Vacation requests for the period November 1 to March 31 were due to be posted by October 1.  If your area does not have this information posted for you please contact me.

lorrie.vandersluis@cope468.org

Thanks,

Scheduling and Time
A reminder that vacation requests for the period November 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015  must be submitted by September 15, 2014 and should be approved or denied by October 1, 2014. Units/Departments should not be changing work schedules during the Christmas/New Years unless all clerks agree.  If not, selection is by seniority. Time switches and vacation time are allowed during the Christmas/New Year period in COPE.
 
It is our interpretation of the Collective Agreement that the hospital must give 8 weeks notice when changing our schedules (permanently or otherwise).  Please contact us if this is not happening in your area.

Some departments have a "policy" that you need to take 4 hour increments of vacation time for medical appointments, etc.  This is not the case.  If you can be spared for an hour or two from your area these requests should be approved.  Is coverage needed during lunches, breaks, meetings, education sessions etc.?  If coverage not needed for the above we can speak to you leaders in this regard.
 
Collective Agreement Update
We were unsuccessful in reaching agreement on our Contract/Collective Agreement at our June Conciliation.  We are waiting for an arbitration date.  Some of the items that remained in dispute were wages and benefits.  LHSC is also proposing that sick time be unpaid for the first 2 days of our fourth and subsequent illness.

Pay Equity Update
COPE and LHSC have commenced a joint process to review and evaluate all of the COPE bargaining unit positions. As you are aware, jobs have changed and evolved requiring a review across the bargaining unit. Through this process jobs will be evaluated and assessed to ensure pay equity is achieved and maintained in accordance with the Pay Equity Act. Regular updates will be provided at LHSC Unit Meetings as well as our internet sites.
 
During this period the Job Rating Committee has been placed on hold with the exception of new positions or where there has been a substantial change in a bargaining unit position.
 
Job shadowing will occur in several areas.  This is a joint process and jobs will be shadowed by COPE and Human Resources.
 
For more information please contact:
Val Roberts-Francis
Lorrie Vandersluis
Lori Atfield
Machelle Sandhu
 
Other News
LHSC has agreed that the new location for the Outpatient Mental Health PEPP Program and Eating Disorders Program at the Bethesda House will be COPE.
 
If you are still doing your own pays please contact Lorrie Vandersluis to have this corrected.
 
Please contact us if you feel there is non clerical staff performing a significant amount of clerical duties.  We are hearing this complaint frequently and can bring these concerns forward to senior leadership in the hospital.
 
There will be an LHSC Unit Meeting scheduled for Monday, October 6, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. at our office - 699 Wilkins Ave.  All LHSC COPE members welcome to come and be informed of what's happening in OUR Union.  There is currently 1 LHSC Steward vacancy.  The position will be voted on if there are multiple members expressing interest.  If you are interested in the steward position please try to attend the meeting personally.