Abbotsford, B.C. (34 foremen, technicians, journeymen, apprentices, installers, technical field representatives) and the Telecommunications Workers Union, United Steelworkers (USW), Local 1944
Renewal agreement: Effective April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2020. Signed on April 1, 2017.
Shift premium: 10% of straight-time hourly rate for all hours worked on Sunday. 9% of straight-time hourly rate for all hours worked on afternoon shift between noon and midnight. 12% of straight-time hourly rate for all hours worked on night shift between midnight and 8 a.m. Double time, minimum of 1 hour, for time spent climbing, descending, working on tower, pole, scaffold or side of a building above 40 feet.
Paid holidays: 12 days, plus 2 half-days on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve.
Vacations with pay: 3 weeks or 6% after 1 year, 3 weeks plus 1 day or 6.4% after 6 years, 3 weeks plus 2 days or 6.8% after 7 years, 3 weeks plus 3 days or 7.2% after 8 years, 3 weeks plus 4 days or 7.6% after 9 years, 4 weeks or 8% after 10 years, 4 weeks plus 1 day or 8.4% after 11 years, 4 weeks plus 2 days or 8.8% after 12 years, 4 weeks plus 3 days or 9.2% after 13 years, 4 weeks plus 4 days or 9.6% after 14 years, 5 weeks or 10% after 15 years, 5 weeks plus 1 day or 10.4% after 16 years, 5 weeks plus 2 days or 10.8% after 17 years, 5 weeks plus 3 days or 11.2% after 18 years, 5 weeks plus 4 days or 11.6% after 19 years, 6 weeks or 12% after 20 years for employees hired before Jan. 1, 1993.
Overtime: 200% for all work after 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. Time may be banked, maximum 10 days per year.
Meal allowance: Employer will provide hot meals to employees, maximum $15.25, when employees work more than 2 hours beyond regular workdays and each subsequent 4-hour period thereafter. Employer will provide breakfast to employees, maximum $12.25, when employee works any early morning starts.
Medical benefits: Employer pays 75% of premiums, employee pays 25% of premiums.
Dental: Employer pays 75% of premiums, employee pays 25% of premiums. 100% reimbursement for basic dental care, no maximum. 50% reimbursement for major restorative care, maximum $1,500 per person per year. 50% reimbursement for orthodontic care, lifetime maximum $1,500 per dependent child.
Vision: $200 reimbursement for eyeglasses, contact lenses in any 2-year period.
Paramedical: Employer pays 75% of premiums, employee pays 25% of premiums. $500 per year for chiropractor, osteopath, podiatrist, masseuse, naturopath, acupuncturist, physiotherapist. $1,000 per year for speech therapist, psychologist. $10,000 per year for nursing care. $500 every 5 years for orthotics.
AD&D: Coverage of 400% of base salary.
Life insurance: Coverage of 200% of base salary.
Pension: Employer contributes 7.51%, employee contributes 4% to RRSP.
Bereavement leave: 3 days for death in immediate family (parents, spouse, children, brothers, sisters, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparents, spouse’s grandparents, relative who resides in employee’s household). 3 days without pay for death in spouse’s immediate family.
Seniority – recall rights: 24 months.
Call-in pay: Minimum 2 hours’ pay at overtime rates from time employee leaves home until employee arrives back at home.
Probationary period: 120 workdays with experience; 200 workdays without experience.
Discipline: Sunset clause is 24 months.
Severance: 8 days’ pay for each year of service to employees who become redundant to automation, introduction of new methods, equipment or organization.
Mileage: $0.40 per direct-line kilometre for traveling outside of free zone when employees report to work outside of Abbotsford licensed area to reach designated reporting station or job at regular starting times. $0.125 per direct-line kilometre for traveling expenses while traveling outside of free zone. Free zone is inside Abbotsford border.
Sample rates of hourly pay (current, after 2% increase):
Headend technician: $39.52 rising 2 steps to $40.32
Foreman: $39.52 rising 2 steps to $40.32
Journeyman technician: $37.64 rising 2 steps to $38.30
Apprentice technician: $33.88 rising 2 steps to $34.47
Installer: $33.88 rising 2 steps to $34.47
Editor’s notes: Call time: 3 hours of regular pay for each day employee is on call time. When employee on call time is called out beyond hours of normal workday, work time will be paid at overtime rates. Overtime will apply from time employee leaves home to attend to call until employee returns home, provided employee returns home directly upon finishing work. Hearing aids: $1,000 every 4 years. Wigs for cancer patients: $500 lifetime.
Shift premium: 10% of straight-time hourly rate for all hours worked on Sunday. 9% of straight-time hourly rate for all hours worked on afternoon shift between noon and midnight. 12% of straight-time hourly rate for all hours worked on night shift between midnight and 8 a.m. Double time, minimum of 1 hour, for time spent climbing, descending, working on tower, pole, scaffold or side of a building above 40 feet.
Paid holidays: 12 days, plus 2 half-days on Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve.
Vacations with pay: 3 weeks or 6% after 1 year, 3 weeks plus 1 day or 6.4% after 6 years, 3 weeks plus 2 days or 6.8% after 7 years, 3 weeks plus 3 days or 7.2% after 8 years, 3 weeks plus 4 days or 7.6% after 9 years, 4 weeks or 8% after 10 years, 4 weeks plus 1 day or 8.4% after 11 years, 4 weeks plus 2 days or 8.8% after 12 years, 4 weeks plus 3 days or 9.2% after 13 years, 4 weeks plus 4 days or 9.6% after 14 years, 5 weeks or 10% after 15 years, 5 weeks plus 1 day or 10.4% after 16 years, 5 weeks plus 2 days or 10.8% after 17 years, 5 weeks plus 3 days or 11.2% after 18 years, 5 weeks plus 4 days or 11.6% after 19 years, 6 weeks or 12% after 20 years for employees hired before Jan. 1, 1993.
Overtime: 200% for all work after 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. Time may be banked, maximum 10 days per year.
Meal allowance: Employer will provide hot meals to employees, maximum $15.25, when employees work more than 2 hours beyond regular workdays and each subsequent 4-hour period thereafter. Employer will provide breakfast to employees, maximum $12.25, when employee works any early morning starts.
Medical benefits: Employer pays 75% of premiums, employee pays 25% of premiums.
Dental: Employer pays 75% of premiums, employee pays 25% of premiums. 100% reimbursement for basic dental care, no maximum. 50% reimbursement for major restorative care, maximum $1,500 per person per year. 50% reimbursement for orthodontic care, lifetime maximum $1,500 per dependent child.
Vision: $200 reimbursement for eyeglasses, contact lenses in any 2-year period.
Paramedical: Employer pays 75% of premiums, employee pays 25% of premiums. $500 per year for chiropractor, osteopath, podiatrist, masseuse, naturopath, acupuncturist, physiotherapist. $1,000 per year for speech therapist, psychologist. $10,000 per year for nursing care. $500 every 5 years for orthotics.
AD&D: Coverage of 400% of base salary.
Life insurance: Coverage of 200% of base salary.
Pension: Employer contributes 7.51%, employee contributes 4% to RRSP.
Bereavement leave: 3 days for death in immediate family (parents, spouse, children, brothers, sisters, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparents, spouse’s grandparents, relative who resides in employee’s household). 3 days without pay for death in spouse’s immediate family.
Seniority – recall rights: 24 months.
Call-in pay: Minimum 2 hours’ pay at overtime rates from time employee leaves home until employee arrives back at home.
Probationary period: 120 workdays with experience; 200 workdays without experience.
Discipline: Sunset clause is 24 months.
Severance: 8 days’ pay for each year of service to employees who become redundant to automation, introduction of new methods, equipment or organization.
Mileage: $0.40 per direct-line kilometre for traveling outside of free zone when employees report to work outside of Abbotsford licensed area to reach designated reporting station or job at regular starting times. $0.125 per direct-line kilometre for traveling expenses while traveling outside of free zone. Free zone is inside Abbotsford border.
Sample rates of hourly pay (current, after 2% increase):
Headend technician: $39.52 rising 2 steps to $40.32
Foreman: $39.52 rising 2 steps to $40.32
Journeyman technician: $37.64 rising 2 steps to $38.30
Apprentice technician: $33.88 rising 2 steps to $34.47
Installer: $33.88 rising 2 steps to $34.47
Editor’s notes: Call time: 3 hours of regular pay for each day employee is on call time. When employee on call time is called out beyond hours of normal workday, work time will be paid at overtime rates. Overtime will apply from time employee leaves home to attend to call until employee returns home, provided employee returns home directly upon finishing work. Hearing aids: $1,000 every 4 years. Wigs for cancer patients: $500 lifetime.
