Collective Agreement

After signing a new collective agreement, the Union and Employer then begin the implementation process. This involves a wide range of activities including communications (to management & members), policy development & amendment, payroll adjustments (“Retro” Pay) and the creation of new “codes” (if needed), as well as meetings between the parties to establish any new committees, review the impacts of the changes, and address any issues that arise from the implementation of the new (or changed) language of the collective agreement.

The parties can modify the terms of the collective agreement by mutual agreement. Typically, the parties would amend the terms on a temporary basis in order to implement interim measures or establish new terms to address ‘current events’. Temporary agreements ensure that the parties will have the opportunity to evaluate the successes (and failures) and consider the opportunities/challenges that are created as a result of the implementation. It gives both parties the opportunity to re-negotiate (or eliminate) the language in the next round of collective bargaining.

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Overtime must be approved by the designated Employer representative(s). For the purpose of applying article 21.5 in the case of Casual employees or part time employees who work in more than one work unit or worksite, the Employee shall indicate to the Employer prior to acceptance of the shift that the shift will place the Employee in an overtime situation.

See Article 21, for different situations on this subject in the Collective Agreement.

An amendment (which might involve a waiver or expansion of the rights of one or both parties) is often accomplished through the signing of a “Memorandum of Agreement” (or an “MOA”). An MOA is a binding contract between the parties. It outlines the reason it has been created, details the terms that the parties are agreeing to, and is signed by authorized representatives from both Health PEI & PEINU.

The Union’s Constitution & By-Laws have established four (4) designated signing authorities for PEINU. They include the President, 1st VP, VP Finance, and the Executive Director.

When issues arise during the life of a collective agreement, the parties can attempt a range of different processes to resolve the dispute.

It is always preferable to resolve disputes through informal processes. In addition to being more timely and less expensive, they are more likely to preserve (and sometimes improve) the working relationships between the affected parties.

The grievance procedure provides a formal mechanism for the parties to resolve a dispute. It provides for 3 levels of escalation – to give the Employer & the Union the ability to review cases at progressively higher levels of authority (and often with more objective viewpoints) within their respective organizations to determine whether they support the actions/decisions or positions taken by Management and/or Union Representatives involved in earlier Steps of the process. If the parties still can’t agree, the grievance gets referred to a 3rd Party to make a decision. That decision is binding on the parties.

Yes – if you wear a lab coat and it is not provided by the Employer, you are eligible for the Uniform Allowance. To apply for reimbursement:

1. Ask your Manager for a copy of Health PEI’s Uniform Reimbursement Request Form;
2. Make a copy of the Form and Receipt(s) for your records;
3. Submit the completed Request Form with the Original Receipt(s); and
4. Provide proof of the embroidered RN/NP logo (if requested).

See Article 57, “Uniform Allowance” of the Collective Agreement.

The answer is ‘Yes and No’ …

Yes – Sick Days are reinstated when an Employee is re-employed in a permanent position within 90
days. They are also entitled to reinstatement of your salary step and increment date, accumulated
Retirement Allowance days, and length of Vacation entitlement.

See Collective Agreement Article 32.2 Benefit Reinstatement upon Re-employment

No – Seniority cannot be reinstated after an employee resigns from Health PEI,
regardless of whether they are re-employed by Health PEI.

See Collective Agreement Article 19.5 Forfeiture of Seniority

Overtime must be approved by the designated Employer representative(s). For the purpose of applying article 21.5 in the case of Casual employees or part time employees who work in more than one work unit or worksite, the Employee shall indicate to the Employer prior to acceptance of the shift that the shift will place the Employee in an overtime situation.

See Article 21, for different situations on this subject in the Collective Agreement.

If you are pre-retirement you are eligible to reduce your hours from full time to part time without going through an interview process.

Refer to Appendix J in the Collective Agreement.

The Employer will reimburse one or several uniforms for an amount of $100 per year with conditions mentioned in the article 57 below. It is possible to get multiple uniforms reimbursed if it falls under the $100 per year.

Article 57 in the Collective Agreement about Uniform allowance states:

Upon submission of original receipt(s) for an employee’s purchase of a uniform or lab coat with the RN/NP logo embroidered on it, the Employer will reimburse the employee up to one hundred dollars ($100.00) per year, provided the employee is not provided a uniform by the Employer. Employees who do not wear a uniform or a lab coat embroidered with the RN/NP logo or who are provided a uniform by the Employer, are not eligible to receive the uniform allowance. 

One day’s special leave with pay for serious illness in the immediate family on the Employee’s certification of illness shall not be unreasonably withheld. Where special leave in excess of one day is needed, a medical certificate signed by a qualified medical practitioner is required.

Maximum to be allowed is three days without loss of pay. Where the illness occurs outside the province, an additional extension not to exceed two days provided that entitlement shall depend on particular circumstances.

Leave of absence without pay for compassionate care reasons shall be provided according to the PEI Employment Standards Act.

You can refer at the article 30.2 (a) in the Collective agreement, Leave for seriously Ill Family Member

In the Employment Standards Act, all details in Article 22.3 “Compassionate care leave” are explained.

Members are invited to call 902-368-5550 or toll-free at 1-800-333-4362 to contact Labour and Industrial Relations for more information.

MOA Mentorship Fund

Because Members make the decision on their own to leave their Employer, there is no severance pay that the Employer must pay to the Employee.

Other information about resignation from employment are available in the Collective Agreement under Article 32 Resignation from Employment and Article 35.4 No Retirement allowance for Dismissal or Resignation.

Employees are not eligible for severance pay or a retirement allowance if they resign from the employ of the Employer.

Due to numerous vacancies and staffing issues across the Island, RNs may be placed in positions where they are asked to work extra hours, and in some cases pressured into working “double shifts”.

Please follow the Practice Directives:

1. Duty to Provide Care
2. Working Extra Hours
3. Abandonment

Note that the Employer has a responsibility to provide safe staffing, and when aware of vacant shifts in advance, this does not make you responsible to stay beyond the end of your shift.

Visit The College of Registered Nurses of Prince Edward Island for practice directives.

Overtime hours are not used towards calculation of leave, seniority, pension, sick time, etc.

As per Article 10.8 in your Collective Agreement, Retired Nurses who have returned to fill roles temporarily (ie. Vaccine Clinics) may be entitled to a $500 bonus.

To be eligible, you must work 375 hours between January and December, or 180 hours between June 15 and September 15.

Keep track of your hours and let your Nurse Manager know when you reach the above requirement to be eligible for a $500 bonus.