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This article was published 18/10/2017 (1069 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Having different pensions for current and future health-care workers is unfair to young people and newcomers, says a union representing thousands of Manitobans employed in the field.

Shannon McAteer, the Canadian Union of Public Employees’ health-care co-ordinator, said changes announced to the Healthcare Employees’ Pension Plan (HEPP) will create a different pension plan for workers hired after Jan. 1, 2018 that "are unfair to future members of the plan and disproportionately affect newcomer and younger members of the workforce who are just starting their careers in health care in Manitoba."

"A strong workplace pension plan like HEPP is critical in recruiting and retaining health-care workers in Manitoba and, with so much uncertainty in health care these days, it’s unfortunate that health-care workers now have one more thing to worry about," she said.

HEB Manitoba announced Tuesday it will create a new pension plan for employees hired after Jan. 1 by cutting all supplementary and bridge benefits for new members, as well as reducing benefits for new employees.

CUPE has asked for a meeting with HEB Manitoba to find out how these decisions are made and to talk about the governance structure of the pension plan.

"The changes to the plan announced today may force some health-care workers to delay or change their retirement plans and creates an unnecessary division between existing plan members and the future generation of health-care workers," McAteer said.

CUPE represents about 26,000 health-care workers.