Virtual Townhall Meeting Rescheduled
Good evening,
Click here to download a printable PDF file of Canadian Blood Services: Bargaining Update No. 14
Date: July 20, 2022
Location: Saskatoon
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
As you are likely aware, the tentative agreement ratification vote held on June 6 & 7 was overwhelmingly in favor. Since then, the Union and the Employer have continued to work to complete the bargaining process by signing and implementing the new collective agreement. Here is an update on where the process is at and where it’s going.
As soon as the vote was complete the parties signed a Memorandum of Agreement which binds both parties to the deal we’ve made and provides that some of the agreed provisions can be implemented immediately rather than waiting for the final collective agreement to be signed. The most important things to proceed with immediately are the pay increases including retroactive pay and the provision of the ancillary lump sum payment of $500.00. As we understand it, the lump sum was included in the July 8th paycheque, and the Employer has informed us that retroactive pay will be provided as part of the August 5th paycheque and that the new pay rates will be implemented as of that date. We asked for a separate cheque but they were adamant that it couldn’t be done. Although this was frustrating and makes it harder to determine if everything’s correct it wasn’t worth fighting over if it meant delaying the process any more than it already has been.
The Union has almost completed a draft collective agreement which we will send to the Employer for proofing before we sign and print it. That process has been delayed by some internal challenges at SEIU-West. We apologize for how long it is taking to get a signed collective agreement into your hands, but a delay of this length is not unusual in the preparation of a collective agreement. We are working to improve our processes for signing, preparing, printing, and distributing all the collective agreements we negotiate.
The delay has affected the implementation of some of the agreed changes, but others have proceeded despite the delay. For example, the changes to the meal breaks that were agreed at bargaining have been in place for some time, and we are working with the Employer on a timeline and format to discuss the new plasma and platelet duties.
Thank you for your patience and support and please don’t hesitate to forward any concerns or questions to the Member Resource Centre. We will provide further updates as soon as we have news to report.
Your SEIU-West bargaining committee:
SEIU-West members: Heather Dyck (Unit Chair, CBS Saskatoon); Kristie Pearton (Unit Vice-Chair, CBS Saskatoon); Jason Coombs (Bargaining Committee member, CBS Regina);
Tanya Palaniuk (Bargaining Committee member, CBS Regina); • SEIU-West staff: Cam McConnell (Negotiations Officer); Marj Markwart (Union Representative) and Shelley
Johnson (Union Representative).
Latest posts
Media Release: Strike Notice Served: LutherCare Communities Group Homes
For Immediate Release
April 22, 2024