Collective agreements
Your collective agreement sets out your rights and responsibilities at work. If you have any concerns about your treatment, please talk to your steward or a member of the executive.
Current Collective Agreements:
- Download the 2021-2024 City of Welland agreement (PDF)
- Download the 2019-2021 Welland Library collective agreement (PDF)
- Download the 2022-2025 City of Welland Crossing Guard agreement (PDF)
Past Collective Agreements:
Health and safety
The health and safety of our members is of utmost importance. We strive to maintain a safe and healthy workplace for all. Local 1115 members sit on the Joint Health and Safety Committee along with members of the City's management staff. The committee meets once per month and performs monthly inspections of the Local's work sites. If you have any questions or concerns related to health and safety, please contact the City's health and safety officer.
Your CUPE Health and Safety committee representatives are:
- Joe Caruso
- David Van Koughnett (Chair)
- Laurie Mack-Craig
Health and Safety while at work is governed by the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act. Click here for more information.
Click here COVID-19 Information
Click here for Ministry of Labour Reports
Bylaws
Our bylaws set out the rules for how our local democratically elects our representatives, and how it is run.
Benefits
As per our collective agreement, CUPE 1115 members are entitled to extended health and dental benefits. To find out more information about your benefits, or to download forms, visit the Green Shield Canada website (for City Unit) and click Login, then Login as Plan Member at the top right. If you have questions or concerns about your benefits, please speak to your steward or a member of the executive.
Benefits summary (City Unit, updated April 29, 2021):
Extended health benefits:
- Eye wear - $450 every two years
- Eye Exams - $75 every two years
- $500 lifetime payment for lasik eye surgery
- Hearing aids - $400 per year
- Orthotics & Orthopedic Shoes - contact benefit provider
Paramedical Services:
- Chiropractor - up to $350 per year (from first dollar charged)
- Physiotherapy - up to $450 per year (from first dollar charged)
- Massage Therapy - Maximum of 10 visits per calendar year, cost per visit capped at $78 (medical referral required)
Dental:
- Nine month recall except for children under 12 entitled to 6 month recall.
- Orthodontic services 50-50 co-insurance to a lifetime maximum of $2,750.00 per person. Once Orthodontic lifetime maximum has been exhausted, Corporation will self-insure to a further $500.00 lifetime maximum.
- Caps, Crowns and Root Canals to be included to the same co-insurance of 50-50 with a lifetime maximum of $2,750.00 per person.
- Preventative Pit and Fissure Sealant
Out-of-Province Medical:
- 30 days per trip
Benefits summary (Library Unit, updated April 29, 2021):
For more information on your benefits, visit the RWAM Insurance Administrators website.
Paramedical:
- Chiropractor - $500.00 per year
- Physiotherapist - $500.00 per year
- Massage Therapy - $500.00 per year
- Acupuncture - $500.00 per year
Vision care:
- One (1) Eye Exam every twenty-four (24) months
- Glasses, Contact Lenses, and Laser Eye Surgery - $400.00 maximum every twenty-four (24) months effective January 1, 2019.
Other:
- Hearing Aids - $700.00 maximum every five (5) years
- Orthotics & Orthopedic Shoes — One pair per year to a maximum of $500.
Dental:
- Contact your benefit plan provider.
Pensions
Pensions for CUPE 1115 members are negotiated and provided through the OMERS pension plan. If you have a question or concern about your pension plan, please talk to your steward or a member of the executive.
EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is offered in partnership with HumanaCare which recently integrated their services with Aspiria as part of Cloud MD’s acquisition of both companies. The EAP is a voluntary and confidential professional counselling service that provides an outlet for you to resolve your personal problems that might be interfering with your enjoyment of life and your work. Any problem that is negatively affecting your life can be brought to the attention of the EAP provider 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. All employees and their eligible dependents have access to this program.
A new mobile app is available offering an online mental health assessment, healthcare and wellness content text and video access to counsellors and healthcare professionals through a mobile application. The app is free to download from the App Store or Google Play - HumanaCare powered by Snapclarity.
Visit www.humanalife.ca to access the updated EAP Portal. Create your new account using the Access Code: CCW04336. You will be able to participate in our webinar series and access online tools and assessments. You may also call the 24/7 toll free hotline at 1-877-234-5327
If you have questions about the program in general, please contact the Human Resources division.
Please review the brochure here.
Links
Below are some relevant links for members:
Joint Job Evaluation Committee
The Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC) is a committee made up of both union and non-union staff. The purpose of the committee is establish pay equity across all jobs. It does this by evaluating the various components of the jobs within the bargaining unit based on several factors including:
- Knowledge
- Experience
- Judgement
- Mental Effort
- Physical Activity
- Dexterity
- Accountability
- Supervision of Others
- Contacts
- Working Conditions
Job evaluation is designed to assess the value of the job, not the individual doing the job, their experience, qualifications, or their performance, or the volume of work. The committee evaluates jobs internally, it does not look outside of the bargaining unit positions to see how other organizations may value a job.
Your union representatives on the JJEC are:
- David Van Koughnett
- Tracey Spruyt
How does job evaluation work?
The Local and management negotiate, implement, and maintain a job evaluation program and a Joint Job Evaluation Committee (JJEC). The JJEC is comprised of three CUPE members and three management representatives. The committee meets periodically to consider job duties and responsibilities and rank a position using a scoring system within the various factors.
Newly created jobs are evaluated and scored in order to place them within the pay band that best reflects the duties and responsibilities. Existing jobs are reviewed periodically to ensure the job description matches the current duties and responsibilities of the position, which can change over time depending on the needs of the Corporation. The decisions of the committee are based on consensus.
I want my job re-evaluated because my duties have changed, how can I do this?
You will need to get a copy of the JJEC Maintenance form, which can be obtained from the Human Resources department or you can download it here. You will then fill out this form and submit it to your supervisor for review and comment. Your supervisor may not agree with everything you have written. It is helpful if you review your maintenance form with your supervisor and both agree on what it says. Once the supervisor signs the form, it is submitted to HR along with any supporting documentation. HR will then submit the form for consideration at the next meeting of the JJEC. The JJEC will review your submission and deliberate to come up with a rating for your job. The result will be reported to HR, who will then send you a Decision of Rating form.
What happens if my pay band moves up or down?
The result of an evaluation can be that a job moves down in the pay bands, however the actual wage rate of the person in the job will not change. If this happens, the job is said to be "red circled". This means that if the person that currently holds the job leaves the employ of the City, the job will be posted at the new lower rate. The evaluation can also raise the pay band of the job. In this case, the person who currently holds the job will be paid the new higher wage rate, retroactive to the date when the maintenance form was submitted.
Can I be present at the deliberation of my maintenance form?
You can only be present to give a brief verbal presentation regarding your job duties. If you feel your maintenance form does not adequately described your duties, or they are of a particularly specialized nature, you may want to request to give a presentation. The JJEC may also request that you be present to answer any questions they may have. You cannot be present for the actual deliberations of the committee.
What if I don't agree with the rating
If you don't agree with the rating you may appeal the decision. Please see a member of the JJEC or speak with HR about appealing.
Who can I go to for help?
The CUPE representatives on the committee will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the process or the form. The form should be filled out using your own words, so members of the committee will not tell you what to write. If you have questions about the duties of your job, your supervisor will be able to assist you as well.
Grievances
What is a grievance?
A grievance is a violation of your Collective Agreement, Human Rights violation, Occupational Health and Safety Act violation or Labour Relations Act violation. We get complaints on every aspect of working conditions in the workplace.
When should I contact the union?
If you feel that there has been a dispute, difference of opinion or interpretation between yourself and the Corporation, or a violation of the Collective Agreement you should contact your steward. If the steward is not able to provide the information and support your issue will be taken to the Chief Steward. The Chief Steward will contact the appropriate people to try to resolve the issue. Hopefully it can be resolved without filing a grievance. If not, a formal grievance will be filed. The President and Vice President will be notified about the grievance and may take an active role in the process.
Are all grievances the same?
There are a few different types of grievances: individual, policy/union, and group.
An individual grievance is a complaint that an action by the Corporation has violated the rights of an individual as set out in the Collective Agreement, law or some unfair practice. Examples of this type of grievance include: discipline, demotion, classification disputes, denial of benefits, vacation, leave of absence, etc.
A policy/union grievance is a complaint by the Union that an action or failure or refusal to act by the Corporation is a violation of the Collective Agreement that could affect all members who are covered by the Collective Agreement.
A group grievance is a complaint by a group of individuals, for example, a department that has been affected the same way and at the same time by an action taken by the Corporation.
If you have any questions or would like to file a grievance, please contact your steward to discuss the details.
Remember, at the end of the day, it is important to try to resolve any issues in our workplace cooperatively with the employer. We all need to work together to create a positive and inclusive workplace environment.
Job Postings
For internal job postings at the City of Welland please see the human resources, or your department bulletin boards, or visit the internal staff website (only available from within the City's network).
Below are links to job postings open to the public for the municipalities in Niagara.
- City of Welland Job Postings
- City of Niagara Falls Job Postings
- City of Thorold Job Postings
- Town of Grimsby Job Postings
- Town of Lincoln Job Postings
- Township of West Lincoln Job Postings
- City of St. Catharines Job Posting
- Town of Fort Erie Job Postings
- City of Port Colborne Job Postings
- Township of Wainfleet Job Postings
- Town of Niagara-On-The-Lake Job Postings
- Town of Pelham Job Postings
- Niagara Region Job Postings
Other job posting sites:
Member Advantages
Shop Local!
CUPE Local 1115 members support the local businesses in the City of Welland. The following businesses offer discount programs for members of our Local. Please stop by any one of the businesses below and show your membership card to be eligible for these discounts*.
If you are a business owner in Welland and would like to offer a discount to our members and promote your business, we would be happy to list your business name here. Please contact us for more information.
Exclusive discounts for members of CUPE Local 1115:
Endless Savings & More (ESM) Discounts on your smart phone (and other national and online chains) for CUPE 1115 Members
Download the CUPE 1115 version of the ESM App to save on everyday purchases from hundreds of businesses including national chain retailers, service and travel providers.
To get the ESM App, go to your app store (Google or Apple). When you first download the ESM App, you will be asked for the “organization code” for CUPE 1115. It’s: cupe1115
For complete details, view the CUPE 1115 Welcome Letter
*CUPE Local 1115 in no way endorses any of the businesses shown on this page. We provide the information about discounts, but it is up to the sole discretion of the member to purchase any products or services from the businesses listed. CUPE Local 1115 does not enter into any exclusive agreements with any business or provider.