Meta Centre members ratify three-year agreement
January 7, 2020
Recently, the unionized employees at Meta Centre achieved a new collective agreement.
This agreement for Meta Centre covers workers affected by the recently enacted Bill 124. This Bill is known as the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, 2019, and it limits the rights of these workers to negotiate freely for wage increases.
As such, they are limited to a maximum of 1% per year over the next three years. The agreement does include a Letter of Understanding, however, that should this legislation be repealed, the parties will meet again to renegotiate the monetary terms of the deal.
In March 2020, UFCW Locals 175 & 633 joined a coalition of more than 40 Ontario Unions, led by the Ontario Federation of Labour, to launch a Constitutional challenge against Bill 124. Read more here.
The committee achieved a number of improvements to language and other provisions in the agreement.
Employees required to use their own vehicle for work purposes will now receive 45 cents kilometre, up from 40 cents. A newly negotiated full-time position, classified as Team Leader, will be scheduled five consecutive days per week with Saturdays and Sundays off, unless a different schedule is agreed upon mutually by the employee and the employer.
Union Stewards will now have up to 15 minutes of paid time to introduce themselves to new employees and familiarize them with their collective agreement. In addition, new language applies to part-time scheduling, with specific language for overnight shift employees and respite staff.
Language improvements address job postings, probationary periods, and procedures for discipline and grievances. Improvements now require the employer to wait 30 minutes, instead of 15 minutes, for an employee to respond to a shift availability that’s more than 24 hours away from commencing, before moving on to the next employee on the list.
Members ratified the agreement by 97% at a vote that took place on December 20, 2019.
Union Negotiating Committee: Kasiobi Nwankudu, Gladys Igharo, Estelle Phillips, Gbubemi Edema-Sillo, Whitney Tawney, Webster Mwenye, and Union Rep Ali Farman.
Read more Negotiation Updates from the Local 175 HOPE Sector! What’s HOPE? It stands for Health, Office & Professional Employees.
In health care facilities, it is the front-line workers who shoulder the most responsibility in caring for patients. Find out why Health Care workers benefit from belonging to our Union!