WINNIPEG — Manitoba Hydro electrical workers could walk off the job after their union rejected the public utility’s latest contract offer.
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 2034 was in a position to strike on Friday after serving the Crown corporation with a 48-hour strike notice.
“This is not the outcome we hoped for. I fully believe that Manitoba Hydro’s offer demonstrated our ongoing commitment to finding a solution that respects our customers, all Manitobans, and treats all employees fairly,” said Jay Grewal, president and CEO of Manitoba Hydro.
“We recognize the toll a strike puts on customers and employees, and we appreciate everyone’s patience while we work to resolve this.”
Manitoba Hydro is alerting customers to its contingency plans should a strike occur.
Initial strike action includes restrictions on standby, overtime, and service call outs in specific areas of the utility’s operations.
Manitoba Hydro says customers should be prepared for it taking longer to restore power outages due to storms or other causes.
The same workers went on strike in spring 2021 for nearly two months after unsuccessful negotiations last 28 months.
IBEW represents approximately 2,300 electrical workers at Manitoba Hydro across the province.
