Hello SP Stewards,
Please find below a summary of new changes to our Collective Agreement.
Thank you for all your work on the behalf of our members.
Elizabeth Ptasznik
SP Chief Steward
HIGHLIGHTS OF CHANGES TO SP COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT, Signed May 15, 2017
Link to full SP Collective Agreement
Status of Collective Bargaining
- Notice to bargain was served by the Employer on June 2, 2014.
- The parties exchanged their proposals on October 30, 2014.
- Negotiation sessions occurred on December 3-5, 2014 and on January 7-8, April 21-23, May 20-21 and September 8-9, 2015, and on February 2-3, April 27-29, June 14-16, July 12, September 20-22, October 13-14, and on December 6-9, 2016.
- A tentative settlement was reached on December 9, 2016.
- The collective agreement was signed on May 15, 2017.
Pay
Economic increases:
- 1.25% on October 1, 2014
- 1.25% on October 1, 2015
- 1.25% on October 1, 2016
- 1.25% on October 1, 2017
Group Specific Adjustments
- For individuals with a new increment at the top of the pay scale, movement to the new maximum will happen based on your anniversary date.
- For individuals who have been at the old maximum more than 12 months as of October 1, 2016, movement to the new step will occur retroactive to October 1, 2016.
Restructure of the pay scale for the Scientific Regulation (SG-SRE) group:
SG-SRE 2 - Increment of 3.75% added to the top of the pay scale.
SG-SRE 3, 4 and 5 - Remove 1st step for each level; and
- Add one step at the top of each level (SG-SRE 3 = 3.92%, SG-SRE4 = 3.42%, SG-SRE- 5 = 3.24%).
SG-SRE- 6 - Increment of 2.99% added to the top of the pay scale.
SG-SRE 7 and 8 - Remove 1st step for each level; and
- Add increment at the top of each level (SG - SRE 7= 3.16%, SG - SRE 8 = 3.35%)
Restructure of the pay scale for the Actuarial Science (AC) group:
AC-1- Remove 4 steps from the bottom of the AC-1 pay scale; and
- Add increment of 4.07% to the top of the new AC-1 pay scale.
AC-2 - Increment of 3.36% added at the top of the new AC-2 pay scale.
Harmonization of pay scales for the Agriculture (AG), Biological Science (BI), Chemistry (CH) groups and added steps at the top of the pay scales.
Forestry (FO) Group: Increments of between 2.58% - 3.66% added to the top of the pay scale, dependent upon the level.
Meteorology (MT) group: 1% wage adjustment added to all pay rates MT-2 to MT-7.
Benefit Improvements – New articles are bolded and iltalicized
A new clause entrenching the right of members to speak publicly about science and their research without being designated as a departmental spokesperson.
6.02 Employees shall have the right to express themselves on science and their research, while respecting the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector adopted on April 2, 2012, without being designated as an official media spokesperson.
A new clause formalizing breaks. Two 15 min breaks during a normal work day; three 15 min break during twelve (12) hours or more.
8.01 Two (2) rest periods of fifteen (15) minutes each shall be provided during each normal working day, and three (3) rest periods of fifteen (15) minutes each for each shift scheduled for twelve hours or more; except when operational requirements do not permit.
Shift Work
A period of twenty-four (24) hours or less between shifts or within a shift cycle shall not be considered a day of rest.
8.09 An employee shall be granted at least two (2) consecutive and continuous days of rest during any eight (8) calendar day period commencing on a day of work, unless operational requirements do not permit.
8.16 a. If an employee is given less than one hundred and twenty (120) hours’ advance notice of a change in the employee’s scheduled shift, the employee will receive compensation at the rate of time and one half (1 1/2) for work performed on the first (1st) shift changed. Subsequent shifts worked on the changed schedule shall be paid for at straight-time and every effort shall be made by the Employer to ensure that scheduled days of rest on the changed schedule are maintained
Shift Premium- Article 8.19 -Additional shift premium of $1.00 for MT shift employees working between 23:00 and 07:00 .
8.19 (b) An MT shift work employee whose hours of work are scheduled between 11 pm and 7 am will be paid, in addition to the shift premium outlined in 8.19 (a), an additional premium of one dollar ($1) for all hours worked between 11 pm and 7 am.
Weekend Premium– Payment of the $2.00 shift premium also on the overtime worked.
8.20 Employees working during the weekend will receive a weekend premium of two dollars ($2) per hour for all hours worked, including overtime hours, on Saturday and/or Sunday. However, the foregoing shall not apply in cases where an employee to whom clause 8.02 applies requests to work on Saturday and/or Sunday.
Overtime meal allowance
Increase to the allowance from ten dollars and fifty cents ($10.50) to twelve dollars ($12.00).
9.08 a. An employee who works three (3) or more hours of overtime immediately before or immediately following the employee’s scheduled hours of work shall be reimbursed for one (1) meal in the amount of twelve dollars ($12), except where free meals are provided. Reasonable time with pay to be determined by the Employer shall be allowed the employee in order to take a meal either at or adjacent to the employee’s place of work
9.08 b. When an employee works overtime continuously extending four (4) hours or more beyond the period provided in (a) above, the employee shall be reimbursed for one (1) additional meal in the amount of twelve dollars ($12) except where free meals are provided. Reasonable time with pay, to be determined by the Employer, shall be allowed the employee in order that the employee may take a meal break either at or adjacent to the employee’s place of work
Stand by and Reporting Pay
11.07 When an employee is required to report and reports to work on a day of rest, the employee is entitled to a minimum of three (3) hours pay at the applicable overtime rate.
11.08 Other than when required by the Employer to use a vehicle of the Employer for transportation to a work location other than the employee’s normal place of work, time spent by an employee reporting to work or returning to the employee’s residence shall not constitute time worked.
11.09 The minimum payment referred to in clause 11.07 above, does not apply to part-time employees. Part-time employees will receive a minimum payment in accordance with Article 40 of this Agreement.
Lieu Days
Part-time MT shift work employees receive lieu days, prorated as per their assigned work week, instead of receiving the 4.25% for hours worked.
12.08 part-time MT employees shall be entitled, at the beginning of each fiscal year, to “lieu days” in the same proportion as their normal scheduled weekly hours of work compared with the normal weekly hours of work of full-time MT employees.
Vacation Leave
15.03 (b) For the purpose of clause 15.03 only, effective April 1, 2012 on a go forward basis, any former service in the Canadian Forces for a continuous period of six (6) months or more, either as a member of the Regular Force or of the Reserve Force while on Class B or C service, shall also be included in the calculation of vacation leave credits.
Bereavement leave with pay
Expansion of definition of family to include step-brother, step-sister and foster child and expansion of definition of family for bereavement leave of one day to include grandparent of spouse.
17.02 For the purpose of this clause, immediate family is defined as father, mother (or alternatively stepfather, stepmother or foster parent), brother, step-brother, sister, step-sister, spouse (including common-law partner), child (including child of common-law partner), stepchild, foster child or ward of the employee, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandchild, grandparent and relative permanently residing in the employee’s household or with whom the employee permanently resides.
b. An employee is entitled to up to one (1) day’s bereavement leave with pay for the purpose related to the death of the employee’s son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in- law or sister-in-law and grandparent of spouse
Maternity Allowance
17.04 c. Maternity allowance payments made in accordance with the SUB Plan will consist of the following:
iii ) Where an employee has received the full fifteen (15) weeks of maternity benefit under Employment Insurance and thereafter remains on maternity leave without pay, she is eligible to receive a further maternity allowance for a period of one (1) week, ninety three per cent (93%) of her weekly rate of pay for each week (and the recruitment and retention “terminable allowance”, if applicable),less any other monies earned during this period
Parental Allowance
The quantum of thirty-seven decimal five (37.5) hours remains but has been expanded to be used for school functions, unforeseen daycare/school closures. Now, the cap of seven decimal five (7.5) hours is limited to appointments with financial or other professional representatives.
17.07 c.iv. where an employee has received the full thirty-five (35) weeks of parental benefit under Employment Insurance and thereafter remains on parental leave without pay, he/she is eligible to receive a further parental allowance for a period of one (1) week, ninety three per cent (93%) of his or her weekly rate of pay (and the recruitment and retention “terminable allowance”, if applicable)for each week less any other monies earned during this period, unless said employee has already received the one (1) week of allowance contained in 17.04 c) iii) for the same child
Leave with pay for family-related responsibilities
Expansion of definition of family to include foster children and ward of the employee, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, grandparents of the employee, grandchild and any relative for whom the employee has a duty of care, irrespective of whether they reside with the employee.
17.12 b. iv and v is new
17.12 b. iv. to attend school functions, if the supervisor was notified of the functions as far in advance as possible
17.12 b. v. to provide for the employee’s child in the case of an unforeseeable closure of the school or daycare facility
Volunteer and personal leave
Effective April 1, 2017, clause 17.17, Volunteer leave, is deleted from the collective agreement and Personal Leave is increased to 15.0 hours. Volunteer leave is deleted and the personal leave entitlement is increased to 15 hours. This leave is cannot be carried over to the next fiscal year if it is not used within the current fiscal year.
17.20 b Subject to operational requirements as determined by the Employer and with an advance notice of at least five (5) working days, the employee shall be granted, in each fiscal year, fifteen (15) hours of leave with pay for reasons of a personal nature. This leave can be taken in periods of seven decimal five (7.5) hours or three decimal seven five (3.75) hours each
Attendance at conferences and conventions
The language has been improved to increase access to attend conference and to encourage a more transparent approval process for conference attendance.)
18.03 b. The parties to this Agreement recognize that attendance or participation at conferences, conventions, symposia, workshops and other gatherings of a similar nature constitute an integral part of the employee’s professional activities and contributes to the maintenance of high professional standards and that attendance and participation in such gatherings is recognized as an important element in the conduct of their work or professional development. In this context, the parties also recognize the importance of regular networking with national and international peers, and active
18.04 c is new for PCs. PC employees receive up to 20.625 additional hours of leave with pay for Professional Development in a fiscal year. Use leave code 621.
18.04 c. Notwithstanding paragraph 18.04 (b), subject to operational requirements, a PC employee shall be granted up to twenty decimal six two five (20.625) hours of leave with pay for Professional Development in a fiscal year, for reasons described in paragraph 18.04 (a). Where such leave has not been granted in a fiscal year, the unused leave, up to a maximum of twenty decimal six two five (20.625) hours, will be carried over the following fiscal year. The maximum leave granted in any fiscal year under this paragraph cannot exceed forty one decimal two five (41.25) hours. The leave can be taken in periods of seven decimal five (7.5) or three decimal seven five (3.75) hours
The leave provided under this paragraph does not limit the leave that may be authorized in accordance with other paragraphs in clause 18.04
18.05 c. Where an employee is refused attendance at a conference, the reason for refusal will be provided in writing, to the employee, with the notice of refusal
Scientific Integrity
A memorandum of agreement committing departments to develop their own Scientific Integrity Policies and Procedures in consultation with PIPSC in the coming months
Article 24 – Techonological change – Improved language
24.03 Both parties recognize the overall advantages of technological change and will, therefore, encourage and promote technological change in the Employer’s operations.
Where technological change such as systems, software, hardware, which will result in significant changes to working conditions of employees, are to be implemented, the Employer will seek ways and means, including through consultation with the Institute, of minimizing adverse effects on employees which might result from such changes. In the event of a technological change, both parties recognize the advantages of the expert advice of the employees working directly in their respective fields, and acknowledge that this expert advice can be sought through joint consultation as outlined in Article 37.
Article 28 – Use of Employer facilities – Improved Language
28.01 An accredited representative of the Institute may be permitted access to the Employer’s premises on stated Institute business and to attend meetings called by management and/or meetings with Institute-represented employees. Permission to enter the premises shall, in each case, be obtained from the Employer. Such permission shall not be unreasonably withheld.
Article 29 – Information – Electronic and hard copy access to collective agreement
29.02 The Employer agrees to supply each employee with a copy of the collective agreement and any amendments thereto. For the purpose of satisfying the Employer’s obligation under this clause, employees may be given electronic access to the collective agreement. Where electronic access is unavailable or upon request, the employee shall be supplied with a printed copy of this Agreement.
Article 37 – Joint Consultation – Expanded language
37.02 The subjects that may be determined as appropriate for joint consultation will be by mutual agreement of the parties and shall include consultation regarding career development, professional development and proposed technological changes. Consultation may be at the local, regional or national level as determined by the parties.
Article 38 - Standards of Discipline
38.02 (a) Where an employee is required to attend a meeting on disciplinary matters the employee is entitled to have a representative of the Institute attend the meeting when the representative is readily available. Where practicable, the employee shall receive in writing a minimum of two (2) working days’ notice of such meeting as well as its purpose.
(b) At any administrative inquiry, hearing or investigation conducted by the Employer, where the actions of an employee may have had a bearing on the events or circumstances leading thereto, and the employee is required to appear at the administrative inquiry, hearing or investigation being conducted, he may be accompanied by a representative of the Institute. Where practicable, the employee shall receive a minimum of two (2) full days’ notice of such administrative inquiry, hearing or investigation being conducted as well as its purpose. The unavailability of the representative will not delay the inquiry, hearing or investigation more than forty-eight (48) hours from the time of notification to the employee.
Article 40 - Part Time Employees
Clause 40.06 does not apply to part time MT shift workers. Part time MT shoftworkers are subject to sub paragraph 12.08 a iii.
Article 41 – Employee Performance Review and Employee files 41.05 a b and c is new
41.04 Upon written request of an employee, the personnel file of that employee shall be made available twice per year for the employee’s examination in the presence of an authorized representative of the Employer.
41.05 When a report pertaining to an employee’s performance or conduct is placed on that employee’s personnel file, the employee concerned shall be given:
a. a copy of the report placed on their file
b. an opportunity to sign the report in question to indicate that its contents have been read and
c. an opportunity to submit such written representations as the employee may deem appropriate concerning the report and to have such written representations attached to the report.