A few high lights from a long four days at the last OSBCC and first OSBCU convention!
CUPE 1479 delegates from the Negotiation Committee and two new Stewards attended the last OSBCC conference and the first OSBCU convention. There was a lot on the agenda this week! There was a lot of voting, information on LTD, benefits, classification meetings, addresses from Mark Hancock, Fred Hahn, Charles Fleury, Candice Rennick and so much more important information for the education sector. Watch out for the next newsletter for details!
Right: Jody Uddenberg – Recording Secretary and ECE Negotiation rep
Rear left: Charlene Newberry – EA Steward West & EA Negotiation Rep
Rising to the challenge: the new Ontario School Board Council of Unions
https://cupe.ca/rising-challenge-new-ontario-school-board-council-unions
Mary Unan | CUPE Communications
This March, CUPE’s education workers in Ontario will hold the inaugural convention of their official new bargaining structure, the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU).
When the council bargains centrally in 2019, it will represent 55,000 members employed by school boards in the province – CUPE’s largest bargaining table.
The idea of a council of unions for CUPE education workers was first put forward in 2008 by the Ontario School Board Coordinating Committee (OSBCC), which has led over a hundred CUPE school board bargaining unit in successive rounds of coordinated bargaining. Over the years, the strategy produced major gains for education workers, including sick leave for thousands of CUPE members who didn’t have it before (2012); funding to increase the hours of work for educational assistants (2008); and money for additional staffing and job security language (2015).
The OSBCC also played a vital role in CUPE’s successful Charter challenge to Ontario’s now-repealed Bill 115. In 2017, the challenge won a remedy of $56.7 million for more than 60,000 current and former CUPE education workers.
At the same time, legislative developments were transforming the bargaining landscape. Last year, the provincial government passed the School Boards Collective Bargaining Amendment Act 2017, which made central bargaining mandatory for unions representing education workers in Ontario.
The new legislation obliged CUPE education workers to adopt a new structure that would serve as a recognized bargaining agent in central bargaining.
In response, the OSBCC formed a restructuring committee which consulted members, designed a democratic structure, and drafted a new budget and bylaws. In November 2017, members adopted the bylaws and endorsed the formation of a council of unions.
The OSBCU is now chartered as a bargaining council under the CUPE National Constitution. The new structure will lead central bargaining in 2019 – in what could be a very different political environment – and carry out provincially organized campaigns to focus attention on the issues that affect students, schools, communities, and CUPE members working for school boards.
The transition hasn’t been without its critics. Some locals worry about a loss of local autonomy, but that democratic value won’t change under the new council. Others express concerns about increased affiliation costs. But leaders point out that the OCBCU will offer value for money to its affiliated locals, providing many benefits, including arbitration of central issues, a central process for sharing grievance data, and the opportunity for local representation at the central bargaining table.
The OSBCU looks forward to working on behalf of CUPE education workers from all locals, large and small. Together, we will continue to build the strong legacy of bargaining agreements that recognize and promote the vital role that CUPE members play in Ontario schools.
CUPE EDUCATION WORKERS’ BENEFITS TRUST
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Preparing for the transition Key reminders and information for members on disability leave Our March 1, 2018 transition date is fast approaching, and we want to make sure all our members are well prepared. Here are a few important reminders leading up to the transition.
Get your questions answered! For questions on eligibility and bene ts costs, call OTIP Bene t Services at 1-866-783-6847 Extended hours during enrolment period (February 5 to March 23, 2018): Monday to Friday, 8a.m.–8p.m.EST; Saturday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. EST For questions on health and dental coverage and claims, call Great-West Life at 1-866-800-8058 Hours of operation: Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. EST ONE PLAN UNITED TO THE CORE |
ONE PLAN UNITED TO THE CORE
Important information for members on LTD
We’ve worked hard to design a plan in the best interests of all members – including protection for our most vulnerable members. Here is an overview of the member premium share for health and dental under your new bene ts plan:
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17.5 or more hours/week |
4% |
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10 – <17.5 hours/week |
50% |
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<10 hours/week |
100% |
If you become disabled and go on long-term disability (LTD) on or after March 1, 2018, you will continue to have health and dental coverage under the CUPE EWBT. The cost to you will depend on the hours you were regularly scheduled to work before going on LTD, and how long you remain on LTD.
Let’s say you were regularly scheduled to work
17.5 hours or more per week before going on LTD. Your health and dental bene ts are fully funded by the CUPE EWBT (except for the 4% member premium share).
If you go on LTD, that funding arrangement will continue for up to 24 months. If you remain on LTD past 24 months, you can maintain the same level of health and dental coverage – however, you will pay 100% of the premiums.
If you are on LTD, or become disabled before March 1, 2018, there are a few different scenarios.
Scenario #1: Your Board currently covers the costs of health and/or dental for longer than 24 months.
In this case, you may be eligible for extended funding (or “grandparenting”) of those bene ts.
Example: If your Board currently covers your health and/or dental costs for the entire duration of your LTD claim, the same arrangement will continue under the
CUPE EWBT (subject to the member premium share rules above).
Scenario #2: You belong to a Board where health and/ or dental bene ts are currently 100% member paid. That arrangement will continue, and you will continue to pay 100% of the premiums for as long as you would have been entitled to do so under your current Board plan.
Example: If your Board does not cover any of the costs for health and/or dental coverage, you can maintain the coverage you have. You will continue to pay 100% of the costs.
Scenario #3: Your Board covers health and/or dental costs for a speci ed number of months. The CUPE EWBT will cover the premiums for the remaining period, up to 24 months.
Example: If your Board currently covers health and/or dental costs for 24 months and you’ve been on LTD for 10 months as of the transition date, the CUPE EWBT will cover the premiums for the remaining 14 months (again, subject to the member premium share rules above).
Reminder: You can maintain the health and/or dental coverage you already have; however, you won’t be able to add to or increase your coverage, or enrol in life insurance, until you return to work.
For more details on bene ts costs and coverage, please refer to the CUPE EWBT bene ts booklet and bene ts guide. A nal word
This bulletin has been prepared exclusively for eligible CUPE workers in the province of Ontario. It is not intended to be comprehensive or to provide advice. If there are any differences between the information provided in this bulletin and any legal documents that govern the delivery of bene ts, the legal documents will apply.
Watch your board email for important information!
You should be receiving your email this week, in your board email account, to register for your benefits. If you received your package in the mail and you don’t receive an email check your clutter and if its not there call OTIP at the phone number in your package.