One of the more pressing issues I have had to deal with as a local president and now the MERC chair, is helping members who have been suspended. When I speak with these members each one has their own sense of urgency. Unfortunately members are being suspended more often as a normal course of our duties. It has become a common practice by the employer. Suspensions most often stem from investigations which may result in discipline. The biggest travesty in this is unclassified officers who do the same job as classified officers and are not treated the same, they now work in addition to the ranges, control modules, Admit and discharge, community escorts, and I.C.I.T. , Simple said they should be given the same benefit of the doubt as the rest of us.
A Memorandum of Agreement was given to the employer at the MERC table and to the ADM which would assist our members when serious investigations are being conducted. The proposed MOS has four main points:
1. When an employee is to be removed from their regular duties due to an incident which may lead to disciplinary action;
a. The employee may be assigned other duties with pay; pending the completion of the investigation.
b. The employee may be temporarily reassigned from their normal work site (headquarters) to another ministry facility with pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
c. The employee may be suspended from duties pending the outcome of the investigation with pay.
d. In the case of an unclassified employee the averaging of hours thirteen (13) weeks prior to the suspension shall be used for the purposes of remuneration.
The employer has created two classes of employees. We are both expected to perform the same work but when it comes down to providing some protection for the work we do, only the first class members are given any. An example of this is four members were suspended for a use of force investigation. Two are classified and Two were un-classified. The classified members received pay while suspended. As for the un-classified members, they remained suspended for eight months and did not receive any money. All returned to work.
It is time for the employer to do the right thing and act responsible.
It is time to offer some form of protection to all our members.
It is time to recognize that there are no second class members and that we all do difficult work.
In Solidarity
Dan Sidsworth
