Lifestyles Operations Limited Partnership (Whitecliff) collective agreement ratified by 100%

Lifestyles Operations LP (Whitecliff) ratified a renewal Collective Agreement with a vote of 100% on Monday, September 12, 2011. 

The highlights of the changes are:

• A Harassment Complaint Procedure that allows complaints to be filed through the Union and requires the Employer to advise us of complaints within 5 days of receipt.  Also requires the Employer to investigate within 10 days, and provides access to the grievance procedure if we are not satisfied with the outcome;
• New language on Bargaining Unit Work that restricts any expansion of bargaining unit work being done by excluded staff or volunteers;
• Step 3 added to the grievance process;
• Investigator language added;
• Right to Grieve Disciplinary Action language added;
• Employee Appraisal language added;
• Changed posting language to “relatively equal” from “equal” so now when two applicants are relatively equal in experience, ability and qualifications the senior person is to b e awarded the position;
• Language added to probationary period that provides restrictions on the Employer’s “sole discretion” to terminate probationary employees by placing onus of proof for the termination of probationary employees on the Employer;
• The Employer is now required to provide the Union with copies of all notices of layoff;
• Provides pay at straight-time if a member has to remain at the workplace during a meal period;
• Provides a rate employees can be charged for meals at 50% of that charged to guests;
• Added language related to lieu days and how they are to be taken and/or paid out;
• Vacation to accrue by hours worked in the preceding year and taken at their current rate of pay;
• Tightened up vacation scheduling language and the time periods for the Employer to approve and post vacation schedules;
• Added “biweekly” to the language related to pay days to ensure that the Employer will not change to a twice monthly pay period;
• Moved all casual language into Article 30 to make it easier to find;
• Language that ensures no one will have to serve more than one 450 hour probationary period;
• Made changes to the Casual Call In procedure that give regular part time employees more access to additional hours by requiring the Employer to offer the hours to part time staff first;
• Retroactive pay of up to 2.5% back to January 1, 2010 and wage increases going forward of 2% January 1, 2011, 2.25% January 1, 2012, and 2.25% January 1, 2013;
• Expiry June 30, 2013.