Change to the Administrative Conversion of Term Employees
https://www.ute-sei.org/en/news-events/videos/13325If you would prefer to read the text of the video, you will find it below:
Sisters and Brothers,
It gives me great pleasure to speak to you today.
Our members’ job security is very important to us.
That’s why for almost twenty (20) years now, the Union of Taxation Employees has been demanding that the employer treat its term employees in the same manner as their colleagues in other federal government departments and agencies, by offering them an administrative conversion that grants them permanent status after working for a cumulative period of three (3) years.
In October 2007, an important first step was taken when the Agency created a Term Employment Policy. Under this policy, a person working at the Canada Revenue Agency was henceforth offered this administrative conversion, at the level of his or her substantive position, after having worked for a cumulative period of five (5) years without having a break in service of more than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days during that period. This policy, part of the Agency's Staffing Program, is still in effect thirteen (13) years later.
Since my election as UTE National President three years ago, I have consistently asked the employer to change its policy to reduce the cumulative period required for conversion from five (5) to three (3) years. The Agency Commissioner has always been open-minded on this subject during our discussions, but without making the change.
As part of the Agency's Staffing Program Redesign project launched in the spring of 2018, we once again submitted this request, but the employer indicated to us that it was not yet ready to move forward with this initiative, but agreed to continue talks. We have also included this request as a high priority in our bargaining demand package for the renewal of our collective agreement. However, the employer refused to discuss it at the bargaining table because this policy falls under the Agency's Staffing Program, which is governed by the Canada Revenue Agency Act.
Therefore, in parallel with the negotiation of our collective agreement, discussions between the UTE National Office and the Agency Commissioner's Office continued in the fall of 2019 and have intensified in recent months. It goes without saying that we have been able to capitalize from the leverage provided by the current negotiations.
Finally, on July 25th, when our bargaining team was ready to reach a tentative agreement on the renewal of our contract, the Commissioner and I agreed that it was time to reduce from five (5) to three (3) years the cumulative period of service required for term employees to get their permanency.
And for this, Mr. Hamilton, I thank you.
Following this, our two offices worked together to establish a Memorandum of Agreement on this subject.
I am extremely pleased to inform you that this Memorandum of Agreement between the Union of Taxation Employees and the Canada Revenue Agency was signed on August 18th and will take effect as of November 1st, 2020.
For those of you interested in reading it, the full text of the Memorandum of Agreement will be available later today on the UTE and PSAC websites and Facebook pages.
Now, what does this change really mean?
Well, for hundreds of our members who are term employees and who will have at least three (3) years of continuous service without a break in service of more than thirty (30) consecutive calendar days as of November 1st, 2020, this means that they will be automatically offered a conversion to indeterminate status without further delay.
The Employer will notify affected employees in writing prior to November 1st, 2020.
Please note that due to the large number of files, the processing of the appropriate documents will be completed between November 1st, 2020 and March 31st, 2021. However, this will not affect the effective date of indeterminate status for those employees being converted.
Under the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement, the Agency will make every effort to ensure that term employees who are UTE members and who reach the three (3) year threshold, but who are on loan to another branch or region, will be appointed indeterminately to their former position in their home branch and region. A good example would be employees who worked in the Accounts Receivable National Inventory and are currently working as a call centre agent.
However, if an employee wishes to remain in his or her current temporary branch or region and be converted to an indeterminate position in that Branch or region, the CRA will make every reasonable effort to accommodate those requests on an individual basis.
For the remainder of our term members who have not yet reached the three (3) years of continuous service required for conversion as of November 1st, this change still means that you are closer to the goal of gaining your permanency with the Agency.
So, in conclusion, dear Sisters and Brothers, this is truly an historic moment!
It is a great victory for UTE and its members!
This major change will definitely have a lasting and extremely positive impact for thousands of our current and future members. In fact, it will make a real difference in their lives by providing them with the job security and peace of mind that each and every one of us is looking for.
Thank you for your attention and take good care of yourself and your loved ones!