FPSLREB Decisions

This award concerns the resolution of all issues in dispute for the renewal of the parties’ collective agreement for the period from September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2010.

The Electronics Group is comprised of some 1030 electronic technologists. They are assigned to the installation, repair and maintenance of electronic equipment, some of it highly sophisticated, in the operations of the Government of Canada. They work in virtually all parts of the country. Some are called upon to travel extensively, as for example aboard ice-breakers and other vessels of the Canadian coast guard and in the delivery and introduction of military hardware in foreign locations such as Afghanistan.

The parties have enjoyed a positive bargaining relationship. They were able to resolve a great number of issues at the bargaining table in the renewal of their collective agreement, resulting in a relatively short list of matters to be finally determined by this Board.

Having regard to the materials filed and the submissions of the parties, the Board orders the following in relation to the terms of the collective agreement in force from September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2010:

ARTICLE 17 Vacation Leave – There shall be no change to this provision.

ARTICLE 25 Overtime - There shall be no change to this provision

ARTICLE 26 Designated Holidays – This article shall be amended to reflect that unliquidated lieu time is to be compensated by a lump sum premium whose value is equal to 11.25 times the employee’s hourly rate, as proposed by the Union.

ARTICLE 27 Travel – This article shall be amended to provide an accelerated credit  for travel status leave (Article 27.10) of 7.5 hours immediately creditable to an employee required to travel outside his or her headquarters area on government business, being away from his or her permanent residence for twenty consecutive nights.

ARTICLE 29 Standby – The parties have agreed in principle to the amendment of this article. It is therefore remitted to the parties to finalize its wording. In the event they cannot agree, we retain jurisdiction to resolve that issue.

ARTICLE 31 Sea Duty – Article 31.01 shall be amended to reflect the payment of a Sea Duty Allowance of $23.00 (twenty-three dollars) effective the date of this award and a Sea Duty Allowance of $25.00 (twenty-five dollars) effective September 1, 2009. Article 31.02 shall be amended to reflect a Sea Duty Allowance of $29.00 (twenty-nine dollars) effective the date of this award and a Sea Duty Allowance of $31.00 (thirty-one dollars) effective September 1, 2009.

ARTICLE 35 Working Conditions – Employees are certified pursuant to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act. Article 35.05 shall be amended to reflect the payment of a daily allowance of $3.50 (three dollars and fifty cents) for each day an employee is required to package and label dangerous goods for shipping, to a maximum of $75.00 (seventy –five dollars) a month, as proposed by the Union.

ARTICLE 54 Pay Administration – There shall be no change to this article.

APPENDIX B Rates of pay –  There shall be general wage increases of 2.3% effective September 1, 2007, a further 1.5% effective September 1, 2008 and a further 1.5% effective September 1, 2009.

The Board retains jurisdiction in the event of any dispute concerning the interpretation or implementation of this award.

Dated at Ottawa this 23^rd day of December, 2008