An estimated 120,000 public sector employees won't be eligible for a raise for the next two years as part of a new Provincial bill.

However, Finance Minister and Morden-Winkler MLA Cameron Friesen says it's a balanced approach that will have dividends for the future of the Province.

The legislation would apply to employees from health organizations, child and family service authorities and agencies, universities, colleges, political staff and school divisions/districts.

Workers wouldn't be eligible for a raise in the first two years, a .75% raise in year three, and a 1% raise in year four.

"So we're not saying for all time," Friesen says, though he admits the Public Services Sustainability Act is challenging.

"It's not an easy bill to bring, but it is necessary," as Manitobans stare down $900 million in debt service charges alone per year, on a debt that doubled in seven years.

"In this context it's very important for government to be able to say "we need to restore sustainability of government finances.""

However, Manitoba Federation of Labour President Kevin Rebeck calls it a heavy-handed legislation that bypasses the bargaining table.

"This applies to thousand of public sector workers who've already shown their willingness to be part of the solution by agreeing over the bargaining table over the last number of years, of two years of frozen wages," Rebeck says.

Friesen explains it only sets the parameter around the discussion around wage increases.

"We simply cannot have in government wage increases continue to run past the government's ability to pay for these increases," Friesen says.

The bill contains a four year rolling sustainability period.

"But it does not open up existing agreements," he says.

Neither does not prescribe mandatory days off, or set wage rollbacks.