Dynacare employees working in Winnipeg and Brandon are on the brink of a strike due to heavy workloads and stagnant wages, according to their union. The Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals revealed that laboratory technicians and technologists voted overwhelmingly in favor of strike action, with 99.7% supporting the move. Approximately 87% of the nearly 350 Dynacare workers participated in the vote, as their previous contract expired on April 1.
These workers are stationed at Dynacare’s 22 lab and health services centers in and around Winnipeg and Brandon, including the main lab on King Edward Street in Winnipeg. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, they collectively conducted more than 15 million lab tests. Despite their increased work responsibilities, their wages have remained static, stated MAHCP president Jason Linklater.
Linklater noted that current wages for Dynacare lab professionals lag behind those of Shared Health employees performing similar specialized tasks by 20 to 50%. This wage discrepancy varies based on job classification and years of service. The union leader emphasized that the striking workers are “unified and angry,” pointing out the challenges of recruitment and retention when wages significantly trail those in the public sector.
Negotiations for a new collective agreement between Dynacare and MAHCP commenced in February after the previous agreement expired on March 31. Despite entering mediation in July, the parties have not reached a tentative agreement. The union disclosed that there are no upcoming dates scheduled for further bargaining or mediation sessions.
The union must issue a strike notice before proceeding with any strike action, but a deadline has not been set yet to avoid disrupting lab services in the province. Linklater clarified that strike notice would only be given if bargaining dates are not arranged, emphasizing the desire to prompt Dynacare to resume negotiations with lab professionals across the province.
Dynacare is highlighted as having a monopoly on non-hospital testing in Manitoba after acquiring Unicity Labs in 2017, becoming the sole private outpatient provider for laboratory services in the province. The company, a subsidiary of Labcorp, an American corporation, has seen a substantial increase in profits over the past two years, more than doubling from $418 million in 2023 to $876 million in 2025, as per the union’s statement.