Union Meeting Jan 21 2015

Date: Jan 21, 2015 Time: 6:00 PM  Location: Retiree Lounge  Membership Meeting This months general membership meeting will be held upstairs in rooms 3 & 4. Agenda: Roll Call of Executive Board Minute of Silence Deceased Members Minutes previous meeting Business arising from the minutes Correspondence Executive Board Report and recommendations Financial Report Bylaw Committee Report Delegate Report Shop Committee Reports Standing Committee Reports Old Business New Business Adjournment  Jacket Draw

New Attendance Policy - Update.

Thiss post is just a quick update with respect to what is going on from the unions end on what is being done about the planned implimentation of the New Attendacne Policy. 

Tiime line of roll out as identified by the union:

1. The Unit Chair Person started to recieve reports via text and email that a new attendance policy was being implimented. This info was provided via NC LInked. 

2. The union was provided an LMC agenda, the employer had place the Attnedance policy as an agenda item. 

3. The  union and the employer met on Dec 3rd, to discuss among other items the proposed attendance policy. Specific questions that were asked by the union were not conclusively answered i.e bereavement, occurances and acceptable documenation. The employer was not forth oming with those answers. 

4. The Unit Bargaining Team met with the national rep and the local Presedent on Dec 17th 2014. We discussed the contents of the New attendane policy at length. 

5. The union informed the employer that it some concerns with the new policy up date. 

6. The union and the employer have agreed to meet on Dec. 30th to discuss the concerns and hopefully get a resolution on the outstanding items. 

That is all for now 

Bargaining Unit UPDATE June 3 2014

Bargaining Unit UPDATE June 3 2014

As you all know there are a number of vacancies in the department. From the unions calculation there are currently 7 full-time shift openings. I won’t disclose or discuss who or what caused the vacancies, however they are known to exist. In light of the vacancies I have ask the employer for clarification on a number of items.

1.       Given that there are 7 open lines, when would it be possible to start Rolling shift bids, to back-fill the vacancies.

2.       The union would also like clarification on if the employer intends to hire full-time officers to fill the 7 full-time vacancies?

3.       What is the current Dual/officer ratio?

The union’s position is that these full-time spots should be filled as soon as possible. This item was also discussed briefly at the past LMC meeting; we were told by the employer’s team, that any increase in staffing would have to be approved by the AGCO.  We don’t know at this time if that permission will be forthcoming any time soon.

Bonus / Wage increase

Many of you have been asking what is going on with the bonus and raise. We all know that the employer has provided non union staff with a 1500.00 bonus and the possibility of a raise to be determined after the coming provincial election. As you all know we have the option of a bonus of 750.00 or a raise equal to non unionized associates, should it be decided for them, that they receive it. In the interest of maintaining our options, I have sent the employer a memo that indicates to the employer that we will be exercising our right to postpone the decision, for 60 days after July 1^st 2014. We also reserved the right to ask for a further extension of the deadline in the event that a decision has not been made within the 60 days. This seemed the most prudent approach.

Safety Boots

To finally put this issue to rest the boot allowance is usable every calendar year. It is not contract year, or the lunar year, it is the calendar year. So if you buy boots on Dec 31^st 2014 you will be able to buy another new pair Jan 1^st 2015. The issue has been pushed through to the head of our department as well and clarification on the issue has been made. If you experience problems at the boot truck, let the union or management know and it will get sorted as soon as possible. 

Raises and or Bonus

Raises and Bonuses,

This item has always been a difficult point ever since we became unionized those many years ago. I realize that cash and the remuneration that we are paid for what we do is a significant measurement of success or failure. It is true that Non Unionized associates will be receiving a 1500.00 bonus this year. This is tough considering the Union bargained a 750.00 bonus. 

I think we need to look at what a bonus actually does. Lump sum payments that are made year over year actually reduce the wages of employees. The Non unionized associates of our place of employment have not received a raise for the last 4 years. Im not sure what the rate of inflation was for that same time frame was, but as we all know consumer prices don't stop going up because our pay does. 

The current situation that we find ourselves in is as follows. Bonuses of 1500.00 were announced to non unionized associates. The employer is also talking about possible raises in July, however the payout for them has not been confirmed pending the out come of the current provincial election, and the approval of the a provincial budget. We are in a position to wait and see if the employer announces raises in July. If that is what transpires then it would be more beneficial for us to accept the raise later than the bonus now. I will be consulting with the bargaining team to figure out our next steps. 

I don' t know at this time if there is going to be any retroactive considerations in the event of a raise back to April 1st. If that is something that transpires then the union will ask that question of the employer if it becomes necessary. 

This is UNIFOR

Great Video

http://youtu.be/nWEXRo2LlCg

Small unit council meeting

I will be attending UNIFOR small unit council meeting this afternoon. I will be out of the work place from noon until the end of the day. 

Test

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Jack Profijt

Security Unit Chair Person

jprofijt.unit.chair.cas.sec@gmail.com

Home - 905-988-1068

Cell - 905-321-2374

Sent from my iPhone

General Membership Meetings Feb 25th 2014

General Membership meetings were held today at the UNIFOR Hall. There was a good turn out for all meetings and a lot of information was passed to the members.

I will try to relay some of what was discussed here. However some items may not be posted as they are items for only our members and not for the prying eyes of the world.

Grievacnces that have been filed:

New Years Eve Contract Security

There was a policy grievance filed for the use of an outside secutity company  on New Year's Eve 2014. 

The article that was used to  make the argment was article 28 (work of the bargaining unit). The employer used a contract company to do Bargaining Unit work.  The employers argument was based on  Business continuity concerns. To limit there concerns the company took the position that they would offer overtime to all officers that wanted it. They took steps to ensure that all officers came to work for scheduled shifts and the emloyer was able to point out that in past years there was a significat number of sick calls for this event. The employer was able to make the argument that no officers lost hours nor was there anyone laid off. Infact, Bargaining unit hours actually increased over this time period. 

As a result of the argument the union had to consede that no officers lost hours and that there was no one laid off. As a result the union withdrew the grievance under the following condition. The issue will be discussed at up comming LMC meetings as well as Scheduling Committee meetings. The idea was put forward that if in the future, if employment opertunities like this come up they should first be offered to the Bargaining Unit first. 

Officer Sent home Prior to the end of shift:

The issue was that there were 2 EO's offered in the morning on a day shift. Only one was taken in the morning and the second was offered again at noon. There were no takers for the EO at noon. The descision was made to send the lowest seniority bargaining unit member home with only 4 hours pay. The union suggested to managment that a Dual sup. should be sent home instead. The employer did not supprot this position. 

There were 2 grievances filed on this issue. There was an individual grievance and a policy grievance filed. The union argued a violation of the CBA under article 28 (work iof the bargaining unit) as well as Article 15.04 (hours of work). The employer argued that article 2 (dual Language)  applied in this case. 

The union argued that the officer lost hours while a non bargaining unit supervisor was still employed to do the Duties of an officer. This resulted in a loss of hours. 

The employer agreed to provide 4 additional hours of work to the employee on a without precedent or prejudiced basis. The employer does not agree that there was a violation of the CBA. Based on this agreement with the employer the individual grievance was withdrarwn on a without precedent or prejudiced basis. 

The policy grievance is still on going, I will be discussing the essue with our national rep in the near future. 

Duals Returning to the Bargaining Unit.

Over the holiday season the Department Director aproached the union and enquired if it would be possible to allow Duals to return to te bargaining unit. The Department Director asked the union to consider the proposal. The employers proposed that the Dual would come back to the bargaining unit minus any time that he spent as a dual. I had a meeting with the Bargaining Team to discuss the issue. The bargaining team and the national rep,  determined that the portion of the CBA that the employer was relying on did not really apply. 

The bargaining team with the help of our national rep., came up with a counter proposal. The proposal that was offered was that we would allow duals to return to the unit if they returned at the bottom of the PT seniority list. 

The Employer then asked me to have the bargaining team reconsider the issue as it did not match what he told his duals when they elected to leave the bargaining unit. He had told them that they would be able to return with there bargaining unit seniority in tact. 

The Unions position remained the same, that no duals would be returning to the bargaining unit while still haveing there seniority in tact. 

The employer indicated that they may wish to litigate this issue at  later date. No action has been taken on the part of the employer at this time. 

Raise or Bonus 

Just a basic discussion around if we should take the raise or bonus. It is unclear as to what will happen to the rest of the casino or what the will be offered. The language in the memorandume of settlement is as follows:

12.​In the event the Agreement is ratified on or before April 19, 2013, the Union will be provided with an option for the period April 1, 2014-March 31, 2015:

i.​A wage increase equal to the wage increase (if any) provided to hourly non-union gaming employees in 2014; or

 

ii.​A one-time lump sum payment, less deductions required by law, based on hours worked in the calendar year prior to March 31, 2014:

 

1,500 hours or more:​$750.00

1,099 - 1,499 hours:​$562.50

1,098 hours or less:​$375.00

The Union will advise the Employer in writing which option the Union has selected by no later than July 1, 2014 (unless the Employer advises the Union a decision on providing a wage increase to hourly non-union gaming employees is delayed, where an extension will be granted on the written request of Union), and the election shall be binding on all members of the bargaining unit once made.

13.​Employees absent from work with leave when a lump sum payment as aforesaid is payable, will receive a lump sum payment in accordance with the foregoing upon returning to active employment with the Employer.

14.​“Hours worked” for purposes of calculating a lump sum payment will include all hours paid during the year, including early outs and union leaves.  All other unpaid leaves, STD, LTD and WSIB are excluded.

I would like the members to start considering the options.

 Election of Stewards. 

 There was a situation where there was no representation on midnight shifts at Fallsview. That situation has now been rectified. I have appointed 2 individuals as midnight stewards at FV. 

Typically there is only one election for stewards and if there are any vacancies they are filled by appointing new stewards to fill them. 

I discussed this issue with Wayne and this has been the norm in the local for some time.

We will continue the Practice of appointing Stewards, The members had no issue with the Unit Chairperson appointing stewards. 

  

Weekly agenda for Bargaining Team

It was brought forward that it may be a good idea that an agenda be created that high lights the activities of Bargaining team members and that it be posted for officers to see. 

There are some concerns because some activities that we participate in, are confidential and only relate to specific officers. In order for this item to be posted on our boards I  must first provide it to the employer.   

The consensus from the meetings was that there was no need to for a posted agenda, however better communication is needed.. 

I provided members with

the following info:

Blog

casino-security-unifor.blogspot.ca

twitter

@cas_sec_loc199

my email

jprofijt.unit.chair.cas.sec.@cogeco.ca

Cell number 

905-321-2374

Welcome Back !

Good day everyone,

Yes the blog is back. I have been spoken to by a number of officers about communication in the bargaining unit, and i n some cases the lack of it. So in response I have brought back to life the Bargaining. Unit Blog.

I hope to post items here  that are of interest to the members such as General membership meeting notices, Unit Updates, and bits of information that are useful to the membership. However as always I will use caution when posting to avoid slander or liability to our employer or to the union.
I will also try to utilize our face book page and our twitter account as well to keep you a all informed of upcoming events, and happening is the Unit and our union. 

So please stay tuned and come back often to get the latest up dates