Your feedback helped our negotiations team decide on how it should proceed with the Government's options. While neither option was favourable, let alone acceptable, the vast majority of respondents supported the option of 5 unpaid leave days.
Based on your input and our presentation to the employer, they have agreed to increase the flexibility of the unpaid days so that there is not a requirement to have three days taken on December 29, 30 and 31. All days can be taken at a time that will be agreed upon between the engineer and their employing authority or supervisor during the remainder of the current fiscal year.
The salary reductions for these days are being established by the employer and will likely commence some time in July and continue until the end of March 2021. This will reduce the effects that the loss of income will have on us.
For those Engineers who have already taken and/or have approved Voluntary Reduced Workweek (VRW) days, I want to remind you that you do not need to take any additional days beyond 5 days. If you have arranged to take less than 5 VRW days this fiscal year, you will be required to take additional days up to a minimum of 5 days total.
As part of the agreement to take unpaid leave days, we were able to negotiate 'no layoffs' for our members for the remainder of the current fiscal year. While this may seem trivial to some, it ensures that we do not suffer any additional financial consequences in the same time period.
A Memorandum of Agreement is being developed for these unpaid leave days. For your information, negotiations are continuing for a new Collective Agreement and the Agreement that expired at the end of March 2019 remains in effect at the present time.
Once again, I would like to thank our negotiating team – Cory Graham, Asit Dey, and our Negotiator, Pierre Ouellet for their efforts to resolve this unfortunate situation we have found ourselves in – none of which is our doing.
If you have any questions or concerns related to these unpaid leave days or any other matters affecting you in the workplace, please do not hesitate to contact Cory, Asit or Harald Larsen (hlarsen@pipsc.ca) from your negotiating team, or any group steward.