Rexall/Pharma Plus Pharmacies

Renewal agreement: Effective Dec. 5, 2019 to Dec. 4, 2023. Ratified on Dec. 5, 2019. Signed on July 13, 2020.

Shift premium: 1.5 times basic rate of pay for all hours worked on first shift of changed schedule, unless change is due to unforeseen emergency, if notice of schedule change is less than 10 calendar days in advance of effective date of schedule change. 3 hours pay at their basic rate of pay if employee reports for work as scheduled and is required by employer not to commence work but to return to duty at later hour (employee will be compensated for that inconvenience). $2.75 per hour to employees working shift wherein majority of hours is between 4 p.m. and midnight. $2.25 per hour to employees working rotation where weekend shift is part of regular workweek. $2 per hour (previously $1.50 per hour) where employee substitutes on another job outside scope of bargaining unit.

Paid holidays: 11 days, plus 1 floater holiday (if holiday is not taken by last day of March in following year, it will be paid out).

Vacations with pay: 15 days to start, 20 days after 2 years, 25 days after 10 years, 30 days after 20 years. Supplementary vacation (applicable to employees hired prior to ratification for period of April 1, 2013 to June 30, 2019): 5 additional days after 25 years, 5 days after 30 years, 5 additional days after 35 years. Employee may be permitted to carry forward portion of vacation entitlement to next vacation year.

Overtime: Time and one-half for all work after 8 hours per day or on scheduled days of rest. May be taken as time off but must be taken by last day of June or will be paid out.

Medical benefits: Employer will provide $750 per year for professional development and lifestyle account for approved continuing education or health and dental expenses or accredited online learning, approved pharmacy resources; $250 per year for approved lifestyle expenses which are: fitness centre memberships, instructed fitness classes, sports club fees, fitness or sports instruction.

Sick leave: 2 hours paid but if entire day is taken off, it will be unpaid. Employees may use banked vacation or overtime hours to cover loss of pay.

Pension: Employer, employee pay matching contributions of 3% each into Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd. Pension Plan.

Bereavement leave: 5 days for death in immediate family (spouse (common-law, same-sex relationship), parent, child, brother, sister, fiancé, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent, stepchildren, stepbrother, stepsister). 3 days for death of mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, legal guardian. 2 additional days when employee must travel 320 kilometres 1-way from employee’s residence to attend funeral.

Seniority – recall rights: 12 months following layoff.

Call-in pay: Paid for all hours worked during on-call period or for 3 hours, whichever is longer, at time and one-half. Paid for all hours worked or for 2 hours, whichever is greater, at double time when employee who has not been assigned on-call duty is called and required to report for work on call-in basis.

Probationary period: 1,040 hours worked exclusive of overtime hours (period may be extended, maximum 3 months or 480 hours, whichever is greater). Hours worked as casual employee in same classification will be considered as contributing to completion of probationary period, maximum 344 hours, provided that not more than 3 months have elapsed since employee worked for employer.

Discipline: Sunset clause is 2 years for employee who has been subject to disciplinary action.

Severance: 2 weeks’ pay for each year of employment, maximum 40 weeks’ pay.

Sample rates of hourly pay (current):

Pharmacist 1

Step 1: $49.12

Step 2: $50.36

Step 3: $51.58

Step 4: $52.81

Step 5: $54.04

Step 6: $55.26

Step 7: $56.50

Step 8: $57.72

Pharmacy technician 1

Step 1: $29.29

Step 2: $30.25

Step 3: $31.23

Step 4: $32.39

Step 5: $33.38

Step 6: $34.46

Step 7: $35.58

Pharmacy assistant

Step 1: $17.54

Step 2: $18.18

Step 3: $18.84

Step 4: $19.48

Step 5: $20.13

Step 6: $21.05

Step 7: $22.23

Editor’s notes: Late shift transportation costs: Employee will be reimbursed for cost of reasonable, necessary, substantiated transportation expense to place of residence for employee who normally returns to place of residence by public transportation following completion of regularly scheduled shift and is prevented from doing so by remaining on duty longer than shift and past time when normal public transportation is available. On-call pay: $3.25 per hour (previously $3 per hour) on regularly scheduled days of work; $4.50 per hour (previously $4.25 per hour) on days off and holidays. Appointments proof: When employer requests satisfactory proof for medical appointments, employer will reimburse employee any fee charged, maximum $25.