January 11,
2007
OPSEU reaches “workforce
adjustment agreement” for members in Ministry of Finance
OPSEU and management representatives on the CTAR Working
Group have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to help
protect OPSEU members who may be impacted by the Corporate
Tax Administration Redesign (CTAR). Under CTAR,
approximately 600 OPSEU positions in the Ministry of
Finance’s Corporate Tax Division are to be transferred to
the federal government over the next several years.
The MOA will reduce the impact on full-time classified
members affected by CTAR by increasing options for lateral
transfers to other vacant positions within the ministry. It
also gives the employer greater flexibility in back-filling
temporary vacancies that result from these lateral
transfers.
“This agreement is good news for members who are affected by
CTAR,” said Kathleen Demareski, OPSEU Co-chair of the
Ministry Enforcement and Renewal Committee (MERC).
The agreement increases the number of positions in the
ministry that are considered “suitable” for lateral
transfers by members affected by CTAR. The specific
positions are listed in two appendices to the MOA. Both
parties have agreed to continue exploring other positions
that may be identified as suitable for lateral transfers in
the future.
Lateral Transfer Request Form
Under the agreement, members who are interested in
transferring into a position that will remain in the OPS
must complete a special CTAR Lateral Transfer Request Form.
Once a vacancy arises in one of the identified positions,
the member with the most seniority will be transferred to
the new position. For the purposes of current vacancies,
members must submit their Lateral Transfer Form by 9 a.m. on
January 23.
Once your transfer has been approved, however, there may be
an operational need for you to continue work in your
corporation tax function on a temporary basis. In this case,
your new position will be temporarily filled by a ‘limited
term appointment’ (LTA) employee. Limited term appointments
will be used for periods of over two years but not more than
five years. Specific provisions of the Collective Agreement
that will apply to LTA positions are outlined in the MOA.
The full Memorandum of Agreement –
including the lists of positions eligible for lateral
transfers – and the CTAR Lateral Transfer Request Form are
available on the OPSEU website at:
http://www.opseu.org/ops/merc/finance/taxprogramtransfer.htm.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact your Local
Union steward or a member of the CTAR Working Group.
OPSEU representatives on the Working Group are: Kathleen
Demareski (Co-Chair), Leo Herskovits, Betty Marchegiano,
Marg Simmons (OPSEU Job Security Officer) and Brian Gould (OPSEU
OPS Supervisor). To reach an OPSEU member of the working
group, contact them directly or call 1-866-389-3037.
Make
sure it’s right.
As the New Year unfolds, OPSEU members in the Ontario Public
Service are reminded to check your information on the
Workforce Information Network (WIN). It is important to
verify that your continuous service date and your new rate
of pay is correct. If this information is not correct,
please contact your manager to have the error corrected
immediately.
Download
January 11, 2007 Issue of
Frontlines
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