CUPE/City of Winnipeg Bargaining Update #14

Mar 20, 2026

Your Bargaining Committee continues to make steady progress in negotiations with the employer. We met on March 3, 11, and 19, where discussions continued on key items within the collective agreement.

To maintain momentum, we requested an additional 19 bargaining dates over the next two months. The employer initially provided four additional dates—two in April and two in May. We have advised the employer that this was not sufficient to keep the process moving and that additional dates are needed. The employer has since provided two more dates—one in April and one in May—with the possibility of further dates in May.

While progress is being made at the table, the Committee remains frustrated with the overall pace of bargaining. Members will recall that early in this process, we experienced delays while the employer brought in a new Manager of Labour Relations and, shortly after, a new CAO. Given that bargaining has now been underway for approximately a year, we have clearly communicated the need to move negotiations forward more expediently.

Your Committee remains committed to pushing this process ahead and securing a fair agreement for all members. Further updates will be provided as progress continues.

ESSENTIAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

We want to provide members with an update on the ongoing discussions regarding the Essential Services Agreement (ESA).

We understand that some members may be concerned about the time this process is taking. It is important to be clear: the ESA is not a stall tactic. This is a required and significant part of the bargaining process under current legislation.

The law requires that an ESA be in place before any job action—strike or lockout—can legally occur. Until an ESA is either agreed to by the parties or imposed by the Manitoba Labour Board, no job action can take place.

At this stage, the parties have now begun meeting with a mediator through the Manitoba Labour Board to assist in reaching an agreement. Mediation is a structured process where a neutral third party works with both sides to help find common ground and move discussions toward a resolution.

We are scheduled to meet again with the mediator in April to continue these discussions.

If mediation does not result in an agreement, the next step will be binding mediation. Binding mediation means that the neutral third party will hear the positions of both the union and the employer and then make a final decision on the outstanding issues. That decision becomes binding on both parties and forms the Essential Services Agreement moving forward.

It is also important to understand that the ESA is not simply a procedural step — it will set a precedent for this and future rounds of bargaining. The decisions made now will have long-term impacts on our members’ rights, our ability to take job action, and how essential services are defined.

For that reason, we are taking a diligent and careful approach. We must ensure that any agreement reached is precise, fair, and does not unnecessarily restrict our collective strength in future negotiations.

We appreciate your patience and continued support as we work through this critical stage. Our goal remains clear: to protect your rights and secure the strongest possible agreement — both now and in the future.

Rumours

The rumour mill will be hard at work during bargaining. Please don’t believe anything you hear unless it comes from the Union. If you have a serious concern about something you’ve heard, contact us at 204-942-1001 or send us an email: union@cupe500.mb.ca.

Watch for more information

Your bargaining committee will keep you informed as progress is made. As a reminder, because of the sensitive nature of negotiations, the bargaining committee is not able to give you a step-by-step explanation of everything that is discussed during the bargaining process. However, should we reach a settlement or impasse, members will be fully informed.

Members should continue to check the bulletin boards or visit the Local 500 website for updates. Remember, if you have personal email access, you can sign up to receive email updates on the home page of the Local’s website at cupe500.mb.ca.

Thank you for your continued support and solidarity.

Negotiating Committee

The negotiating committee for CUPE Local 500 is:

Gord Delbridge President, CUPE Local 500
Andrea Sontag President, Civic Services Unit
Phil Dembicki President, Community Services Unit
Jon Shalapata President, Public Works Unit
Rachel Hildebrandt President, Water and Waste Unit
Patrick Troughton Member at Large
Kristy Halliday Member at Large
Alex McClurg CUPE National Staff Representative
Kevin Carswell CUPE National Staff Representative
Alex Hernandez CUPE National Staff Representative
Nicholas McClurg Local 500 Special Assignments Officer
Rebecca Scott Local 500 Special Assignments Officer