“Health care needs health care workers. Let’s support them—so we don’t lose them.”

That’s the message at the heart of MGEU’s new campaign to support thousands of dedicated health care workers across Manitoba. And our team is proud to help deliver that message to all Manitobans, with ads airing now across the province—including MGEU’s first-ever 60 second radio spot.

Health care doesn’t just happen on its own. It takes a whole team of dedicated workers. When our loved ones need health care, we rely on people to deliver it— people with names, stories, and a shared commitment to delivering the best health care for everyone.

But today, Manitoba’s health care workers are doing the best they can with too little support and limited resources. Staff are overworked and underpaid. And the ongoing staffing crisis is making it harder to hire and keep experienced workers, in major centres and especially in Manitoba’s rural communities.

In some health care regions, vacant health care aide positions have more than tripled. And spending on private staffing agencies has doubled in some regions, draining resources away from our public hospitals and health care facilities when workers in the public system need more support, not less.

Fixing the staffing crisis and rebuilding public health care starts by supporting health care workers—so they can be part of making health care better, for all of us.

MGEU represents nearly 9,000 members working in over 175 different health care facilities—from allied health to home care and facility support. The new campaign features radio, outdoor billboards, and online ads across the province, reminding Manitobans of the people at the heart of health care.

The campaign’s 60-second radio spot is complemented by 30-second radio ads, all of which focus on the incredible workers—on the frontlines and behind the scenes—who keep health care running and deliver exceptional care to people, every day.

As the ads say, “This is health care. And it doesn’t happen without Jack, Brenda, Meghan, Shrivan. And thousands of dedicated workers across Manitoba.”

“Health care needs health care workers. Let’s support them—so we don’t lose them.”

MGEU is calling for an end to the staffing crisis and a focus on rebuilding public health care by:

• Increasing wages for public health care workers;
• Improving working conditions;
• Lowering the unsustainably-high staff vacancy rates; and
• Decreasing the use of private health care agencies.

You can check out the campaign at MGEU.ca/healthcare-workers.

Want to talk about innovative tactics, like 60-second radio spots? Give us a call! We’re here to help unions and non-profit organizations with smart, effective, and persuasive campaigns that support working people—and make life better for everyday Canadians.