Union & Company Reach a Tentative Agreement

Hello Members,

The Union and Company have reached a tentative agreement which is for a 3 year term.  The highlights are listed below.  Voting will take place starting on Oct 14^th and continue until Oct 29^th.  YOU MUST BE PRESENT AT A MEETING TO VOTE.  Proxy voting is not permitted under the Unifor Constitution.  The ballots will be counted in Halifax on Oct 30^th and the results will be released immediately.

Attached is the following (documents can be viewed here):

• Signed MOA and Schedule I with proposed language changes.
• Letter re: Contact Centre
• Schedule of Meetings (most of which are taking place on Company Time).
• Schedule II – Terms of a Limited Retirement Offer

You will be scheduled by the company to attend one of the ratification meetings and you will be notified through your normal scheduling processes or by your immediate supervisor.  If you  need to change your scheduled meeting, please do so by going through your normal scheduling processes.  There is also an evening meeting scheduled for each of the 4 major centres (Halifax, Saint John, Charlottetown, St. John’s) to give you another opportunity to vote.

PLEASE PRINT THE ATTACHED DOCUMENTS AND BRING THEM WITH YOU TO THE MEETING.  THERE WILL BE VERY LIMITED COPIES AVAILABLE AT THE MEETINGS. 

TENTATIVE AGREEMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Wage Increases of 2% in each of the 3 years;
• Signing Bonus of $1000.00;
• Increase of $100 to annual Flex Credits to purchase benefits;
• Changes to vacation scheduling and allotment language;
• Special Rescheduled Vacation Days for Customer Care reinstated;
• Improved boot and safety shoe entitlements;
• Increases to per diem amounts in each of the 3 years;
• Increase to Northern and Hardship Allowances;
• Increases to several Differentials and Premiums;
• Increase to Overtime Banking Hours;
• Improvements to benefits and terms for Pool CST I’s; 
• Job opportunities for CST Term Techs to post to CST Pool positions before March 31, 2015 without loss of benefits. 

There is also a Limited Retirement Offer (LRO) which is not part of the package being voted on, however the LRO is conditional on the ratification of this tentative agreement.

We look forward to seeing you at one of the ratification meetings!

In solidarity,

Bobby MacDonald                           David Gates

Lynn Briggs                                      Steve Howlett

Mary Croke                                      Joyclin Coates