As you may know, there was a Special Meeting held June 7th, 2022, to review the purpose of the Education (Ed) Fund and obtain direction from Members ahead of the next Ed Fund Committee Meeting. Specifically, the Union’s Committee Representatives were looking for direction from the Members about whether the Ed Fund should be funding the courses that are identified as being a training and/or (re-)certification requirement of the unit (or position) where an employee is working.
The direction from the Members in attendance at the Special Meeting was clear:
- The Employer should not be using the Education Fund to cover the costs of core (required/mandatory) training/(re-) certification of their employees.
IE: When a PEINU member requires an updated CPR course
- The Education Fund should be used to provide professional development opportunities to PEINU Members, over and above the requirements of their specific job or unit.
IE: When a PEINU member requests funding for Master of Nursing
We recognize the necessity of staff development and education. It is the employer’s obligation to provide in-service education programs and required education (see Article 28.1-28.4) and it is the Employer’s responsibility to cover the associated costs as part of their regular operations.
The Education Fund (see Article 28.6) was negotiated as an additional benefit to PEINU Members and was not intended to be used as the employer’s training/education budget.
The Ed Fund Committee Representatives engaged in discussions with the employer’s representatives at the Ed Fund Committee Meeting on June 14th, 2022. The Committee was unable to reach a consensus about whether certain courses should be funded through the Ed Fund.
Effective July 1st, the Union’s Representatives on the Education Fund Committee will not approve any applications for funding of the courses that are a part of the training/(re-) certification required in an employee’s unit/position.
Please Note: This does not mean that a specific course is going to be excluded; it will depend on where an employee works.
Effective July 1st, before submitting an Ed Fund application, members should contact their manager about the expenses, scheduling, and pay covered by the employer if the training is a requirement in their position.
PEINU Members will continue to be eligible for other education/professional development activities related to the practice of Nursing in accordance with the PEINU Education Fund Guidelines.
The Education Fund Committee will meet again on Wednesday, November 23rd. In the meantime, Members are encouraged to contact their Local President, Ed Fund Committee Representatives, or the Provincial Office, if they have any questions/concerns.