CEPACC Membership Bulletin – Changes to the CA April 2013

CEPACC Membership Bulletin

Upcoming Membership Vote

on

Changes to the Current Collective Agreement

April, 2013

As has been communicated to you in the past few months, we are getting ready to hold membership information meetings and conduct on-line voting on some changes to the current collective agreement starting mid-May and continuing into June.

Prior to membership information meetings, the complete Memorandum of Agreement will be posted and distributed for your review. On-line voting will begin after all the information meetings have concluded.

Highlights of the changes are:

• MOA – NEW CSR: The Council Executive have tentatively agreed to changes in the wage scale/sales incentive and some working conditions for newly hired Consumer Service Representatives (CSR). The last Retirement Offer in 2011 generated many job opportunities which resulted in numerous CSR’s posting out to other positions. As CSR’s left the contact centres, the company did not replace them which drastically reduced the number of CSR’s remaining in the classification. The company informed the Council Executive that they would not hire any CSR’s under the current wage structure and working conditions because there is a better business case for them to contract out that work. There is job security in the current collective agreement that protects all regular employees from being forced to retire, resign or transfer to a reporting centre greater than 60 kms from their existing reporting centre. The Council Executive were mandated through the Issues Proposal Caucus (bargaining caucus) to look at forming a “CSR Pool” that would rejuvenate the hiring of CSR’s into the bargaining unit. The Council, in agreeing to the ‘New CSR’ terms, is attempting to keep this classification within the bargaining unit and protect it from being contracted out in 2015. Without the new terms and conditions for new CSR’s, we firmly believe that in 2015 the remaining CSR’s will be faced with tough decisions about moving to another province to keep their job or leaving the employ of the company no matter how much service they have. Please click on the link below to read the details of the MOA for the New CSR. http://www.cepacc.ca/MOA%20CSR%20Jan%2018,%202013.pdf

• Article 7 – Council Representation & Time Allowance
  • # of National Representatives attending Joint Consultative.

• Article 17 – Wage Administration
  • Defining 6 months as the step progression interval between steps in the wage table.

• Article 18 – Leaves of Absence & Time Off
  • Bereavement Leave: Clarifying the definition of ‘immediate family member’.

• Article 19 – Travel & Expenses
  • Increase to per diems;
  • Increase alternate accommodations;
  • Increase to meal allowance working > 25 kms from Report Centre.

• Article 22 – Labrador Provisions
  • Increase to Northern Allowance;
  • Change to moving expense entitlement for employees with less then 5 years working in Labrador;
  • Increase to Hardship Allowance to communities without road access;
  • Change to 8 day, 10 hour tours – not by mutual agreement. Guarantees time working within your reporting centre following an 8/10 hour shift.

• Article 23 – Overtime
  • Improvement to overtime as it applies when working continuous after the shift when overtime was already worked continuous with the beginning of the same shift;
  • Meal allowance will be paid when you work overtime that is continuous with the end of a shift and falls into the normal supper period;

• Article 24 – Differentials & Premiums
  • Ability to bank Sunday Premium;
  • Underground Mine Premium: This is a new Premium. Employees will receive 2 times pay and if working on day of rest or paid holidays employees will receive 3 times pay.

• Article 26 – Vacation
  • Winter Bonus for employees with more than 25 years service;
  • Access to one week vacation for employees with more than 25 years service who do not have access to one week vacation in July & August through the normal vacation scheduling process;
  • Floater holidays: When an employee is prevented from taking the floating holiday(s) because of absence from the job, it may be rescheduled at a time mutually acceptable.

• Article 29 – Miscellaneous Working Conditions
  • Clothing – improvement to when clothing is replaced.

• LOA – Standard Entry Level Qualifications: more information being provided regarding physical working conditions for CST & Cable Technician roles.

• Appendix AA – Classification Flexibility by Geographic Area: Added language on Designation of Community Technicians.

• Appendix LL – 2 Day Vacation Rescheduling: This applies to the customer care unit where it has been trialed successfully in 2012/2013.

• Appendix MM – Incentive Program for Retention CSR’s; This program was successfully trialed in 2012/2013.

We encourage all members to make every effort to attend one of the information sessions being held in May and June. A list of dates and venues will be posted at least two weeks in advance of the meetings.

In solidarity,

Penny Fawcett

Phil Briffett

Lynn Briggs

Bobby MacDonald

Joyclin Coates

Mary Croke

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