Send the Government a Message: All Employees Deserve their Long-Service Increase
Apr 19, 2012
20, arbitration, civil, long, step, years
During the last round of contract negotiations with the Province of Manitoba, Manitoba’s Civil Service bargaining committee negotiated a two-percent long-service step (which would become effective in October 2012) for members that had reached 20 years of employment.
Unfortunately, since the agreement was ratified, the government has determined that groups of MGEU members who’ve been transitioned into government from other agencies or levels of government will not have all of their years of service counted towards this 20-year total.
Instead, the government is insisting that their eligibility for the long-service step ought to begin on the date their job was transitioned into the civil service. For some members who’ve worked hard at the same job, the same office, even at the very same desk, for twenty years or more, this means they’ll have to continue to wait to receive the long-service step.
When transition agreements have been negotiated with the government in the past, groups of employees were brought into the civil service and the MGEU and the government agreed to recognize an employee’s service and seniority, and afforded them all rights and benefits under the collective agreement.
The government did this because they knew that it was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, they seem to believe that these principles no longer hold true. They are now singling out these employees and taking the position that they will not be eligible for the long-service step until 20 years from their transition date.
It goes without saying that we’re shocked by the government’s position. In fact, we vehemently disagree with it and believe an arbitrator will disagree, too. And that’s why, since the government has denied the grievance we filed on this issue, we’re moving the grievance to arbitration as quickly as possible and are prepared to pursue all possible avenues in order to ensure the government does not get away with this.
Since we haven’t been able to persuade them to do the right thing, you can help by sending a message to Stan Struthers (204-945-3952), the Minister responsible for the Civil Service, or Premier Greg Selinger (204-945-3714), or send them a letter (103 Legislative Building, 450 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0V8) or click here to send them an e-mail.
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