Niagara Falls, Ont. (870 administrative, technical, transportation, water and wastewater, community services employees) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 1287
Renewal agreement: Effective Jan. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2021. Signed on Dec. 20, 2018.
Shift premium: $1 per hour for afternoon shifts (majority of scheduled hours fall between 4 p.m. and midnight), night shifts (majority of scheduled hours fall between midnight and 8 a.m.). $1 per hour for employees who work on Saturday and Sunday as part of regular shift. Lesser of applicable job rate of permanent lead-hand being replacing while on assignment or greater amount between base rate plus $1 per hour or $1 per hour higher than base rate of highest paid employee being lead for temporary lead-hands
Paid holidays: 11 days plus Christmas Eve Day, New Year’s Eve Day. employee may be allowed time off, maximum 2 hours, to attend Remembrance Day service whenever Nov. 11 falls on working day.
Vacations with pay: 1 day per month or 4%, maximum 10 days, to start, 2 weeks or 4% after 1 year, 3 weeks or 6% after 3 years, 4 weeks or 8% after 8 years, 5 weeks or 10% after 15 years, 6 weeks or 12% after 27 years. 1 additional day per year after 30 years of service.
Overtime: Time and one-half for all time worked beyond normal work day or normal week. Double time after 4 hours of overtime; for all hours worked on Sunday, if Sunday is not part of scheduled work-week.
Meal allowance: $10 for employees who work 2 or more consecutive hours of overtime either preceding or succeeding any shift, if 12 hours’ notice is not given.
Medical benefits: Employer pays 100% of premiums.
Dental: Employer pays 100% of premiums.
Vision: Employer pays 100% of premiums. $350 every 24 months for each adult; $200 every 12 months for children, plus $50 for eye exams.
Paramedical: Employer pays 100% of premiums for combined maximum $500 per year per subscriber for chiropractor, physiotherapy, registered massage therapist, naturopath, acupuncture.
Pension: Every new full-time employee will join Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement Scheme (OMERS).
Bereavement leave: 5 scheduled shifts for death of spouse, son, daughter, parents, brother, sister, legal guardian, stepchildren. 3 scheduled shifts for death of stepparents, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparents, grandchild. 1 scheduled shift for death of brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law. 4 hours of paid leave, maximum 4 hours of unpaid leave, to attend funeral as pallbearer.
Seniority – recall rights: 24 consecutive months after layoff or for employee who accepts temporary posted position outside bargaining unit for reason other than replacing person who is absent due to illness; 6 months for employee promoted to position outside bargaining unit.
Call-in pay: Minimum 4 hours’ at straight-time rates or at applicable overtime rate for time worked, whichever is greater.
Probationary period: 600 hours.
Discipline: Sunset clause is 18 months.
Safety shoes: $150 for CSA-approved safety footwear to each employee who wear footwear when performing daily normal and regular work duties.
Uniforms/clothing: Employer will supply protective clothing for employees working in machine rooms in administration and technical services unit. Employer will supply water and wastewater services employees with 5 sets of pants and shirts or 4 sets of pants and shirts and 1 pair of coveralls, 1 winter parka or 1 bomber jacket, 1 insulated bib overall. Employer will supply surveys and mapping section employees with 2 pairs of pants, 2 long-sleeve shirts, 3 polo shirts or T-shirts, 1 winter parka and snow pants and coveralls will be supplied where deemed necessary.
Sample rates of hourly pay (current, after 4.5% increase):
Customer-service associate/customer-service rep/fleet-equipment custodian/fleet clerk/stock keeper assistant/program assistant, corridor safety management/landfill-site attendant/skilled labourer/skilled labourer, winter/receptionist/office assistant, children’s/office assistant/tinting and mail services assistant
Start rate: $23.73 rising 4 steps to $24.79
3-months rate: $25.05 rising 4 steps to $26.17
Accounts payable clerk/procurement assistant/immunization records clerk/EMS scheduler/EMS purchasing assistant/volunteer resources administrator/accounts payable program assistant PW/program assistant/wastewater area clerk/water operations clerk/operations clerk/program assistant transportation services
Start rate: $25.14 rising 4 steps to $26.31
3-months rate: $26.55 rising 4 steps to $27.76
Court-services collections clerk/facilities-services coordinator/junior buyer/EMS supply technician lead-hand/truck driver/road marker 2 lead-hand/technical trades apprentice/housing-program accountant/housing-operations accountant/printing technician, print shop
Start rate: $26.91 rising 4 steps to $28.17
3-months rate: $27.68 rising 4 steps to $28.97
1-year rate: $28.45 rising 4 steps to $29.78
Programmer analyst 1/technology-support analyst/surveys and mapping analyst/facilities-certified electrician/facilities-certified plumber/arborist 1/sign maker 2 lead-hand/winter patroller/flow-monitoring technician/environmental-enforcement officer
Start rate: $29.58 rising 4 steps to $30.96
3-months rate: $30.13 rising 4 steps to $31.54
1-year rate: $30.70 rising 4 steps to $32.13
2-year rate: $31.28 rising 4 steps to $32.74
Signals lead-hand/signals communications lead-hand/WWW operations project lead-hand/signals-electrician technician/SCADA technician/instrumentation/PLC technician
Start rate: $32.96 rising 4 steps to $34.96
3-months rate: $33.32 rising 4 steps to $35.37
1-year rate: $33.66 rising 4 steps to $35.72
2-year rate: $34.36 rising 4 steps to $36.46
2-year rate: $35.05 rising 4 steps to $37.20
Editor’s notes: Standby: 2 hours of pay per day for Monday to Friday inclusive; 3 hours of pay per day for Saturday, Sunday, holidays. All hours actually worked by standby employee will be paid at overtime rates. Adult-education allowance: Employer will pay, maximum $1,200 per year, including tuition and required texts, for any academic or technical course of study approved by employer. Hearing aids: $1,500 every 36 months.
