Coffee Money
Article 603 Payment in Lieu of Coffee Breaks is always paid on your Pay Period 24 paycheck which was November 27th, 2024.
We are pleased to advise that this year Community Shuttle Operators are entitled to coffee money along with the rest of the Operators. During the last round of negotiations we took a hard line that these Operators must be included in this compensation. We advised Calgary Transit that upon completion of that round of negotiations they could either provide coffee breaks within the schedules or include CS in Article 603. If not, we would be filing a complaint with Employment Standards.
This was presented to a fresh set of eyes outside of Calgary Transit and we were able to secure this at the bargaining table.
Gift Pick Up 2024/2025
If you were unable to attend our Children’s Christmas Party on Saturday December 7, 2024, we will have the gifts at our office for pick up throughout December and the start of January. Our office is located at 5325 1A Street S.W.
Dates when gifts will be available in December:
First Week: December 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th from 9 am to 3 pm
Second Week: December 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th from 9 am to 3 pm
Third Week: December 23rd from 9 am to 3 pm
Final Day for December: December 24th from 9 am to 11:30 am
Dates when gifts will be available in January:
January 2nd and 3rd from 9 am to 3 pm
Some things to keep in mind:
• At least 30 minutes ahead of when you intend to arrive, please call us so we can get your gift(s) ready. The number to call is 403 633 9972
• Please use the FRONT DOOR when picking up your gifts. You will go through the downstairs door with the sign on it for Children’s Gifts.
• If you intend to have a co-worker pick up for you, please email jacinda.w@atu583.com and let us know your full name, payroll number and which children are being picked up for.
-Your designate will also have to sign a form noting they are authorized to pick up on your behalf.
Seatbelt Policy
We continue to receive questions on the City’s plan to implement a mandatory seatbelt policy starting January 1, 2025. It is our understanding that Supervisors have been directed to talk to Members and “remind” them of this new policy.
As per our website and social media posts of October 4th, 2024 stating our position – nothing has changed in that respect. We still believe this policy to be lacking in forethought especially in regards to safety. The past practice of Operators not having to wear seatbelts goes back 40 years and the safety issues from back then remain today.
We provided the City with a letter of understanding in late November which would provide both parties with a formal process to review and attempt to resolve your legitimate concerns. So far, they have outright ignored it. We have since filed a grievance which is set to be heard on December 20th at the second level with Sharon Fleming.
We are also considering a bargaining in bad faith complaint as the City provided us an opportunity to address this in negotiations and has arbitrarily implemented the policy while we are still at the table.
We will provide you with written direction and more specific details as we move through these procedures.
Aside from the concerns we have already raised such as the condition of the bus seats and the belts themselves, the lack of protection in the design of the work station, the absence of supporting devices like air bags, the risk of assaults while restrained in the seat and risk of personal injury from the belt/seat combination just through normal use, we know you have additional concerns too. Not the least of which being strapped to that seat as your Nova bus is bucking down the hi way at every crown in the road and pothole waiting for the seat to bottom out.
IF you have personal concerns with management imposing this seatbelt policy, do not hesitate to get in touch with us at the office and we will add you to our list.
Code Blue/Member Assaults
Code Blues continue to be an issue that our members face at an astonishing and deeply concerning rate. While we continue to negotiate for safer working conditions, we want to provide some insight into how the code blue process works.
After a member experiences a Code Blue and control is alerted, the appropriate supervisor and or officer should make their way to the scene. The member should be asked if they need to remove themselves from service and offered EFAP (the Employee and Family Assistance Program). If PS and or CPS are needed it is always our hope that the assailant is caught and charged.
As a side note, we do strongly suggest members file charges against any assailant and we will gladly be in court with you throughout the process.
After management alerts authorities they send out a Code Blue report to senior managers and those required to have the information. Local 583 is on this list. However, recently there were a couple that we did not receive due to some new staffing changes. It was an innocent oversight which has been resolved. However, it did result in one of our Operators becoming quite upset with the Union for not reaching out to him.
We want to assure you that we take the health and safety of our members extremely serious. Physical or verbal assaults on our members are particularly heinous. No one should have to go to work anticipating that they could be attacked for simply doing their job.
We send a letter to each Member we are aware of that is assaulted. We have the resources to work with you and the Crown Prosecutors if you proceed with charges through the courts. We can limit your direct exposure to the assailant if you are testifying and we can intervene with community victim impact statements.
Experiencing an assault (whether physical or verbal) can have a serious impact on your physical and mental health. It is important to file a WCB report, even if there is no lost time.
Most of us have experienced what you have. We are very empathetic to your experience and want to provide support in any way we can.
Call Ins and Taking an ATU Rep
Periodically we endeavor to remind our Members that if you are informed you have a meeting with management – you are allowed to bring a representative with you.
We have had an influx of discipline letters stating the Member declined representation the last few months. It is important to note that even if the meeting is labelled as “informal” or you have a good relationship with your ESS, we still recommend you bring a rep with you.
This is because without a rep we have no way to verify how that meeting went. Notes taken during a call in can be pivotal to grieving discipline.
To have a rep with you for any meeting with management please call or email us: 403-258-1258 extension 0 or booking@atu583.com.
We will need the following information:
Date, time and location of the call in
Your full name and employee number
Badge number if applicable
The reason for the call in
Your Employee Support Supervisor’s name (ESS)
Your phone number
Management must give you 24 hours notice for a call in. Please give us a call or email us asap so we can ensure we have a rep there for you.
Retirement Dues
It’s almost that time of year again!
Retirement dues are $4/month or $48/year. The vast majority of our Retirees send their dues in to the office for January.
As of the writing of this newsletter, Canada Post is still on strike, but we have other ways for you to pay your dues.
ETransfer – Please use payments@atu583.com and include your name and email address in the note. We will email you a copy of your receipt.
Credit Card – This can be done in person or over the phone. If paying via phone we will ask for your email so we can email a receipt to you
Debit/Cash – These are in person options available by coming into the office.
Cheque – You can still pay by cheque but until Canada Post is off strike we recommend only using this method if you are coming in person.
Happy Holidays and Wishes for a wonderful New Year
Another year is coming to and end as we just want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of our Members.
Your hard work does not go unnoticed. We are extremely proud to call each of you Members of this Local.
We wish you all a very happy holiday season and all the best for 2025!
COPE 397/jw
