Dear Members,
I hope that you all had a happy and healthy summer.
NRC is changing its work posture on September 12, 2022 and for some members it will be a return to the workplace or a hybrid work environment. For those members who have asked and been denied a telework agreement either full time or hybrid and are dissatisfied with the process or outcome, please make sure that the guidelines have been followed. These guidelines were set out in numerous emails and correspondence from Dale MacMillan, NRC Vice-President, Corporate Services & Chief Financial Officer.
A portion of which is on our website:
https://rcea.ca/2022/07/12/nrc-resuming-on-site-work-posture-september-12-2022/
including this statement:
Flexibility in work arrangements
Directors general and executive directors are encouraged to allow their teams to experiment with work arrangement options, particularly the hybrid model, which offers meaningful opportunities for collaboration, idea generation and knowledge transfer, while building a strong public service culture. This approach is not a one-size-fits-all, which means that CBIs can test which approach works best, based on operational needs and employee well-being, starting this summer, to be ready to implement in the fall.
After consultation with your supervisor/manager, and DG/ED, and you are unsatisfied with the process or outcome, you may contact the RCEA and we will try to work through this with you and the employer via consultation or by filing a grievance. Telework currently does not form part of your collective agreements, but we may still have some recourse to help. I assure the members that the issue of telework will be forefront in the upcoming contract negotiations as it will be of great importance to some members going forward.
I am very pleased that I have been acclaimed for another term as your RCEA President. I have many plans for the RCEA, and just like the entire world, so many of these were put on the back burner for the past 2.5 years. I would like to take this term to put into play the many ideas and policies I had to put on hold; but now it is time to keep moving the membership forward. One of these will be to obtain a new and improved collective agreement for all 6 groups. During the past 2.5 years, I have continued on numerous federal bargaining agent, NRC and Treasury Board committees and consultation groups. I have remained fully updated on current issues and we know that collective agreements need changing, updating and need to include new articles, like telework mentioned above. All this consultation and information is very important as we move towards different needs and benefits that are required and wanted by the membership. The Covid pandemic has changed the way many employers are managing their employees and workplaces. We need to ensure the employer utilizes these new concepts and have them move forward with us in this new era of telework, alternate work arrangements, changing office, laboratory and meeting structures; all while keeping members heathy and safe while in their workplaces.
It is my honour and privilege to represent the membership and Association.
