Dear members of AMUSE,
The following are updates for this week:
- Bargaining Updates
- Vacation for “all McGill employees” during the beginning of January?
- Service for five years: did you receive 6% vacation pay?
- Contact us!
1. Bargaining Updates
We’re getting very close to an agreement!
We, your bargaining team, met with McGill’s team on December 6, 7, and 8 this week. During the first two days, we were able to resolve nearly all the remaining non-economic issues. On these two days we came to tentative agreement on articles concerning the following:
Strikes. In addition to stating, as per the law, that the Union may not strike for the duration of the agreement, this article also reinforces the right of employees to refuse to cross picket lines as a matter of conscience.
Workplace Accidents. This article obliges McGill to almost entirely reimburse employee wages lost due to an injury incurred in the workplace for the first 14 days of absence.
Termination Notice. This article guarantees a minimum of 1 week notice before termination for part-time or short-term employees (an improvement for workers in their first 3 months of employment) and a minimum of 2 weeks for those working a full-time assignment for a term of at least 6 months.
Rest and Meal Periods. This article stipulates minimum breaks. For a shift of 4 to less than 5 hours you will be guaranteed a 15 minute paid break. For shift of 5 to less than 7 hours you will have this first break as well as a 30 minute meal break, in most cases unpaid. For a shift of 7 hours or more you will be entitled to two 15 minute paid breaks as well as the half-hour meal break.
Employee Service Agreement. This article outlines the procedure by which all employees will receive a written contract and a union membership form before their first shift, ensuring greater protection for the working conditions of us all.
Schedule of Work. This article does no more than state the preexisting management right to determine the schedule of work and their legal obligation to pay a minimum of a three hour shift per day except in cases where the nature of the work requires differently (the classic example being school bus drivers who work in short shifts multiple times per day).
Acquired Rights: This article guarantees that any employee enjoying salary privileges greater than those upon which we will be coming to an agreement shortly, will retain this privilege as part of their working conditions for the length of the agreement.
On December 8th, most of the day was spent in exploratory discussions and proposals regarding economic issues. The bulk of this section is the construction of a system for classifying different types of assignments that AMUSE members perform and agreeing to a minimum rate of pay for each of these groupings. While both parties stated that all discussions and proposals were exploratory, there was definite progress made. Both our bargaining team and McGill’s will review over the coming week and have scheduled to meet twice in the week of the 19th. It is the hope of both parties that a completed tentative agreement can be reached by the end of the calendar year.
What does this mean? Early in 2012 AMUSE will be holding a General Meeting for all members to examine the draft agreement, ask questions of the bargaining team, and vote on acceptance of the agreement. While the 3 AMUSE members on the bargaining team are at the table on your behalf, it is up to all of us in the Union to decide whether or not to accept the agreement. This is one of the best opportunities you will have to participate in deciding the conditions of your work for up to the next 3 years. So keep your eyes and ears open for the details of this meeting and make sure to come out!
So far then, both parties have reached an agreement in principle on the following issues:
-the scope and nature of the bargaining unit (who and what is a casual worker?),
-union recognition, information sharing, union dues,
-the relationship between McGill and AMUSE,
-anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies,
-definitions of terms,
-the rights of management,
-the rights of union, such as office space,
-“liberation” from work of union members in order to do union work,
-grievance resolution procedures,
-setting up a Labour Relations Committee to facilitate communication between Management and the Union,
-arbitration,
-employee files,
-health and safety,
-priority rehiring,
-probationary period,
-sick leaves,
-parental and social leaves,
-closing of the university,
-stand-by premium,
-method of salary payment,
-strike,
-workplace accidents,
-termination notice,
-rest and meal periods,
-contracts,
-schedule of work,
-acquired rights, and
-the collective agreement and its duration.
Non-economic issues that are still being discussed are articles and letters of agreement regarding the Employee Assistance Program, Identification Cards, Library Access, and a small but significant clause of the Health and Safety article upon which the parties have so far been unable to agree.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]
In Solidarity,
Fariduddin Attar Rifai
Dave Howden
Sheehan Moore
2. Vacation for “all McGill employees” during the beginning of January?
We’ve received a number of questions from casual employees who got word about a letter sent out by Mme. Lynne Gervais, Associate VP (Human Resources) regarding an extension of the Winter holidays to January 6, 2012, in recognition of the hard work rendered during the strike. The letter was addressed to “All McGill Employees”, however no casual workers received the letter. AMUSE sent two letters-one written by Dave Howden (Labour Relations Officer) and Farid Attar (President)-asking whether these extended paid holidays also apply to casual employees, who by our understanding are no doubt “McGill employees”. We received HR’s answer during one of our bargaining meeting. They responded that the holidays apply only to certain employee groups such as managers. They did not acknowledge the subject heading, “to all McGill Employees”, as a mistake. Our bargaining team has expressed our disappointment, and we are now looking at ways to address the issue. Many casual employees, especially full-time employees, also rendered important service during the strike and deserve equal recognition.
For those who have written to AMUSE regarding this letter, please send your queries and sentiments to Mme. Lynne Gervais ([email protected]). We would encourage the same for those who feel that this is relevant to your situation, to add pressure on HR to include casual employees as deserving in practice, not just words, of the status of “McGill Employees”.
3. Service for five years: did you receive 6% vacation pay?
Did you know that if you have worked at McGill with uninterrupted service* for 5 years, you are entitled to an indemnity of 6% vacation, and an unpaid vacation period of 3 weeks?
- The uninterrupted period during which the employee is bound to the employer by a contract of employment, even if the performance of work has been interrupted without cancellation of the contract, and the period during which fixed term contracts succeed one another without an interruption that would, under the circumstances, give cause to conclude that the contract was not renewed (Quebec Labour Standards). This applies to employees (many students and part timers) who work indefinite terms without contracts. To make sure whether you qualify as uninterrupted service please contact Dave Howden ([email protected]).
4. First Time Hearing from AMUSE? Contact us!
Is this the first time you’ve received a newsletter from AMUSE? We’re still working on our new website, but you can visit our temporary blog
Please contact us for further information. We are happy to answer any questions and to hear about any concerns that you may have!
Association of McGill University Support Employees - Public Service Alliance of Canada
3483 Peel Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1W7
tel: 514-398-8896 , fax: 514-398-6892, cell: 514-589-6450
For general questions and comments: [email protected]
For questions about your rights or to file a grievance: [email protected]
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