• National Day for Truth & Reconciliation: The Federal Government introduced a new statutory holiday on September 30, 2021 as a day for Canadians to recognize, commemorate, and reflect on the tragedies experienced by Indigenous people as a result of the country’s former residential school system.

Article 23 of our Collective Agreement provides for any new statutory holiday proclaimed by the federal or provincial government to be recognized as a Company holiday applicable to all TEAM members.  Accordingly, members required to work on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation are entitled to holiday pay, in addition to double time pay for all hours worked on the day.

Like our members, the TEAM Office staff will also be recognizing the day as a statutory holiday, and our office will be closed (however, the main email and main office line will be checked periodically throughout the day, in the event of an emergency).

  • Bell Workways Program & Flexible Work Arrangements:  With the recent unilateral release of Bell’s new Workways Program, we’d like to remind members that in addition to requesting a change to your “Work Profile” under the Program, you can also request a Flexible Work Arrangement under the Canada Labour Code.

The legislation applies 1) to employees after six months of continuous employment, and 2) to flexible work requests for changes to an employee’s number of work hours, work schedule, and work location.  Employers have 30 days in which to respond to written requests from employees, and requests may be denied for one or more of the reasons specified in the legislation.

If you have concerns about your “Work Profile” and/or questions about pursuing a Flexible Work Arrangement under the Code, we encourage you to please contact the TEAM office.

  • TEAM Scholarship Reminder:  There’s still time to submit an application for a TEAM Scholarship – the deadline is end of day Thursday (Sept 30), 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.

  • Upcoming TEAM Negotiation Survey: As TEAM continues with preparations for the upcoming round of collective agreement negotiations with Bell, members will be sent a short survey to complete. Please ensure you check your email (including spam folders) for the invitation which will be sent in the near future. We look forward to your responses.


TEAM-IFPTE Local 161
204-984-9470 or 1-877-984-9470
www.teamunion.mb.ca
twitter.com/teamunion161
facebook.com/teamunion161