Halifax (15 technicians) and Unifor, Local 919M
Renewal agreement: Effective Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2023. Signed on April 27, 2021.
Wage adjustments:
Effective Oct. 1, 2020: 1.5%
Effective Oct. 1, 2021: 1.5%
Effective Oct. 1, 2022: 1.5%
Shift premium: 15% for all hours worked between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. except when those hours are being worked by employee on night shift (shift that starts between 9:30 p.m. and 2 a.m.), and occurs at least 5 nights per week on continuous or rotating ongoing basis, in which case differential will not be paid.
Paid holidays: 10 days.
Vacations with pay: 10 days after 1 year, 15 days after 3 years, 20 days after 10 years. 0.83 days’ vacation for each month worked before Sept. 1 for employees hired before Sept. 1 in any year. Vacation may be carried over in exceptional circumstances; all carried over vacation must be used by Nov. 1.
Overtime: Time and one-half for time worked, either immediately preceding or immediately following employee’s scheduled tour of duty.
Meal allowance: $20 for employee working at least 2 hours beyond regularly scheduled tour of duty, paid in 15-minute increments.
Medical benefits: Employer pays 50% of premiums, employee pays 50% of premiums. As condition of employment, employee will join plan after 3 months of service.
Sick leave: Employees — on completion of probationary period — will be entitled to receive sick leave in minimum increments of 4 hours, maximum 56 hours accumulated during fiscal year. Sick leave will accrue at 4.67 hours per month of service.
Pension: Employer will match any employee’s contribution to employer pension, maximum 4.5% of employee’s normal weekly earnings, excluding overtime, standby, call-in, other fringe benefits. As condition of employment, employee will join plan after 1 year of service.
Bereavement leave: 7 calendar days’ leave immediately following death of employee’s spouse, common-law spouse, child, father, mother, brother, sister; employee will be paid for all regularly scheduled shifts during 7-calendar-day period. 3 working days for death of mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, any other relative residing with employee. Absences will be extended by 1 day when full day’s travel is required.
Seniority – recall rights: 6 months after layoffs; 12 months for leave of absence or for employee who is promoted to position outside bargaining unit.
Call-in pay: Minimum 2 hours of pay at overtime rate regardless of time recorded on employee’s time card for first hour. In addition, payments of 1 bonus hour at applicable overtime rate of time and one-half for each fourth hour worked on particular call-in will be made.
Probationary period: 180 days of continuous compensated service.
Discipline: Sunset clause is 24 months for any record of discipline.
Safety shoes: $215 inclusive of HST, per year for all employees required to wear safety footwear.
Sample rates of hourly pay (current, after 1.5% increase):
Advanced system tech
Level 1: $26.70 rising 1 step to $27.11
Level 2: $27.69 rising 1 step to $28.10
Level 3: $28.70 rising 1 step to $29.13
Level 4: $29.66 rising 1 step to $30.10
Level 5: $30.66 rising 1 step to $31.12
System tech
Level 1: $22.55 rising 1 step to $22.89
Level 2: $23.36 rising 1 step to $23.71
Level 3: $24.15 rising 1 step to $24.51
Level 4: $24.89 rising 1 step to $25.26
Level 5: $25.70 rising 1 step to $26.09
Service tech
Level 1: $18.58 rising 1 step to $18.86
Level 2: $19.36 rising 1 step to $19.65
Level 3: $20.17 rising 1 step to $20.47
Level 4: $20.94 rising 1 step to $21.25
Level 5: $21.76 rising 1 step to $22.09
Editor’s notes: Standby: $250 for standby period (pay is not part of employee’s regular rate and will not be included in premium calculations). Prorated rate of $35.71 per day may be used to reduce rate due to authorized absence and compensate any replacement. Employee will be paid time and one-half for minimum 2 hours for each separate occasion employee is called except that employee will be paid maximum 2 hours of pay for each phone call from Workforce, NOC or employee’s technical manager/director of operations in any 2-hour period. Test equipment: Employees will be responsible for lost test equipment, maximum $150 if it is determined by employer that loss was due to employee negligence. Paid education leave: Employer will contribute $800 per year on behalf of workers for paid education leave.
