CEIU to meet Service Canada over new work descriptions

New work descriptions must be accurate and complete

CEIU will meet with Service Canada on September 24 for detailed discussions on how best to deal with the introduction of new work descriptions. An initial meeting was held with the employer on September 3 to explore the range of issues involved. The work descriptions are significantly different from past versions and the union is concerned that each member’s work is fully reflected and valued in them.

Relatively few of the new work descriptions have been issued by Service Canada, but more were scheduled for distribution on September 11. Many local and regional leaders would have been unavailable to assist members on this date due to their attendance at the CEIU triennial convention, so at the request of the union’s national president management agreed to hold further distributions until after September 18.

The September 24 meeting will look at methods for streamlining any challenges to the new work descriptions through the grievance procedure as well as a proposal to strike joint union-management committees to review each of the work descriptions.

“Members have legitimate concerns over the new work descriptions. They are extremely broad and reduce the hundreds of job types at Service Canada to about 30. Members need to know that the union is committed to ensuring their work descriptions are accurate and that their classifications are fair” said National President Jeannette Meunier-McKay.