and it's approximately $24,000 a year, which works out to $95,000 for four years. It's a drop in the bucket when you're looking at provincial funding," she said.

"They're the government of the day, they're responsible for what's going on, they're responsible for the funding. It's $95,000. Come on, premier, let's get these folks back to work."

However, a provincial government spokesman denied there wasa commitment from theNDP government.

"That is not true. The most recent Treasury Board minute on file is August 25, 2015, which noted the deferral of any decision," the spokesman wrotein an email to CBC News on Tuesday afternoon.

"Regrettably the former government routinely interfered in labour negotiations. This created uncertainty and false expectation on broader funding commitments that are unsustainable for government as a whole," the spokesman added.

The government spokesman saidthe province is monitoring the labour dispute.

"While Child and Family Services is not the actual employer here, we continue to actively monitor the situation. The employer, MacDonald Youth Services, has ensured the co-ordination of essential services in the event of strike action."

Manitoba Youth Services will have reduced service levels during the strike and information about the probable impacts are on their Facebook page.