Shared Health urges surgical patients to get tests ASAP as Dynacare strike looms

Shared Health urged surgical patients to obtain bloodwork tests promptly, as Dynacare is set to cease blood collection services due to a looming strike by its lab workers. The call was issued on Friday, with the strike beginning at noon on Saturday, three days prior to the strike. Shared Health, which performs blood tests at 22 locations across Winnipeg, Brandon, and surrounding areas, is currently in a contract dispute with the union representing its 350 workers.

Health officials have warned that any disruption caused by the strike would severely impact the healthcare system. Shared Health stated that essential and time-sensitive diagnostic testing would continue, prioritized based on clinical urgency and patient need. However, some elective or non-urgent testing may be delayed, if medically safe to do so.

The company advised patients to follow the advice of their care providers and seek reassessment if their condition changes while awaiting testing. Shared Health also announced plans to expand lab collection services to accommodate increased demand, potentially including temporary collection spaces. The union argued that Dynacare received an $11.7-million boost from the Manitoba government during their last negotiations in 2022, while lab workers received little in return.

The union claims that Dynacare's final offer would result in lab workers earning 20 to 30% less than their Shared Health counterparts, who do the same work in public hospitals and clinics. The collective agreement between Dynacare and the provincial government expired on March 31, and the union released a copy of the contracts between Dynacare and the government, obtained through a freedom-of-information request.