'Dynacare sucks,' Manitoba premier says, after labour board agrees to halt strike
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew criticized the private lab company Dynacare following a labor dispute that disrupted health services. The provincial labor board ordered striking lab workers back to work while it reviews whether the services should be classified as essential.
Why it matters
The situation highlights the challenges of privatized healthcare services and the political pressure on provincial governments to maintain essential public health infrastructure.
Kinew said Wednesday the province might have looked into ending its contract with Dynacare if test results had continued to be interrupted by the now-paused work stoppage.
"Yeah, Dynacare sucks. I've got no problem saying that," he said in an interview with CBC's Information Radio. "Dynacare should give these workers a raise. Dynacare is making a mess of the situation. They have the whole way through here."
Hundreds of lab technologists and technicians hit the picket line Tuesday morning after contract negotiations between the company and the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals, which represents the lab workers, broke down.
Manitoba Labour Board orders striking Dynacare lab employees back to work
But the action was stopped that same day by a decision from the Manitoba Labour Board, which ordered workers to return to the job until the independent body can rule on whether Dynacare employees are an essential service.
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