SP Bargaining Update # 11 - With a signed tentative agreement, the finish line is in sight!!

A tentative agreement has been signed and will be presented to the members once the translation is available. Click through to the full article to see some highlights.

At the beginning of this round of bargaining, we told you that it would not be a sprint, but a grueling ultra-marathon. The finish line is finally in sight, and your support and solidarity will carry us across it.

Over the past months of meetings with the Treasury Board (TB), your bargaining team has worked hard to get you the best deal possible. We have arrived at a deal that your SP Group Bargaining Team and Executive Committee are recommending you accept.

At the beginning of bargaining, I shared with you the bargaining priorities that your bargaining team extracted out of surveys, emails and numerous meetings with SP Group members. If you go back (way back) to Bargaining Update #5, we listed the priorities so obtained:

• Pay
• Remote Work
• Work-life balance
• Time off
• Mental health

Detailed information, which will include the full text of the tentative agreement, will be provided in the upcoming weeks once it has been fully translated. In the meantime, here is a brief summary of improvements according to your listed priorities.

DURATION

This is a 4-year deal, starting October 1, 2022, and ending September 30, 2026.

PAY

Our goal was to come away from the bargaining session with an economic increase that would at the very least match inflation. While we did not achieve that, we pushed TB as far as they would go.

In addition, a $2500 one-time non-pensionable lump sum allowance will be paid to all employees in the bargaining unit on the date of signing of the collective agreement.

The yearly salary increases, combined with the $2,500 lump-sum payment, means an SP member earning $100,000 annually will receive an additional $39,836 over the life of the agreement.

Actuarial Science Group (AC)

Significant changes have been made to the AC-1, -2, and -3 pay scales, to address recruitment and retention issues. 

• AC-1
  • Remove step 1
  • Add 3 new steps at the top end
• AC-2
  • Remove step 1
  • Add 3 new steps at the top end
• AC-3
  • Remove step 1
  • Add 3 new steps at the top end

Full details, including new pay notes, will be made available with the ratification package.

Meteorology Group (MT)

Significant changes have been made to the MT-1 and -2 pay scales to address recruitment issues, as well as increases to shift premiums.

• MT-1
  • Salary range changed to $50,003 to $65,429
• MT-2
  • Remove Steps 1 and 2
  • Add 1 new step to the top end

ALLOWANCES 

Human Drugs Clinical Review Allowance (HDCRA)

Our campaign was successful in resisting the Employer’s demand to eliminate the allowance for the second consecutive bargaining round.  In addition the HDCRA, which has remained unchanged since 2006, has been increased by 7% at both the BI-4 and BI-5 levels.

Correctional Service Specific Duty Allowance (CSSDA)

Increase the allowance by 7%, from $2,000 to $2,140.

REMOTE WORK

Attempts have been made in the past number of rounds of bargaining to get remote work language in the collective agreement to no avail due to management’s steadfast refusal to even entertain a discussion around remote work. This round has seen some movement.

While the language we have obtained is still technically not in the collective agreement, it is a significant step in providing some protection against the employer making changes based on a whim.

We have secured a letter of agreement with the employer which indicates that remote work is voluntary, can be requested by the employee, and that decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Should a remote work request be refused, the refusal must be provided in writing.

In addition, whereas previously the decision of the employer was final, with no recourse, the letter also establishes a separate grievance process that includes a joint employer/PIPSC panel which will review grievances that have reached the final step of this process. 

Finally, management has agreed to establish a Joint consultation committee for the review of the Employer’s Return to Office Directive, Co-Chaired with equal representation. This committee will meet within 90 days of signing and complete work within one year. 

WORK-LIFE BALANCE

Our goal in this area was to improve your work-life balance through improvement in areas such as flexible work hours, the right to disconnect, and premiums for certain situations. Here are some of the improvements in this area:

• Part-Time employees
  • Article 40.06 - The premium part-time employees receive in pay for the designated holidays has been increased from 4.25% to 4.6%
  • New language to provide for an increase of 0.38% in the event an additional designated holiday is proclaimed by Parliament
• Shift Workers
  • Article 8.17 (a) - Shift premiums have been increased from $2.00/hour to $2.25/hour between 1600 and 0800
  • Article 8.17 (b) Shift premiums have been increased from $1.50/hour to $1.75/hour for MT shift workers between 2300 on 0700
  • Article 8.18 - Weekend premiums have been increased from $2.00/hour to $2.25/hour
• Right to disconnect - The Employer will consult with the Institute after changes to the Canada Labour Code come into force and will collaboratively generate a new policy.

LEAVE

Time off is vitally important. It has an impact not only on our physical health but also on our mental and emotional health as well. We have achieved some important gains in this area:

• Vacation
  • The time required to get 4 weeks of vacation leave has been reduced from 8 years to 7 years.

• The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation has been added to the list of designated holidays. 
• NEW Article - Leave for Indigenous Cultural Practices - 5 days leave (2 paid, 3 unpaid) may be taken for participating in Indigenous Cultural Practices.
• Leave for Religious Observance amended to permit the use of personal leave days

MENTAL HEALTH

Since 2020, it has become exceedingly clear that mental health is vitally important in the day-to-day lives of our members. There are numerous ways that we are attempting to improve the ways in which the collective agreement will provide mental health support for our members.

• Bereavement Leave (article 17.02)
  • 17.02(e) - aunt and uncle have been added to those family members for which you are entitled to 1 day of bereavement leave.
  • NEW Article 17.02 (f)  - 3 days of bereavement leave for stillbirth has been added.
• Domestic Violence leave (article 17.23)
  • Expanded to include abuse or neglect experienced from a family member
• Care Leave
  • 17.09 (b)
    • ward of the employee, grandparents, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law have been added to the definition of immediate family
  • NEW Article 17.13 (b) (vi.) - to visit a family member who, due to an incurable terminal illness, is nearing the end of their life.
  • 17.13 (d)
    • Increases the number of hours which may be used under this clause for  financial, legal or professional appointments to 15 hours from 7.5.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

In addition to the above, there are a number of other areas in which improvements have been made to the collective agreement, some of which are noted below:

• Grievances
  • Language has been added to clarify that all three steps are not mandatory
• 17.19 Medical Appointments for Pregnant Employees
  • Language has been added to clarify that 3.75 hours can be used for each routine medical appointment.
• 17.20 Other leave with pay (699 leave)
  • New language stipulating “such leave shall not be unreasonably withheld” has been added. 
• 18.04 Professional Development
  • Add new clause regarding language training
• 21.01 Registration Fees
  • New language for reimbursement of fees not required for performance of duties where the costs are lower than what would have otherwise been incurred as a result of the membership.  Maximum $1500.
• 44.01 No Discrimination
  • Added gender identity or expression, genetic characteristics and offenses in respect of which a record of suspension has been ordered to the prohibited grounds of discrimination.

IMPLEMENTATION

• Appendix L
  • Implementation is subject to ratification by the SP Group Membership and Treasury Board
  • Prospective compensation increases and retroactive amounts payable to employees will be implemented within one hundred and eighty (180) days after signature of the Collective Agreement where there is no need for manual intervention. 
  • Prospective compensation increases and retroactive amounts that require manual processing will be implemented within four hundred and sixty (460) days after signature of the Collective Agreement.

In addition to the above, there are a number of other purely administrative changes which were agreed upon such as the addition of a section heading, renewal of references to Government of Canada policies, and changing Her Majesty to His Majesty.

If you have any questions please email the SP Bargaining Team at spbargainingteam@pipsc.ca.