Negotiations Update: In our update of September 16th we reported that your Negotiating Committee is eager to get back to the table next week, October 4-7, to continue working towards reaching a revised collective agreement with Bell. Outstanding matters include fair and reasonable annual general wage increases, access to increased job opportunities within Bell, and improvements to overtime and Duty Manager compensation, AIP, vacation entitlements, and benefit coverage.
Your Negotiating Committee remains hopeful that a fair deal can be achieved during the extended conciliation period next week; however, if this proves not to be the case and the parties do not agree to extend the conciliation period beyond October 7th, a ’21-day cooling off period’ will begin, at the end of which, the parties will be in a legal lockout or strike position. Prior to initiating a lockout or strike, 72-hours notice must be provided, and in the case of a strike, a successful strike vote must have occurred within the past 60-days.
While we anticipate that progress will continue next week, we also need to be prepared if the process stalls or takes an unexpected turn for the worse. To that end, as part of our ongoing strike/lockout preparedness planning, we are asking members to please confirm/provide your personal (non-work) email address and contact phone number with the TEAM office as soon as possible.
Thank you for your continued support!
TEAM Scholarship Final Reminder: There’s still time to submit an application for a TEAM Scholarship – the deadline is end of day tomorrow, Friday, September 30th, and applications can be submitted via email.
- TEAM awards up to four (4) scholarships of $500 to TEAM members to help defray the cost of a work or career-related academic or vocational course or seminar.
- TEAM also awards up to four (4) scholarships of $1000 each to dependent children, including stepchildren, of TEAM members enrolled in first year post-secondary education at a university, community college, trade school or an apprenticeship program.
Details of the scholarships, eligibility criteria, and application forms are available here.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: A reminder that the TEAM office will be closed tomorrow, September 30th in recognition of the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (however, the main email and main office line will be checked periodically throughout the day, in the event of an emergency). There are several events and programs planned throughout the province to honour the day – a number can be found here and at CultureDays.ca.