Buffalo Catering Negotiations Moving Forward
To All Buffalo Catering Staff!
Your Union Negotiating committee is making our way into the third set of bargaining dates with your Employer and would like to keep you on top of the process!
Our last set of bargaining was focused on non-monetary items. Non-monetary items are upgrades and changes to our Collective Agreement language that does not cost the Company money. Some monetary items, things that will cost the Company money were discussed with key discussions around Lay-off / Recall notice. Tools and uniforms/ overtime distribution/ Time off Leaves/ and many more.
By the final minutes of the meetings on Friday, the Union put forward a proposal to have the Company withdraw several non-monetary items mutually to set the next meetings into monetary items! We are hopeful they will accept our proposal and get into the heart of the matter!
Some Union proposals have been agreed too, some are very close, but have monetary components to them and will be addressed in meetings on money.
Here are a few items we are agreed too / close too:
CLOTHING/ TOOL ALLOWANCE
– The Company has committed to ensuring new outdoor wear for the Buffalo Catering members that will be suitable for the employees that work outside. With uniformed departments, Civeo will now issue 3 sets of uniforms to the employees that will also be fitted for members’ requirements from a sizing chart. Front Desk attendance will be given 3 polo shirts, 1 sweater, in addition, a cardigan sweater (button-up sweater), if requested.
– Tools were addressed with the Company’s commitment to supply the necessary equipment and replace damaged equipment/ tools in a timely manner. Civeo’s Negotiating committee has encouraged all staff to escalate up the managerial chain if their Department Managers are not replacing in a timely manner.
DRUG/ ALCOHOL TESTING
– The Company will be moving to 2 testing process for their drug and alcohol tests. The test will be a urine test followed by a mouth swab test. This testing will be used as usual in pre-access testing. Changes will include a 90 day test requirement increased from the 45 day. If a driver causes an accident they will be tested with urine / swab. If the urine test is positive they will be allowed to work until the swab test comes back. This will normally take 48-72 hours, with the results of the swab being the deciding factor.
RECALL/ NEW HIRE POOL
– The Company is agreeing so far to have an opted in ‘pool’ for laid-off members to be given first opportunities to new hire positions in any of the Buffalo Catering locations. Employees that opt into the pool will also get to choose the classification they go in as (provided they are trained and qualified for that position) this will increase the chances of employees to be offered jobs before they are outsourced.
LAY-OFF/ RECALL PROTECTION
– Our Committee has been working hard to find solutions to our fellow members that are constantly being laid off and recall with next to no notice. This causes financial costs to our co-workers. The Company has not agreed to the entire proposal but are on board to language protecting employees on layoff and recalls with monetary min requirements before an employee can be laid off after a recall.
BENEFITS CHANGE
– Your Union and Committee have been given a green light by the Company to shop around at different providers for your Benefits Coverage. As monetary plays a key role with benefits this is still in the discussion stage, but stay tuned for more surveys or updates on this issue!
GENERAL LEAVES
– With worries of the UCP government stripping back the Employment Standard Leave to the basics, your Committee and Union pushed hard to have the current language for leaves incorporated into your Collective Agreement. Where they obviously are not keen on having more leaves cemented in our CBA, they have agreed to additional language for domestic violence / personal and family care. This is a great step for improving and securing our members’ need for time off for domestic/ family care. The Company has agreed as well to help facilitate our members in assisting Citizenship Ceremony Leaves!
We are expecting the next set of bargaining, April 6th – April 10th to be Held at Wapasu Main/ East. As in previous sets, this will be Open Bargaining! If you are not working, you are welcome to join us!
More notice of location will come as we get closer to our bargaining dates!
In anticipation of our monetary talks, we will be sending out Surveys and Hustle questions to you! Please keep a close eye on your text and emails over the next coming weeks!
To assist our Committee we are having Steve Westcott, our WCB advisor, come up and talk to the members with claims. This will be taken to the committee for recommendations for improvements.
We look forward to seeing you and supporting your Committee at the next round of bargaining!
In Solidarity
Clayton Herriot
Union labour Relations Officer
Posted on: March 14,2020