Union Bug Blog
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May 01, 2020 -
Manitoba government’s austerity agenda makes it an outlier in Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the value of our public and social services, fair wages and benefits for all workers, of protecting our society's most vulnerable, and eliminating inequities. Now is the time to invest in them. But Manitoba has chosen a different path, one that makes the province an outlier in the country, and it is Manitobans who will unfortunately pay for this short-sightedness.
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Apr 24, 2020 -
Now, more than ever, we must stand together
We have heard from many MGEU members and I know the stress and fear that so many are feeling right now. The Premier’s proposed service cuts and workforce reduction schemes have created much uncertainty and left hard working members feeling everything from anxiety to anger.
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Apr 22, 2020 -
Work Life: Austerity, the economy and COVID-19...Manitoba Government creating, not solving problems
The lack of support and cuts [from the Manitoba Government] are in stark contrast to the way other provinces are responding. The Manitoba response is the opposite of what standard economic theory would suggest in a recession. Maintaining government employment and spending supports the overall “aggregate demand” for goods and services. This demand creates sales for businesses and supports jobs. Economists statistically quantify these effects with multipliers reflecting how $1 in spending in the economy leads to more than $1 in economic activity, because that spending is revenue for someone else, and in turn stimulates more spending/revenues, etc. The opposite is also true, with spending cuts having negative ripple effects throughout the economy. This is a big part of the reason the Government of Canada has come up with several programs to flow money to Canadians during this crisis.