Locked-out Welcome Place workers file for arbitration

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This article was published 14/07/2021 (1297 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three months after Welcome Place became unwelcome to employees locked out in a contract dispute, they are returning to work.

Vivienne Ho, president of CUPE Local 2348, said while the contract is still not settled, refugee settlement workers are going back because the union filed a request to the Manitoba Labour Board after 60 days of lockout. Staff can now work while an arbitrator is appointed to help settle the matter.

“CUPE 2348 members at Welcome Place stood their ground and refused to accept concessions that would decimate their collective agreement,” Ho said in a statement released Wednesday. “The actions that staff at Welcome Place took are inspiring and shows that workers will not back down when facing unacceptable attacks on their livelihoods.

“Our members are relieved that they can return to helping refugees and newcomers settle in Manitoba.”

The Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council locked out more than 20 casual and full-time workers in April. Welcome Place is an non-profit organization offering services to refugee claimants.

The council said in a news release at the time it had lost a major funding contract about two years ago, and had been forced to cut more than half of its staff (to 23 from 55).

As well, the council said it had to restructure the organization, which the workers said resulted in pay cuts ranging from 12.5 per cent to 27.5 per cent.

The union said at the time it didn’t believe the contract dispute was all caused by the funding loss, because one of the areas the council was trying to cut was vacation benefits. It said those cost the council nothing because the employee wasn’t replaced while they away.