Collective Bargaining Update ES SI, November 2000
November 6, 2000
Notice to bargain was given in the Spring. Initial meetings to map out an agenda did not allow for progress as the Department of Finance had yet to give Treasury Board a mandate for negotiations with the Association as late as the first week of July. When the parties prepared to meet in September, changes in personnel at Treasury Board resulted in the assignment of bargaining to a different negotiator, Lynne Lapointe. Thus, start up for management was further delayed.. A week of negotiations had been planned for the first week of October. However, management's negotiating team had not been briefed; and, when the parties finally met on October 6, it was only to exchange demands. A second meeting, on October 23, served the purpose of reviewing and explaining demands. The parties will meet on November 15 for the administrative exercise of signing off clauses that are not on the table.
The Association has tabled a comprehensive set of demands including:
1. A significant general increase in pay for each year of a two-year contract.
2. Further pay improvements including new increments and immediate movement within the increment range and pensionable lump-sum payments.
3. Significant increases in vacation leave entitlements with, for example, entitlement to four weeks after three completed years of service.
4. A significant change in the manner in which entitlements to vacation leave are calculated, whereby entitlements would hereafter progress with each year of service rather than after reaching plateau's of years of service.
5. A 35-hour work week.
6. An additional designated holiday in February: Heritage Day.
7. The elimination of ceilings on travel compensation.
8. Compensation to the employee for all stop-overs and for instances where employees are asked to stay over in order to allow the employer to benefit from special rates.
9. A re-opener clause to address the issue of parental allowance as it would relate to amendments to the Employment Insurance Act.
10. A new clause for leave without pay for the care and nurturing of family members, expanding the scope of the existing clauses that allow for such care and nurturing of only pre-school age children and care of a parent.
11. A new clause collapsing sick leave and family-related leave into a single clause, thus allowing greater flexibility for our members.
12. A change to the definition of common law partner that copies changes to the definition in recent legislation.
13. A new leave provision recognizing common law relationships.
14. A new entitlement to community service leave.
Bargaining resumes in the week of December 11.
November 6, 2000
Notice to bargain was given in the Spring. Initial meetings to map out an agenda did not allow for progress as the Department of Finance had yet to give Treasury Board a mandate for negotiations with the Association as late as the first week of July. When the parties prepared to meet in September, changes in personnel at Treasury Board resulted in the assignment of bargaining to a different negotiator, Lynne Lapointe. Thus, start up for management was further delayed.. A week of negotiations had been planned for the first week of October. However, management's negotiating team had not been briefed; and, when the parties finally met on October 6, it was only to exchange demands. A second meeting, on October 23, served the purpose of reviewing and explaining demands. The parties will meet on November 15 for the administrative exercise of signing off clauses that are not on the table.
The Association has tabled a comprehensive set of demands including:
1. A significant general increase in pay for each year of a two-year contract.
2. Further pay improvements including new increments and immediate movement within the increment range and pensionable lump-sum payments.
3. Significant increases in vacation leave entitlements with, for example, entitlement to four weeks after three completed years of service.
4. A significant change in the manner in which entitlements to vacation leave are calculated, whereby entitlements would hereafter progress with each year of service rather than after reaching plateau's of years of service.
5. A 35-hour work week.
6. An additional designated holiday in February: Heritage Day.
7. The elimination of ceilings on travel compensation.
8. Compensation to the employee for all stop-overs and for instances where employees are asked to stay over in order to allow the employer to benefit from special rates.
9. A re-opener clause to address the issue of parental allowance as it would relate to amendments to the Employment Insurance Act.
10. A new clause for leave without pay for the care and nurturing of family members, expanding the scope of the existing clauses that allow for such care and nurturing of only pre-school age children and care of a parent.
11. A new clause collapsing sick leave and family-related leave into a single clause, thus allowing greater flexibility for our members.
12. A change to the definition of common law partner that copies changes to the definition in recent legislation.
13. A new leave provision recognizing common law relationships.
14. A new entitlement to community service leave.
Bargaining resumes in the week of December 11.