According to the Employer, the agreement reached between the CSN union executive and the Housekeeping department concerning a single vacation seniority list for all 611 department employees, is not a trial nor a pilot project but an administrative measure to respect the national collective agreement.

In a reply to Manuel’s Blog, Gilda Salomen MUHC Communications wrote, “This is not a trial, but a measure taken to correct a process which did not respect the collective agreement.”

This differs from what the union stated in a memo dated March 1st, and distributed to the Housekeeping employees on March 4th, “This morning the union and the employer came to an agreement to try a new method of granting holidays in the housekeeping department.” and “This system is being piloted for the summer period… “.

MUHC employees submit their summer vacation preferences to the employer by midnight March 14, then the vacation weeks are awarded by priority to the most senior employees.

In the past, the vacation lists were site-specific, with the availability employees added to the list for the site they worked the most hours. The new agreement will combine the 611 Housekeeping employees from across all sites into a single list.

Applies Only to Housekeeping and CSN Union

According to the Employer, the new measure will not apply to other departments or employees of the APTS or SPSICR-CUSM unions. “This measure, which is neither a trial or a pilot project, concerns the Housekeeping department and the CSN only,” Salomen.

Angry Employees

Housekeeping employees who contacted Manuel’s Blog under the condition that their names not be used, said they are angry because the union did not brief them or discuss it with them prior to the agreement.

“They always have General Assemblies when it comes to money, but not for something that affects our vacations and holidays,” said one employee.

The General Assembly includes all union members, the delegates and the Executive. It is the Union’s most powerful governing body, which has the power to overrule decisions made at the union Counsel, (Composed of the elected delegates.) and the Executive.

“I lose overtime hours because even if I’m the most senior I’m not allowed to work (overtime) at another site, but for my […] vacation they’re allowed to include everyone,” said another employee.

Full-time Housekeeping employees only qualify for overtime at their home base site. As a result, they could lose available overtime hours to employees with less seniority working at the other MUHC sites.

Discussions Were Ongoing for More Than One Year

Regarding the question to why the announcement was made on March 1st, the start of the vacation selection period, Salomen, replied that the measure had been discussed with union officials for more than one year.

“This measure had been discussed with union officials for more than one year, following numerous concerns raised by both employees and union delegate, who felt that such requests should be granted based on seniority, and not, as it had been the case previously, by site.”

In a for-the-record telephone conversation with union VP for mobilization Paul Ayotte, he informed MB that the union requested the Friday, March 1st, meeting after learning that the Housekeeping department was proceeding with the new measure.

“We agree with the employer that vacations should be given by seniority,” Ayotte said, “and we’re trying to create a system that is fair for everyone.”

Despite the demo being signed The Union Executive, Ayotte confirmed that no executive (meeting) was called to vote on the agreement. The decision was made by the seven executives who attended the March 1st meeting, also present was an adviser from the CSN head office, the head of housekeeping and labour relations. (The CSN MUHCEU Executive consists of 10 elected positions.)

Quotas??

During the meeting of March 1st, according to the union memo, the Housekeeping department did not provide the quotas for the upcoming summer vacation period. Vacation quotas, are the maximum number of employees allowed to go on vacation during one time period.

Positions Remain Unclear

According to the MUHC, the new measure was implemented to respect the collective agreement, whereas the union memo states, “the parties reserve the right to change the process again in the spirit of accommodating as many people as possible according to their seniority.”

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