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“The people who provide our vital services know first-hand how budget and job cuts are threatening our services." — Michelle Gawronsky, MGEU President
Winnipeg (05 Feb. 2019) — Public services keep Manitoba healthy, safe, and strong. But they don't happen without the people to deliver them. That’s the message delivered in a new Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union (MGEU/NUPGE) ad campaign that features members who work in the provincial civil service.
Loss of 1,300 civil service jobs harms service to public
More than 1,300 civil service jobs — jobs that support families, protect our environment, and keep us safe — have already been eliminated by the Pallister government. Michelle Gawronsky, President of the MGEU, says a campaign was necessary as part of the union’s ongoing efforts to remind Manitobans about the vital public services we all rely upon every day.
“Manitobans depend on the public services that MGEU members deliver and I know how concerned our members are with the path this government has taken," said Gawronsky. "The government is contracting out work, cutting programs, privatizing services, and weakening protections for workers. If this continues, families will suffer."
Ads remind people the services they rely on won't be there without the workers to deliver them
The new MGEU campaign, called The People Behind the Public, profiles members delivering a wide-range of services. Some of the jobs featured in the campaign include correctional officer, highway maintenance worker, public health inspector, registered psychiatric nurse, medical examiner investigator, community service worker, and conservation officer.
“The people who provide our vital services know first-hand how budget and job cuts are threatening our services," said Gawronsky. "I think Manitobans support strong public services, but we’re not seeing our priorities reflected in this government’s actions. So it’s important that we continue to speak out against these cuts in whatever way we can.”
The People Behind the Public ad campaign airs on TV and online throughout February and March.
Learn more at KeepUsTogether.ca.