MFL 2015 is now well underway. A few hundred MGEU delegates congregated at the Keystone Centre in Brandon to participate in the 41st annual convention.
Day one was quite the visual spectacle, as the majority of MGEU attendees sported bright red t-shirts with the MGEU logo. The convention hall was mostly a sea of red, for reasons that became apparent.
Speaking just before Premier Greg Selinger, President Michelle Gawronsky reminded everyone that there are members that have gone as long as two years without a contract. This effort to speed the pace of negotiations with the provincial government may have indeed worked, as Selinger acknowledged the sentiment in his opening comments.
Friday saw the passage of several resolutions of interest to MGEU members, not the least of which directs the MFL to “demand a National Inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls…”
Of no less importance was a resolution that urged the MFL to lobby the Government of Manitoba to implement the recommendations that were made at the Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry. Another resolution promised to lobby the Government for increased before and after school programs.
President Barb Byers of the Canadian Labour Congress delivered the Order of the Day, and spoke about the new Better Choice campaign, which aims to engage Canadians in a discussion about important choices our society has in key areas like health care, retirement security, and good jobs.
And a highlight of the afternoon saw MGEU member Debbie Jamerson presented with the Dick Martin Award, which is given by the Occupational Health Centre to a person who has “demonstrated to others the principles, ideals and goals”of the MFL.
With the convention barely half over, much more is to come. Stay tuned.