A number of employees in management positions at Southern Health-Sante Sud have been handed their walking papers.

Southern Health will terminate 19 staff in management positions this week as part of ongoing efforts by RHAs across Manitoba in meeting a provincial government mandate to trim non-unionized management employees by 15 per cent. The cuts at Southern Health are expected to save $1.1-million annually.

"All staff leaving the organization as a result of the management streamlining are being treated respectfully, fairly and in accordance with human resources best practices and applicable legislation," says Southern Health CEO Jane Curtis. "The selection of positions to be eliminated was done with careful consideration. These decisions were difficult and were not made lightly."

The RHA says plans are in place to re-distribute the workload of the affected individuals to ensure it continues to meet the needs of clients, residents, patients and stakeholders. Curtis says the hope is there will be very little impact on the services Southern Health provides.

"This has been a really difficult time for us," Southern Health's CEO notes. "Both for those staff that are leaving our organization and those staff who remain ... Some of these employees have worked for us for quite a long time. These employees have been valuable contributors to our organization."

There are likely more cuts to come. In December 2016, RHAs across Manitoba were given cost-savings targets by the Pallister government to achieve by the 2017-18 fiscal year. Southern Health was asked to cut $11-million.

"The 15 per cent management target we have moved ahead on," Curtis adds. "We have been asked to look at other ways to make our programs and services more efficient and sustainable and we're currently in that process."

See related story:
"$11-Million in Cuts for Southern Health"