- TEAM and the IFPTE Stand with National Labour Bodies in Condemning the Invasion of Ukraine: TEAM stands in solidarity with the IFPTE and locals across North America in supporting the Canadian Labour Congress and the AFL-CIO in their condemnation of the Russian military’s invasion of Ukraine and calls for the international community to provide continued aid and support for Ukrainians fleeing the hostilities and continued pressure on the Russian government to end this assault.
For members who are struggling with what is happening in Ukraine, we encourage you to contact the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) through LifeWorks or seek alternate mental health treatment/support as soon as possible. If you are unsure about your rights to take time off or require accommodations to assist in helping refugees who are family members settle in Canada, talk to your manager about your situation or contact the TEAM office to discuss your options.
- Negotiations Update: Our negotiating team met with Bell on February 9th to exchange opening proposals, and then again on the 23rd and 24th. TEAM President, Mike Taylor, delivered our opening remarks to Bell at the table, highlighting some of our priorities for this round: achieving fair annual general wage increases that recognize both the contributions of TEAM members and keeping (or maintaining) pace with forecasted levels of inflation; collective agreement language to address the new world of remote and mobile work arrangements; a path for TEAM members to remain in Manitoba and increase their ability to compete for and move to ‘national’ roles; and, a productive round of negotiations resulting in a fair and decent contract for TEAM members.
Further updates will be provided as we move along in the process, but for the moment, with regards to Bell’s stated objectives and proposals for this round, we can share that while Bell is seeking to reduce or takeaway from what we have today in some areas (par for the course), it does appear that our starting positions in other areas are not that far apart, albeit, even if our ideas for achieving the desired outcomes may be different. Due to scheduling restrictions and conflicting priorities, Bell is unable to meet in March; however, we do have multiple dates scheduled in April.
- Record Inflation Rates Leading to Higher Employee Wages: Record-setting inflation rates continue to rise in 2022, as the national inflation rate for January hit a new 30-year high of 5.1%. In turn, many employers are increasing their salary projections for 2022, and we are starting to see this new reality reflected in some notable contracts negotiated recently across the country, as explored in this recent CBC news story.
- Personal Leave Days under the CLC: In addition to the Personal Leave Days, or PLDs, we have under Article 28 of our collective agreement, as employees working in a federally regulated industry, TEAM members are also entitled to up to 5 days of personal leave per calendar year under the Canada Labour Code (CLC), 3 days of which are paid for employees reaching three months of consecutive service with the same employer. Unlike our PLDs, which can be used for any purpose, the CLC personal leave time can only be used for the following reasons:
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- Treat an injury or illness* (any available paid sick leave entitlements for TEAM members under Article 13 are to be used first)
- Take care of health obligations for any member of your family or care for them
- Take care of obligations related to the education of any family member under age 18
- Manage any urgent situation that concerns you or a family member
- Attend a citizenship ceremony under the Citizenship Act
- Manage any other situation prescribed by regulation
The CLC personal leave time can be spread over multiple periods; however, employers may require each period to be at least one day. Employees may also be asked, within 15 days of returning to work, to provide supporting documentation substantiating the reason for their leave.
- Opportunity to Attend 2022 MFL Convention: The 2022 Manitoba Federation of Labour Convention will be held virtually via Zoom on Thursday, May 5th & Friday, May 6th. Four representatives from TEAM will be attending, including one space reserved for a member from the general membership.
As a TEAM delegate, you will play an active role in setting goals for the next three years for the leading Manitoba organization representing working people. Along with convention business, the convention always includes inspiring presenters who address a wide range of social and political issues.
You will be released from your work duties (with manager approval) both days to attend the convention and will be asked to submit a short written report afterwards to the TEAM Board about your experience as a TEAM delegate.
If you are interested in attending, please contact the TEAM office at team@teamunion.mb.ca before 4:30 pm, Friday, March 18th. Consideration for selection will be based on order of response to this email and previous event attendance, in that priority will be given to those who respond earliest and have not previously attended an MFL convention.
- AIP/PMP Results: If you have concerns about your AIP result based on your PMP assessment, please contact the TEAM office as soon as possible to make arrangements to discuss options to address your concerns.
- Scholarship Opportunity for TEAM Members’ Children Graduating High School in 2022: Through TEAM’s affiliation with the Winnipeg Labour Council, we are aware of a scholarship opportunity of up to $1,000 available to TEAM members’ children, offered by the Union of National Employees (UNE). This opportunity is open to all union members’ children graduating high school in 2022. Here are links to the criteria and additional information and application form. Applications must be received by March 31st. A child of a TEAM member was one of the successful applicants last year for the Manitoba region. Please contact UNE directly with questions about the scholarship.
- Scholarship Opportunity for TEAM Members Under the Age of 35: Another scholarship opportunity available to TEAM members is the MFL Al and Alma Cerilli Scholarship. This $1,000 award is offered annually by the Manitoba Federation of Labour’s Young Members Committee to a member of an affiliated union under the age of 35 to assist in advancing their post-secondary education. The deadline for applications is May 31, 2022.
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TEAM-IFPTE Local 161
204-984-9470 or 1-877-984-9470
www.teamunion.mb.ca
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