A second bargaining session took place this week with the Treasury Board in Ottawa.
During this meeting, your bargaining committee insisted on the members’ demands to achieve a more equitable and transparent disciplinary process. In particular, UCCO-SACC-CSN argued that members should never be suspended without pay pending an investigation and should be entitled to see any evidence available to the employer prior to the disciplinary hearing.
Discussions relative to other demands submitted during the first negotiation session are ongoing, including our health and safety demands.
On its side, the employer insisted on the topic of schedules. Without putting actual proposals on the table, the employer presented a document indicating that the number of hours of leave without pay and overtime had been increasing since 2016; according to the employer, this would be directly attributable to our schedules.
The employer was unable to explain how the schedules were responsible for this problem. Moreover, the employer has completely neglected to take into consideration the impact of the labour shortage and the pandemic, which are the real causes of the increase in overtime (often forced) and leave without pay. Not only is there no recognition of correctional officers for the work done during the pandemic, but the employer seems to want to use the consequences of the pandemic on overtime to attack our schedules!
Is it necessary to remind the employer that the increase in overtime is also created in large part by the mandatory overtime imposed by the employer, which we have been fighting for several years?
The third round of bargaining is scheduled on May 9, 10 and 11.
Proud. United. Strong.
Your bargaining committee.
UCCO-SACC-CSN