YVR Bargaining Issue of the Day: Pay Administration – Green Circling

As bargaining between PSAC/UCTE Local 20221 (members working directly for YVR) and the Airport Authority ramps up, the bargaining team has prepared a series of issue papers designed to inform members around key issues at the table. Here's  Issue Paper #1 - Pay Administration - Green Circling.

Issue:                        Pay Administration – Green Circling

Article 18.05

Employer Proposal:

(a)    An employee hired prior to May 1, 2013 whose position is reclassified downward and who has yet to be offered a reassignment to a position rated the same as or higher than his or her current position, shall receive incremental rate increases and negotiated salary increases on the same basis as if he or she had not been reclassified.  This form of salary protection shall continue for a period not to exceed five (5) years from the date of reclassification if an employee is not offered reassignment as described above.  After the five (5) year period, the employee shall not receive negotiated salary increases and shall be paid the applicable incremental rate for the new classification when it exceeds the protected rate.

(b)    An employee hired on or after May 1, 2013 whose position is reclassified downward and who has yet to be offered a reassignment to a position rated the same as or higher than his or her current position, shall not receive incremental rate or negotiated salary increases and shall be paid the applicable incremental rate for the new classification when it exceeds the protected rate.

Rationale

The Employer wants to put an end to salary protection in the event that an Employee’s position is reclassified downward.  It is the Employer, and solely the Employer, who determines whether a position will be reclassified downward.  This has happened on multiple occasions in the past.  If we accept the Employer’s proposal, which would be a rollback, we fully expect that the Employer will “declassify” more of the positions our members work in.

The current language found in Article 18 provides the Employer with the mechanism to avoid the “Green Circling” of Employees whose position they feel necessary to classify downward.  The Employer must offer re-assignment and if the Employee refuses this reassignment, they would not be entitled to the “Green Circling” provisions.

This issue potentially affects all of you, the members of the bargaining unit. and could result in your pay rates being frozen for extended periods of time should the Employer decide that your position needs to be reclassified downward.