Bargaining information for OPSEU members
at the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation
Issue 2 - January 20, 2010
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Seasonal employment in the north?
Your team will not be “snowed”
Your bargaining team met with the employer on January 6-8.
At that time, the employer graced us with more details on their plans to try
to cut full-time jobs from MPAC. Here’s what we know so far.
MPAC wants to take 40 of 70 existing Property Inspector (PI)
positions in northern and rural offices and make them seasonal. The
employer’s plan is for PIs to work from April 1 to October 31 each year.
Why? In a revelation that came as a complete shock to your team, the
employer said because in Northern Ontario in the winter…it snows.
Really?
The employer said that apparently there are access issues in
the winter, inferring that property inspectors can’t do their work.
Bargaining Team Chair Ivan Herrington enlightened the employer by telling
them, “It has always snowed in the North...and that hasn’t stopped us from
doing our jobs before.”
This completely ridiculous position has some very harsh
realities. Turning full-time jobs into seven-month jobs will slash 40 per
cent from members’ pay. The employer would also eliminate benefits for these
seasonal PIs, giving them a percentage of pay in lieu. There would also be
pension implications.
And how will the employer accomplish this? The employer says
there are employees who want to work seasonally. But that alone won’t be
enough. Ultimately, if the employer plan goes through, those 40 seasonal
jobs will be created by laying off full-time employees. “I have yet to hear
from one member who wants to work seasonal,” Ivan said. “The employer has
told us they will use attrition, then volunteers, then ultimately layoffs to
achieve their goal.”
The other obvious casualty from this scheme will be service
to Northern Ontario. Northern and rural municipalities will clearly receive
less service if MPAC makes property inspectors seasonal…communities that
already feel like they get second-class service from MPAC.
The employer’s plan to get rid of full-time jobs doesn’t
stop there.
The employer also wants to turn existing full-time positions
into part-time positions in the following areas: Finance, IT, Office
Administration and Quality Services. The employer didn’t identify what jobs
would be affected…or where they are located.
Once again, the employer says that employees are “beating
down their doors” wanting to work seasonal and part-time. Again, that is
certainly news to your bargaining team. The team also notes that under
Current Job Postings on the MPAC web site, the employer for the first time
has advertised positions for an afternoon shift.
The team believes that the employer wants generic language
in the collective agreement that will give them carte blanche to create
seasonal and part-time positions. This will allow them to scrap benefits for
these employees, and hire cheaper part-time staff. What it really means is
that every MPAC employee is threatened.
And despite the employer’s apparent wish to reduce staff, we
note that the so-called “hiring freeze” (that we predicted was an employer
bargaining ploy) appears to be over; MPAC now has 18 positions advertised
for hiring. Those include two full-time PI positions in North Bay and
Thunder Bay…the same place where they are trying to cut full-time positions.
The employer is also adamant about reducing our benefits,
including increasing the length of time between dental visits from six
months to nine months and requiring employees to get a doctor’s referral for
all paramedical services (chiropractor, massage, etc.) The employer is also
completely uninterested in reducing the deductible on our drug card, which
is one of our priority demands.
Still mum on organizational review
The employer has still not tabled anything on the
organizational review. The team has been told that at the January 29 MPAC
Board meeting, the employer will present the Board three different
organizational models…and ask the Board to select one.
“We have no idea how this employer expects us to bargain
when they refuse to reveal their long-range plans,” Ivan said. “The employer
has told us they want to wrap up bargaining quickly…likely meaning they want
a new contract before we find out their plans. That is totally
unacceptable.”
N-O to CWW
The employer is not interested in a Compressed Work Week (CWW)
agreement, one of the key priorities members identified for this round of
bargaining.
At the table, the employer stated, “We’re a five-day a week
operation.” The same employer who ALSO stated they want to eliminate
full-time jobs and replace them with seasonal and part-time.
Yes – we’re confused too. However, this is also the same
employer who can’t manage their own flex-time policy or their policy that
would allow employees the option of working from home two days a week.
A little note to MPAC: If you want to be one of Canada’s Top
100 Employers by 2011, try to remember that Top 100 employers usually offer
CWW to their employees, among other benefits.
Stay solid behind your team!
In the weeks ahead, contacts in your office will be handing
out “Not Exactly Top 100” stickers and buttons. We need everyone to show
their support. Be visible, be vocal, and send a message that you are serious
about your demands!
Your team is back at the table January 29, then again on
February 2-3. Stay tuned!
Keep in touch!
To ensure a speedy response to your questions, your leadership team has divided up all MPAC offices in the province. If you have a question or a comment, please contact the bargaining team member responsible for your office. Contact us by e-mail at work or at home, as follows:
Ivan Herrington, Chair: Barrie, Kitchener,
London, Milner (CCC, CPF, LPU),
Mississauga, Trenton.
E-mail: iherrington@cogeco.ca; herriniv@mpac.ca
Gary Cooper: Brantford, Chatham, Goderich, Hamilton, Owen Sound, Sarnia, Windsor.
Email: gcooper@iaw.com; cooperga@mpac.ca
Everett Kelly: Oshawa, Peterborough,
Pickering, Richmond Hill, Toronto.
E-mail: evkelly@rogers.com; kellyev@mpac.ca
David Lynch: Bracebridge, Dryden, Fort
Frances, Kenora, North Bay, Ottawa, Parry
Sound, Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timmins.
E-mail: opseu409@yahoo.ca; lynchda@mpac.ca
Bill Robertson: Bancroft, Brockville, Cornwall, Kingston, Pembroke.
E-mail: robertson2@cogeco.ca; robertbi@mpac.ca
Rob Field, OPSEU Staff Negotiator
E-mail: rfield@opseu.org
ImpacT At the Table
is produced by the bargaining team for the Property Assessment Division of
the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and authorized for distribution
by Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president.
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