During the last round of negotiations, CRPEG, WTEG and WPEG referred several issues related to the updated Canada Labour Code (CLC) to mediation. Representatives from each bargaining unit participated in mediation held over 2 days in November, 1 day in December 2025, and 3 days in January 2026.
The Parties AGREED to align the collective agreements with the CLC. Key changes include:
- Flexible Work Arrangements: Clarifies that employees may request changes to hours, schedules, or work location, with written requests answered within 30 days.
- Employment Statements: The Company will ensure that all required personnel documents will be accessible through myCNL.
- Medical Certificates: Confirms that a certificate may (not always) be required after five consecutive days of absence and not required for shorter periods of time.
- Bereavement Leave: Expands eligibility to include employees already on Compassionate Care or Critical Illness leave and clarifies wording.
- Vacation Accrual: Removal of the requirement to work 10 days in a month to receive vacation credits.
- Breaks: Standardizes break expectations, including requiring a 30‑minute break within every 4.5 hours of work.
Agreed to but not signed off as they require some administrative work:
- Employees who are required to be at the Employer’s disposal during their lunch period will be paid for the otherwise unpaid lunch period at straight time. Retro-active pay is being negotiated.
- Revise vacation pay and holiday pay to reflect all earned wages. At the end of every year the Company will reconcile vacation pay to reflect all wages. The Union has asked for retro-active payments. This is still being negotiated.
Issues that may be referred to arbitration:
- During the December Holiday Shutdown: Compensation for employees who are On Call and perform work during their regular work week.
- Dependent contractors performing work of the Bargaining Units.
- The 3 CLC personal leave days and Personal Business Days are independent leaves.
The signed MOA with the Agree To Items will be appended to the collective agreements.
Further updates will be provided when the outstanding issues are resolved.
In solidarity,
Noel Harrison, Curtis Russell & Cliff Dugal, CRPEG
Mike Fitkowsky & Neal Shultz, WTEG
Jason Martino, Curtis Faucher & Ric Lim, WPEG
Yvonne James & Denise Doherty-Delorme, PIPSC