One of the decisions that you must make as a group is how part-time employees will receive holiday pay. The choice is to opt into a paid holiday bank based on 5.0% of your regular straight-time hours worked, OR alternatively, receive 5.0% of straight-time pay instead of day off with pay. Although this decision impacts only part-time employees, the Collective Agreement states ‘determined by a vote of all employees’. The language in the Collective Agreement is:
 
17.11 Paid Holidays for Part-Time Employees

1. Regular part-time employees will accumulate a paid holiday bank based on 5.0% of their regular straight-time hours (effective April 1, 2023) in each pay period including all additional hours worked.                                     
    

1. When a paid holiday occurs, and where the employee's paid holiday bank contains sufficient hours, the employee will be able to draw from their paid holiday bank the hours required to cover the paid holiday or paid holiday lieu day. If the employee's paid holiday bank does not contain an amount sufficient to cover the holiday, the employee may opt to draw from their vacation or overtime banks to top-up pay for the holiday or take a day off without pay or with partial pay.
    

1.   Participation in the "paid holiday bank" was determined by a vote of all employees on an agency-by-agency basis. Where the unionized employees chose not to participate in the "paid holiday bank" the part-time employees will receive 5.0% of straight-time pay instead of a day off with pay.
    

1. For new certifications, the unionized employees will elect whether or not the agency will 
   participate in the "paid holiday bank" by voting on the option. Once the election is made it is irreversible.

 
What this means:
If you choose the paid holiday bank, when a paid holiday occurs, you will be able to draw from your paid holiday bank, the hours required to cover the paid holiday or paid holiday lieu day. This allows you to take the time off and receive pay for the days that you are not at work.
 
Alternatively, if you choose not to participate in the paid holiday bank then you will receive 5.0% of straight-time pay instead of a day off with pay. This means that you will get additional pay on each pay cheque but would not receive pay on a holiday when you are not working.
 
Your Union recommends that you select the Paid Holiday Bank option. We believe it is better because it means you will be paid when not working on holidays.
 
The BCGEU will be conducting a vote at the worksites for all employees and to decide which option part-time employees will be covered by. This decision is yours to make and we encourage you to become informed on the options so that you are making the best decision possible for yourself and your fellow coworkers.
 
Please note that once the choice has been made through this vote, the decision is final and cannot be reversed.
 
Voting Locations & time:
Men’s Shelter
Tuesday March 26 2024
7:30am – 9:00am and 3:30pm – 4:00pm
 
 
In solidarity,
 
Megan Cawood
Staff Representative
 
Download PDF of notice here

UWU/MoveUP