MPI promises to maintain services during strike

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/08/2023 (1109 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While Manitoba Public Insurance’s 1,700 unionized workers are scheduled to hit the picket line today, the Crown corporation reassures its customers they have options for service during this uncertain time.

According to a Sunday morning news release, customers with general inquiries or service transactions — including licence renewals, new insurance policies and insurance payments — can visit one of MPI’s nearly 300 broker partners across the province.

MPI’s Contact Centre will remain open for reporting personal injury claims, non-drivable collision claims and total-theft claims.

However, all other types of collision damage claims will be directed to an MPI-accredited repair shop, which can provide vehicle estimates and repairs without contacting the Crown corporation first.

Anyone looking to find an MPI-accredited repair shop can visit the Crown corporation’s official website (mpi.mb.ca/Pages/accredited-repair.aspx).

In terms of other MPI-related services, driver testing for all classes is temporarily suspended until a new service provider is found.

However, essential services such as income replacement payments for personal injury claimants will continue uninterrupted.

Customers with vehicles that have been towed to the Physical Damage Centre compound will continue to have access to remove personal items.

MPI is working with groups like the Insurance Brokers Association of Manitoba, the Automotive Trades Association of Manitoba and the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association to ensure that these services are still available.

“MPI has always relied on Manitoba’s insurance brokers, members of the automobile repair industry, and other stakeholders to provide services to our mutual customers throughout Manitoba,” MPI chairperson Ward Keith said in Sunday’s release.

“I am pleased that our partners have joined with us to ensure Manitobans will continue to have access to the services they require, in spite of [the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union’s] attempts to create service disruptions.”

MGEU announced their intention to strike last Thursday after members from all over the province voted in favour of this action.

Similar to the MGEU’s recent labour dispute with Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, this union believes that MPI’s latest offer to replace their expired contract, an eight per cent wage increase over four years, is not sufficient to keep up with inflation and the cost of living.

MPI has previously claimed that their new four-year collective agreement is actually worth 17 per cent in total monetary value, although MGEU president Kyle Ross has countered by stating this figure is grossly inflated due to the Crown corporation including non-wage items, one-time payments and other increases that flow only to certain members.

Talking to the Sun late Sunday afternoon, Ross said it would be a “surprise” to him if this strike didn’t take place, especially since MPI hasn’t reached out to the union all weekend.

Of the 1,700 MPI workers represented by the MGEU, roughly 103 of those employees operate out of Brandon.

This group includes clerks, accountants, estimators, adjusters, computer programmers and policy analysts.

» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com