CUPW has filed a National Policy grievance alleging Canada Post violated the Urban Operations Collective Agreement between May 30 and June 27, 2011.
Bill C-6, the back-to-work legislation, extended the term of the Urban Operations Collective Agreement back to February 1, 2011.
As a result, CUPW is arguing that the Urban Operations Collective agreement was in full force and effect for the entire period.This means that Canada Post violated the Collective Agreement when they:
* failed to grant us sick leave with pay, vacation leave, and other types of leaves during this period;
* failed to honour health care claims during this period;
* failed to include this period in the calculation of our sick leave, vacation leave, night worker’s leave and other types of credits;
* failed to accept grievances;
* failed to properly pay us for overtime hours worked;
* failed to allocate work on an uncovered route properly;
* performed bargaining unit work;
* sent apprentices home from training;
* changed letter carrier work patterns.
This is not a complete list. For example, in the Pacific Region, B. C. members were denied the 70% coverage for their Provincial Medical Insurance Plan during the month of June 2011. Many members are just getting these late bills at this time since the B. C. Government contracted out this service to the private sector.
At this time, many members also have to choose whether to take their vacation leave without pay or work the extra dates since the employer also decided to not honour the Vacation Leave entitlement described in Article 19.01. For example, if you were entitled to 3 weeks, the employer will not honour 1.25 days of your vacation leave. If you are entitled to 7 weeks the employer will not honour 2.9 days.
CUPW wants Canada Post to resolve this National Policy grievance by fully and retroactively applying all the provisions of the Collective Agreement, and providing proper compensation.
You need to inform your local of how this decision by the employer has impacted your vacation leave, your provincial medical coverage or your sick leave, since the employer also did not allow you to accrue 1.25 days of sick leave during June 2011. Please copy any documents you have that show the deductions of your vacation leave and/or vacation pay; or inform the local that you chose to work these dates rather than lose your pay. Include any relevant correspondence from the employer regarding this situation.
Solidarity,
John Bail
National Director
JB:iwk
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