Early Retirement Benefits |
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Unions have and continue to work hard to ensure good quality of life for workers and their families, both while working and into their retirement. COPE Local 468 is no exception! Often times good affordable benefits are what make the decision to retire before 65 even possible!
Back in 2007, COPE Local 468 negotiated Early Retirement Benefits into the collective agreement (Article 22.09). For almost 10 years, COPE members who are retiring early have continued to access all their extended benefits, dental and semi- private coverage, by only paying the premium costs. This provides our members with an affordable post retirement solution. Non-union employees would not be able to negotiate premiums this low on their own for our current comprehensive coverage. Why pay more for less?! COPE Local 468 continues to negotiate even more affordable premiums for the Early Retirement Benefit for its members. Now that is a COPE Advantage! - Valerie Roberts-Francis, President COPE Local 468 |
Collective Agreement Language
22.09 RETIREE BENEFITS The Hospital will provide to all employees who retire on or after April 1, 2008 and have not yet reached age 65 and who are in receipt of the Hospital's pension plan benefits, semi-private, extended health care and dental benefits on the same basis as is provided to active employees, as long as the retiree pays the Employer the full amount of the monthly premiums, in advance. |
JOB PROTECTION
The impact of the funding cuts has obviously been felt at our workplace. Our employer has had to do budget reductions in many of the departments resulting in devastating implications. Departments have been restructured resulting in lay-offs of clerical and administrative staff. There has been a reduction of clerical and administrative staff through attrition as well; when employees retire, they are not being replaced, or at the very best, full-time positions are replaced with precarious part-time/casual positions. This is often reflected in schedules being changed drastically where clerical and secretarial staff are expected to support multiple wings/areas and additional physicians with less hours and increased workloads.
Over the past 10 years within COPE, there have been NO layoffs. Unionized members facing a reduction of work within their department are re-assigned to another position, which is within their current job classification and band level of pay (or higher, if qualified). During this process, members of COPE have the security of COPE representation when discussing their options with People Services (HR). COPE representation is there to ensure a successful re-assignment with no loss of pay or status. Now, that is a COPE Advantage.
- Valerie Roberts-Francis, President COPE Local 468
Over the past 10 years within COPE, there have been NO layoffs. Unionized members facing a reduction of work within their department are re-assigned to another position, which is within their current job classification and band level of pay (or higher, if qualified). During this process, members of COPE have the security of COPE representation when discussing their options with People Services (HR). COPE representation is there to ensure a successful re-assignment with no loss of pay or status. Now, that is a COPE Advantage.
- Valerie Roberts-Francis, President COPE Local 468
COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT LANGUAGE - ARTICLES 12, 13, 14 -Seniority, Job Postings, Layoff and Recall
12.01 (a )Full-time bargaining unit employees will be credited with seniority based on their hire date into the Bargaining Unit from their last date of hire.
(b) Part-time bargaining unit employees will be credited with seniority on the basis of hours worked within the Bargaining Unit from their last date of hire… 13.01 (a) Where the Hospital creates a new position or is filling a vacant position, the Hospital shall post a notice thereof on the bulletin board for a period of seven (7) calendar days. Members of the Bargaining Unit may apply for such opening during the posting period… 14.01 (c) In the event of a layoff in a department or unit, the Hospital shall lay off employees within their classification and status, in the reverse order of their seniority, providing that there remain on the job, bargaining unit employees who then have the ability to perform the work… |
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