Click here to download a printable PDF file of SAHO/SEIU-West Bargaining Bulletin (2nd edition) No. 21.
Date: April 8, 2021
Greetings Sisters and Brothers,
Your SEIU-West bargaining committee continues to work with SAHO and the Employer on the final details related to bargaining: checking to make sure that all of the new or changed language is included in the collective agreement, checking the wage schedules, and managing format and grammar issues.
An immediate issue that needs our attention is completion of the Letter of Understanding (LOU) regarding the change from hours based seniority to a date of hire seniority system for SEIU-West members working for the SHA and its affiliates. There are a number of steps that will need to be completed before this change is final including the production of an up to date hours based seniority list; a time for you to appeal if your seniority hasn’t been calculated correctly; the production of an initial hours to date of hire seniority conversion list; and a further appeal if the change to seniority date is not accurate. The first thing to do though, is to nail down the various deadline and implementation dates for the conversion processes. The LOU already identifies where these dates are needed.
We’ve met with SAHO on March 18, 26 & 29; April 7 & 8 to finalize the dates for the seniority implementation and to identify where the collective agreement will need to be changed to reflect the new seniority system.
It’s the considered opinion of the bargaining committee that we need to a) finish editing the current collective agreement so it can get printed, b) finalize the seniority date LOU, and c) figure out the changes needed in CBA language to adjust references from hours based seniority to date of hire. We believe we have made significant strides towards agreement on the seniority impacted collective agreement language.
SAHO indicated that they now need to consult with the Administrative Information Management System (AIMS) to identify the dates to be included in the seniority date LOU. As a result, the parties have agreed to an extension of the March 31, 2021 date to conclude the LOU.
The $200 lump sum payment has been issued. If you haven’t received yours or if you have a problem with the deductions, please contact payroll directly to inquire. There was some confusion about the statutory federal deductions coming off that amount. Because the lump sum payment is considered income, it is subject to CPP/EI/income tax. However, it is not subject to union dues, benefit or DIP deductions…we were able to get agreement to that with SAHO.
The SEIU-West bargaining committee will continue to provide updates as we move through this process of finalizing the collective agreement.
In Solidarity,
Your SEIU-West SAHO Provincial Bargaining Committee:
CHR: Janice Platzke (SEIU-West Treasurer) • FHHR: Brenda Berry; Donna Gallant • HHR: Colleen Denniss • SHR: Judy Denniss; Rick Brown; Carla Saworski; Kim Wyatt; Charlene Sarafin; • Staff: Bob Laurie (Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement); Russell Doell (Deputy Dir. of Bargaining and Contract Enforcement); Cam McConnell (Negotiations Officer) • President: Barbara Cape