Canadian Labour Reporter

1 Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2014 JANUARY 27, 2014 LABOUR BRIEFS CUPE slams bargaining bill for Ontario schools / Alberta's labour shortage not as bad as it seems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS • Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority. Two separate pension plans offered. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 • Douglas College, New Westminister, B.C. Two months of vacation . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 • Delta Beausejoir, Moncton, N.B. Day off on employment anniversary. . . . 4 • Moncton Northeast Construction Association, Moncton, N.B Five-minute clean-up time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 • Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. $1,400 signing bonus . . . . . 5 • Municipal Corporation of Iqaluit. Nine per cent wage increase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ARBITRATION AWARDS • Brewing brouhaha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 • Hanger fired for harassment . . . . . . . . . 8 ON LABOUR-REPORTER.COM Toronto Hydro workers vote to strike and the UN reports more than 200 million people were unemployed in 2013. Visit www. labour-reporter.com for daily news stories. Follow us on Twitter @labourreporter. And dont' forget — all collective agreement summaries on labour-reporter.com now include links to the full agreements. UPCOMING ISSUES Don't pay union dues? No collective agreement? No problem. Enter Unifaith, an unofficial union and Unifor's latest community chapter. About 2,500 clergy and faith workers at the United Church of Canada have embarked on a one-of-a-kind union drive, starting at the grassroots level. Next week, Canadian Labour Reporter follows Unifaith as it navigates uncharted certification territory. | by LIZ FOSTER | TORONTO TRANSIT COMMISSION (TTC) employees suffering from the flu this season aren't the only ones feeling feverish — talk surrounding the com- pany's sick note policy has some critics hot under the collar. The TTC made changes to its policy regarding doctor's notes following sick time in an effort to curb high absentee- ism rates. Prior to contract nego- tiations in 2011, the transit commission required em- ployees to provide a doc- tor's note after their sixth day of absence for illness. The policy — implemented in 2012 — requires a doc- tor's note after only one day of absence. Since then, rates of ab- senteeism have decreased significantly, according to the TTC. Before the change, the absen- teeism rate was about 8.4 per cent. In 2012, the rate was down to 7.7 per cent. Brad Ross, executive director of corpo- rate communications for the TTC, said while the numbers are not in for 2013, quarterly results indicate absenteeism rates continue to drop. "Prior to the change there were in- stances where the five days were seen as five extra vacation days," Ross said. "To ensure the sick benefit was being used as intended, we felt that the one-day re- quirement was what was needed. The numbers indicate the absenteeism rate is declining and that's positive. The overall objective is being achieved." The zero-tolerance policy requires a doctor's note be submitted within 72 hours of an employee's sick day. Employ- ees who fail to produce a note will lose the 75 per cent sick pay they are entitled to through the benefit. Critics of the policy say its rigid requirements make it nearly impossible for employees to obtain a doc- tor's note in the provided time frame. As part of its Canadian Health Care Matters series, the Health Council of Can- ada recently released the results from its 2013 Com- monwealth Fund Interna- tional Health Policy Survey. The survey results show as many as 15 per cent of Canadians do not have a regular doctor or clinic. The survey also shows only 31 to 46 per cent of Canadians — depending on the province — have access to same-day or next-day appointments when needed (excluding emergency department visits). "You might have all kinds of legitimate reasons for missing one day," said Kevin Mandatory doctor's notes the cure to absenteeism: TTC But Toronto Transit Commission's policy leaves some critics with a fever PM #40065782 Continued on page 7 "It is no benefit to TTC passengers to have vehicle operators report for duty if they are feeling ill." IN THIS ISSUE

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