| October 6, 1999 We have set a strike deadline
To all members working for the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of
Ontario:
We have set Oct. 31 as our strike deadline if we cannot achieve a decent
settlement before that time.
We are continuing with the bargaining process, but we feel it is
essential to set a date to bring this to a conclusion.
This is why we have come to this decision:
- On Sept. 30, the AGCO presented us with what they called "a
settlement offer." There were a few moves in their position, but still a great many
serious problems.
- We have a date to continue negotiations Oct. 8.
- The ACGO said its next possible meeting date was not until Dec. 22.
- We have been in bargaining since June of 1998 – that’s 1998!
- The ACGO told the conciliation officer that their "settlement
offer" could be subject only to minor cosmetic changes.
- We know this is not acceptable to you.
That’s the situation in a nutshell.
Since receiving the "settlement offer," we have reviewed the
ACGO position and our own, and we have narrowed the areas of disagreement down to 23
outstanding issues.
We have put together our position, and today we have handed it to the
employer. We hope when we meet again on Friday, we will be able to move toward a contract
that will accommodate the employer’s needs and protect our legitimate interests.
We hope that setting a strike deadline will force the ACGO to find some
meeting dates before Dec. 22, and that we can build a momentum toward settlement.
These are the key areas in dispute:
Wages
The ACGO’s offer is a total of 4.3 per cent over three years. We
feel this is not sufficient to recognize the value of the work we do.
The wage grid
The AGCO is offering a start rate and a "job rate" for each
classification. The difference between the two rates ranges from $3,000 to $14,000. At
their total discretion, they could give you a raise on the start rate (maximum 3.5 per
cent a year). It would be on "merit" only and you could not grieve if you were
passed over completely, or if you got a lesser increase than a more favoured colleague. We
want a clearly defined pay grid with automatic increases on our anniversary date.
Benefits
The ACGO continues to refuse to spell out our benefits in the collective
agreement. They want the absolute right to change the insurance carrier and/or the benefit
package as long as the "value" of the package remains unchanged.
Seniority
The ACGO continues to resist recognizing our "continuous service
with the LLBO or the OPS" in the collective agreement.
Job Security
We want layoff and recall to be based on seniority and the AGCO refuses
to write this into the collective agreement. They also want the unfettered right to
unilaterally lay any of us off for up to three months at a time regardless of seniority.
Someone facing this layoff would not be able to bump a less senior employee.
Posting of positions
We want clear language around job postings, but the ACGO wants to be
able to fill positions at its own discretion if it decides internal applicants are not
suitable. You couldn’t grieve this.
Other areas remaining in dispute are:
Temporary assignments
Work Arrangements
Health and Safety
Headquarters
Tome credts while travelling
Leave for union business
Leaves of absence
Bereavement
Jury duty
Sick leave
Hours of work
Overtime
On-call pay
Holidays
Vacations
Job specifications
Duration of the collective agreement
We will keep you posted on developments.
Your bargaining team
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