Striking MPI workers reach tentative deal with Crown corporation: union

The union representing about 1,700 striking workers at Manitoba Public Insurance says it reached a tentative agreement with the Crown corporation on Tuesday evening.

Unionized workers will learn more about the deal in an online meeting on Wednesday, the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union said in a news release sent shortlybefore 9 p.m. Tuesday.

A vote will also take place between noon and 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

The tentative agreement is one "we are proud to recommend to our members" and will help workers with rising costs of living,MGEU president Kyle Ross said in the release.

The latest offer fromMPI includes 13 per cent total wageincreases over four years, according to the union.

If ratified, the agreement would end just over two months of strike action by workers with the public insurer.

The deal also includes aone-time, lump sum signing bonus of $1,800 to be provided to full-time employees, which would be pro-rated for part-time employees, the release says.

Striking workers would also receive two weeks of pay to recognize the more than three weeks of stalled negotiations while the new provincial government was being sworn in.

Members of the union rejected an earlier offer from the Crown corporation on Monday, whichincluded wage increases of 12.2 per cent over four years.

MPIpresented what it called a final offer in September.

Under Manitoba labour law, either MPI or its striking workers could have appliedfor binding arbitration starting Oct. 27 to settle thedispute.

But both parties have beenlooking to come toan agreement at the bargaining table, after the province issued a mandate to MPI's board of directors to resolve the labour dispute without binding arbitration.

The mandate came after Manitoba's NDP government replaced most MPI board memberson Oct. 20 two days after forming government.

CBC News has reached out to MPI for comment.