The first sub-committee meeting between the parties Negotiating Committees was held on October 29, 2009, at which time the Union provided fuller explanations of its demands listed under the general headings of Health & Safety and Benefits. These demands include such improvements as paid sick leave, procedures to deal with accommodation and right to refuse unsafe work situations, improved leave benefits, access to a drug plan, funding for the Childcare Fund and additional compensation for members working in isolated posts.

On November 3, 2009 representatives of the parties met to discuss the Union demands listed under the headings of “Union Protection and Members Rights” and “Seniority”. Included under the first of these general headings are demands such as no loss of pay for Union representatives performing union functions, protections for members when they are to be interviewed, confidential communications between a member and his or her union representative and improved benefits when a member intends to submit a resignation notice or requires court leave. Generally the Union pointed out that these benefits are enjoyed by all or most of the other unionized employees at Canada Post and should be applied to RSMC members as well. Under the “seniority” demands the Union is seeking to improve the transfer rights of members, ensure that any surplus employees identified by the employer be identified on the basis of reverse seniority, provide a mechanism to allocate work to existing route holders when there are an insufficient number of relief employees (or replacement workers) and to provide enhanced rights to obtain vacant routes for replacement workers, helpers and assistants.

The employer also made a presentation on its proposals concerning “civility and respect”, a mandatory complaint stage and its “housekeeping and minor” issues. In respect of the employer’s “civility and respect” proposal the Union indicated that it was concerned that the inclusion of any language on this issue in the collective agreement would impact on the ability of union representatives to represent the membership. It also pointed out that the employer should be concerned about the inclusion of such language in the collective agreement as it would require employer representatives on the work floor to treat members with civility and respect. A number of the Union’s Negotiating Committee provided recent examples of personal situations where civility and respect had not been shown by employer representatives. In respect of a mandatory complaint stage the Union indicated that none of the other four collective agreements in place at Canada Post required a complaint meeting between an employee and an employer representative prior to the submission of a grievance by the Union.

In explaining its “housekeeping and minor” issues the employer clarified that the intent of the proposal concerning clause 14.01 was not to make it easier for RSMC members to provide replacement workers but instead to remove the opportunity for members to take leaves of absences that were not specifically identified in the collective agreement.

RELIEF EMPLOYEES

The parties also met on November 4, 2009 to discuss issues pertaining to Relief Employees. The Union’s demands under this general heading include the creation of additional relief positions, increasing the number of installations that have Relief Employees and the granting of additional benefits to relief employees. The employer indicated that it was having difficulties obtaining and retaining relief employees. Its proposal for dealing with these perceived problems were to increase the boot allowance entitlement to $ 240.00 per year and to make a yearly lump sum payment of $500.00 to each Relief Employee. The Union responded that any problem the employer was having with obtaining and retaining Relief Employees was the result of the employer not providing sufficient work and benefits to its Relief Employees. It also reiterated that the employer could alleviate some of the staffing and retention difficulties it was having by hiring available replacement workers, helpers and assistants prior to filling vacant routes by external hires. Finally, the Union noted that the proposal made by the employer would not adequately resolve the problems it had identified.

WAGE PROPOSALS

The final meeting of the week was held on November 5, 2009. At this meeting the Union provided explanations concern its wage proposals and its proposal concerning the Financial Cap. The employer also provided additional details about its wage proposals. It is proposing that seventy percent (70 %) of any monies allocated for wage increases be paid to lower paid members, with the remaining thirty percent (30 %) being distributed to all members. It also wants the distribution of all wage increase monies to be based on “market realities”. According to this wage increase proposal members in some provinces and territories would receive an average wage increase, while members in other provinces and territories would receive more or less than the average increase based on the “market realities” within their province or territory. Although the employer will have to provide more specific information to the Union about how it determined the regional “market realities” the Union did indicate, in a general fashion, that it was not in favour of negotiating different wage increases for members based on the part of Quebec or Canada in which they lived.

EMPLOYER PROPOSALS STILL NOT FULLY PRESENTED

Despite the parties holding four meetings at the sub-committee level the employer has still not fully presented all of its demands. The employer has yet to fully explain its proposals concerning a short term disability plan, access by RSMC members to the Drug Plan, improvements to the Dental and Vision & Hearing Plans, or the application of the employer’s Corporate Team Incentive (CTI) to members. A meeting has been scheduled for November 9, 2009 for the employer to present its proposals concerning these issues. A further meeting to discuss the employer’s proposals concerning Appendix “A” and the Transition Committee has been scheduled for November 10, 2009.

Reports from those meetings will be sent out once those meetings have been completed. In the meantime members should stay involved in the negotiations process by reading Union bulletins, accessing the Union’s web-site and participating in local Union activities.