They are after our OMERS again please click the link above and sign the petition. Thank you!
Information Update March 26, 2020
Hope you are all doing well. This was sent to myself the president of Cupe from Human Resources for our members. We are sending this update to advise you of messaging from the Assistant Deputy Minister regarding pay for casual and occasional staff post April 5, 2020.
Pay for Occasional/Casual Staff
Based on further communication from the Assistant Deputy Minister, school boards have been advised that the averaging program is only to encompass the two week closure period post March break. Going forward school boards were advised to follow Collective Agreement language regarding any obligations for payments. If there is no specific language, then staff are advised to access the range of income and employment supports, if eligible, that are being established by the Federal and Provincial government, including Employment Insurance. These programs appear to change daily with further enhancements being provided and it is important to ensure that the www.canada.ca is monitored on a frequent basis. Once calculations have been determined you will be provided with further details.
All school boards were provided with the same message, however if there are questions you can always send them to cupepresident1310@outlook.com and I can send them to the school board for answers.
For Permanent staff. I received information that while we as custodians are at home we are being paid as if we are at work for the number of hours you are regularly scheduled to work on a weekly basis and your pay will be direct deposited as normal every two weeks. Please remember some people within our school board and some even in our custodial department won’t be so ensure you are respectful of everyone please and not post on social media that we are being paid to be at home. And our maintenance staff are still working daily.
We must give a big shout out to all of them going to work everyday and working within our Schools. We see you and we thank you!
School Checks for Custodians starting April 3, 2020
As some of you may have received an email from your supervisor or a phone call or could be receiving an email or phone call from your Group Leader or Supervisor shortly. We are going to start doing school checks again starting April 3, 2020.
School checks are to take place before 1pm. As we are being paid while at home there will be no extra money for school checks.
Please remember to check your board email address and the board website daily for further information.
Stay safe everyone.
Yours in Solidarity,
Misty Archer
Cupe President 1310
cupepresident1310@outlook.com
Information Update March 26, 2020
When Doug Ford addressed essential work within the province we still needed further clarification for our members. So Dave our National Rep receives a daily and sometimes a multiple of emails from myself in regards to questions and concerns from our members. He then takes that info and goes on a daily National call to discuss these matters with OSBCU and Cupe.
The questions we asked recently was in regards to us being deemed essential in empty schools. And our maintenance being deemed essential at this time and still working.
This was our OSBCU’s lawyers response.
We can’t push to ensure that people continue to get paid but not work.
While some can work at home, others will be expected to go to work.
We do not direct the workforce but we also won’t be telling employers not to give employees work while still pushing for them to be paid. Nor are we going to suggest that only those working should be paid and the rest laid off.
If the concern of the maintenance folks is health and safety related then they would need to point out what in particular they are worried about and those issues can be addressed individually. For example: if they aren’t being provided with PPE.
Finally, according to the list of Essential Workplaces, both maintenance and custodial are included:
#13 Businesses that provide support and maintenance services, including urgent repair, to maintain the safety, security, sanitation and essential operation of institutional, commercial, industrial and residential properties and buildings, including, property management services, plumbers, electricians, custodial/janitorial workers, cleaning services, security services, fire safety and sprinkler systems, building systems maintenance and repair technicians and engineers, mechanics, (e.g HVAC, escalator and elevator technicians), and other service providers who provide similar services.
Health Spending Account:
- Go to link above Benefits
- Open the link Welcome Great West Life
- Scroll to the bottom for the forms
- Ensure you check the box on the top right corner for health spending account only
- Fill out form
- Attach receipts
- If first time making a claim thru health spending account you need to re-submit your banking information ask your bank for a form with banking information.
- Mail all forms to the London, ON. address on the bottom of the form.