Members,
The company has agreed to release your accrued vacation pay for those laid off or going to be laid off. Below is the terms;
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS YOUR OPTION TO WITHDRAW OR NOT. IF YOU DO THIS WILL LIKELY HAVE IMPACT ON E.I
Article 17.08
Should any employee be laid off their benefits will be maintained
by the Company to the end of the calendar month in which they are laid off. In addition, coverage will be maintained for a further
three (3) month period. After this three (3) month period, the
employee may, by arrangement with the Human Resources
department, continue their benefits for three (3) months
provided the premium payments are made by the employee.
HERE ARE THE RATES THAT WOULD APPLY
| Division | Single Coverage | Family Coverage |
| Steel | 119.08 | 282.51 |
| Tubular | 113.03 | 267.06 |
| O&T | 146.90 | 314.48 |
If you wish to continue your benefits please contact Human Resources or the Benefits Department at benefits.pension@evrazna.com or HRCanada.Support@evrazna.com
Members,
The Union and company had a discussion regarding the Health Spending Account this week and it appears the company has a new interpretation of eligibility come layoffs. The company believes that upon layoff, if the employee pays their premiums for major medical and dental benefits from months 4 to 6 their Health Spending Account will continue, if not you have no access to it. The company was informed this local in no way agrees with this interpretation.
Article 17.10 states,
For all employees active on the
seniority list who have completed at least 750 hours of work
in the previous calendar year, the Employer will contribute
$100 to the employees individual Health Spending Account
by January 1 of each calendar year
That right there makes you eligible for your Health Spending Account. You work the 750 hours, $100 goes into your account. When asked what will happen to each individuals $100 the company had no response. This fund was developed when the Local caught the company with their “hand in the cookie jar” regarding E.I rebates. Looks as if they maybe trying this again.
Members,
We understand there are many questions and uncertainty going on right now regarding Seniority, Layoffs, Rate Retention and Bumping.
Let’s be very clear here. We are in a Fight to Protect your Collective Agreement Rights. This company has decided to ATTACK your Seniority and rights for Rate Retention to the likes we have never seen before. The company has lied, intimidated and threatened our members with words like “voluntary layoff” if you don’t bump and you will not be entitled to E.I Benefits. Essentially the company is saying you give up your seniority if you don’t bump, which is simply not the case. Threatening a members E.I benefits is simply unacceptable. Seniority is the crux of the collective agreement and we will fight against this attack.
Article 12 is very clear. It is your RIGHT to bump or not. Displaced employees MAY apply by filling out a bump form. By not filling out a bump form that does not give up your right to Seniority. Filling out a bump form gives you rights to a “home”. By not filling out a bump form you are entitled to Rate retention but also at the companies whim to place you wherever needed, not lay you off without regards to seniority. You also have 10 days from displacement to fill out a bump form. This company seems Hell bent on taking your rate retention rights away from you.
Know your rights. We are in for a fight that none of us will forget. The companies tactics here only drive a wedge between the possibility of any working relationship.
IN SOLIDARITY.
Members,
Attached below is an agreement that the Union and Company came to regarding Temporary Sanitizer Positions in Tubular. Also below is a rundown of areas the sanitizers will be cleaning. The intent of this was for health and safety and keeping a few senior members working a little longer.
Members,
Last week I had a conversation with a member from service Canada who offered to conduct a Rapid Response session with our members [which would have to be by zoom]. If you would be interested in this please indicate by emailing m.day@usw5890.com and we will try and get that set up. In the meantime below attached is information on applying for E.I and then some links for applying for services Covid related.
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/recovery-benefit/crb-how-apply.html
Members,
Please see attachments regarding layoff notices.
To our Members,
As many of you have seen in the recent weeks the company has taken a different approach to the layoff procedure. Simply put, the company is attacking our Seniority. If you feel you have been laid-off improperly or displaced improperly please contact a shop steward.
A number of grievances have already been filed and we expect many more to come. The company is set on doing things the way they want regardless of what the C.B.A states. We have told the company that this local will not sit idly by nor forget this company’s attack on our members seniority. That’s what this is, an attack on your seniority rights.
Remember please contact a steward so we can get a grievance started on your behalf
In Solidarity
Members,
The Union has inquired as to how the company plans on compensating our members for Covid related issues. Either being told to stay home and self-quarantine or whatever by SHA or Dr. Radford. Well below is the companies response to our inquiry. Once again, if you feel you have contacted Covid from work, we recommend you file a WCB claim.
The following is the Companies response…
Employees that had their Tuesday November 17th shift cancelled will receive 4 hours compensation. This should appear on this next payroll run.
The company is not telling employees they are unfit for work due to COVID. Through contact tracing, employees are in communication with SHA (811) or Dr. Radford and they are making the medical determination regarding requirement to self-monitor, self-quarantine or take a COVID-19 test. We are communicating and reinforcing those directives from Dr. Radford and/or SHA when required. Individuals who are not exhibiting any symptoms of illness and are asymptomatic are not eligible for Short Term Disability benefits through the company group plan with Canada Life and will need to apply for a leave through EI. An ROE will be issued to these employees and there are EI leaves available for COVID-19 related reasons such as mandatory self-isolation. Symptomatic employees that are sick would qualify for the Short Term Disability plan and should apply for benefits. There is also a COVID-19 related illness specific form that also needs to be filled out that initiates the application process without a formal Attending Physician’s Statement knowing that employees won’t be able to get in to see their doctor.
If there are members who have concerns with reaching their pensionable hours due to COVID-19 quarantines, please have them reach out to HR & Payroll and we can assess.
Please take some time out to participate in A survey put together from the USW designed to learn about your experiences as a worker during a pandemic.
The survey was put together by the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW), with help from researchers at the Institute of Work & Health and Duke University in North Carolina. We also had input from a number of health and safety union staff representatives, who told us about the concerns and questions their members have.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Pandemic_survey2
If you feel uncomfortable answering a particular question, please just skip it. The survey takes roughly 15 minutes.
All the information collected in this survey is confidential. Only the researchers directly involved in this project will see all the answers. The team will not keep any information that could identify you or others. All the data we collect will be stored on a secure server. We intend to use the data collected for research and to share with research organizations for the end purpose of improving pandemic working conditions. The data, analysis and related information may be used in presentations, websites, and union, trade, and academic publications.
To All Our Members,
With the rapid increase in the number of members being told to stay home for the 14 day self quarantine for close contact or whatever reason under the scope of COVID, your local is recommending the following;
If you believe you have contacted Covid 19 through a transmission at work apply for Workers Compensation. Nobody knows the lasting damage this will do on your health and you could need the paper trail later down the road. You also receive pensionable service on W.C.B
The other 2 options are to apply for Short Term Disability and E.I. Right now the company is pushing E.I and taking zero financial responsibility.
The local has inquired as to where the decision has come from to not cover under S.T.D and so far no response to that. We have also inquired as to the status of pay for the individuals who were told by management they would be paid for being told to stay home and also, no response to that.
We understand the frustration surrounding Covid and are working hard to get answers. The Union is also fighting to be involved with contact tracing and the investigations of each matter as the come up. The company believes the Union has no right to participate or right to know. Health and Safety is a joint effort, regardless of what some people in the company believe.
Brother’s and Sister’s,
In recent days we have seen a spike in cases and members being directed to self-isolate. Please, for the protection of your co-workers, family members, friends ,etc follow the guidelines and STAY HOME if you are sick.
We must all work together to stop/reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Brother’s and Sister’s
Last week in Tubular the company put out a “Displacement Memo” and it says below,
Due to economic conditions, we will be reducing the workforce in Tubular and Maintenance. As a result, the following employees will be impacted by this reduction and will be displaced effective end of shift November 28, 2020.
As per Article 12.10 (m) Displaced Employees, and in accordance with the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between U.S.W. Local 5890 and Evraz Inc. Na., in the event that an employee cannot retain a position in their own line, or a job which is not within a line of progression, a displaced employee may apply (by filling out a bump form) for another job. A displaced employee wishing to exercise their bumping rights must do so within ten (10) calendar days from the time of displacement
Let us be clear, under 12.10 [l]
Production and Maintenance Employees Only
In the event of cutback or lay-off, an employee shall be
deemed to have the right to a position that is lower in that line
of progression and will regress down their line to a position
which they can hold. You shall regress as you progress and
progress as you regress.
Another words you are not Displaced until you can not hold in your Line of Progression.
Brothers and Sisters,
Yesterday afternoon members of your Executive met with the company regarding business conditions and manpower. Below is a run-down of what was discussed.
STEEL DIVISION,
Melt Shop will run on 4 crews through February 2021
Rolling Mill will go down to 2 crews in Mid December 2020
Slitter is going up to 2 crews
TUBULAR
Spiral Legacy Mills will be idle on Nov 25, 2020. Layoff notices should be out today for roughly 35-45 members. In 2 weeks they expect to take the Finishing 1 line down and the company expects to issue layoff notices for roughly 70 more members then. On December 15,2020 they expect Mill 5 to be run out and that will affect roughly 60 members. Finishing 2 line is expected to run until Jan 15,2021 which would then have layoff notices for the remainder of Spiral. Wasco coating is roughly 30 days behind so they are unsure how many will be needed in the Yard at this time.
24 Inch Mill, they will go up on Jan 9, 2021 for roughly 2.5 months running at 2 welding and 2 finishing crews
2 Inch Mill is expected to stay on current level till spring break up.
Please remember to work safely
3rd Quarter Results
Our financial performance for the third quarter of 2020 resulted in profit sharing payment for employees under the plan. The payout will be $0.76 per eligible hour bonus payment for qualifying employees deposited into your bank account by November 6, 2020.
Our Q3 financial results benefited from accounting adjustments permitted under the plan and from payments received from the Canadian government under the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy program, which offset some of Q3 expenses. Without these adjustments, our financial performance would not have resulted in a payment for the quarter under the terms of the plan.
Brother’s and Sister’s,
Yesterday afternoon we received an update regarding the number of questions and concerns relating to response times and members’ benefits. The company has hired 2 new members to the Benefits Department. Melissa Albert and Melanie Lamoureux. It is our understanding though that these individuals will be based out of Calgary assisting Karen Graham Banman who is here in Regina.
If it is unclear whether a backlog issue has been resolved, the Benefits Team will reach out to our employees with an inquiry along the lines of: ‘We’re working through the Benefits backlog and want to make sure we are addressing any open issues. We want to confirm your question has been answered, please let us know if that is not the case’.
We also ask that our employees continue to use the department contacts rather than reaching out to individual team members within the departments. This will help to en-sure the best possible coverage and response times.
Payroll Department Email Address for Canada
Payroll.Canada@evrazna.com
Payroll Department Toll-Free Phone Number
1-888-305-1767
Benefits Department Email Address
benefits.pension@evrazna.com
Benefits Department Toll-Free Phone Number
1-844-924-7636
Their initial priority is to focus on resolving medical and dental coverage issues. All necessary updates have been made in Workday for medical and dental coverage through at least October 9 and will continue to be updated.
If you are emailing one of the company contacts please include one of your top 5 executive members to that email,
Mike Day- m.day@usw5890.com
Ryan McKenzie- r.mckenzie@usw5890.com
Steve Olson- s.olson@usw5890.com
Dana Faul- d.faul@usw5890.com
Tory Sand- t.sand@usw5890.com
With only a week until the provincial election, the Sask. Party needs to be clear about their plans for working people in the province, and whether or not they are planning on bringing forward anti-worker labour legislation and privatizing public services that Saskatchewan people rely on, should they be re-elected.
“We’ve seen past Sask. Party governments pass labour legislation that attempted to take away a workers right to strike, and make it more difficult for workers to unionize,” said Saskatchewan Federation of Labour (SFL) President Lori Johb. “We’ve also seen past Sask. Party governments sell-off crown corporations and make deep cuts to health care and education. “With the provincial election just days away, the Sask. Party needs to come clean on their plans for working people in the province.”
Johb pointed to Alberta, where the UCP government has passed draconian labour legislation that weakens worker rights, takes away overtime pay for workers, and limits a unions ability to advocate on behalf of its members. At their convention last weekend, the UCP passed a resolution to support American-style “right to work” legislation that lowers wages and limits worker rights. The UCP also recently announced plans to fire 11,000 public healthcare workers.
“The Sask. Party needs to be upfront with Saskatchewan people about whether or not they would support introducing similar anti-worker legislation and if they would support making cuts that put jobs and healthcare at risk during a pandemic like their Conservative counterparts in Alberta,” Johb said. “Working people in Saskatchewan deserve to know what the Sask. Party’s plans are before they cast their ballot.”
–
Brothers and Sisters,
It is with great sadness that I inform you that on Wednesday Oct 7,2020 we lost one of our brothers, Brent Evans. Brent has been a member of 5890 since 1990 and gone to soon at the age of 63. Today there is a private service to remember Brent. Please keep Brent, his wife Bridget and the rest of the Evans Family in your prayers.
https://leaderpost.remembering.ca/obituary/brent-evans-1080425819
Please see below updated benefit and S.U.B information
Brothers and Sisters,
After many discussions with the company regarding the B15 [hollywood ] Shift, the Union and Company have come to a resolution.
The Union and company recognize the B15 as a preferable shift.
The schedule rotates completely in a three week cycle and as such it is agreed that for the B15 and only the B15 schedule, Article 8.09/2/(iii) shall be substituted with the following
In determining the number of hours worked in any 21 day period (B15 only), all regularly scheduled straight time hours plus regularly scheduled hours worked on a Stat holiday will be included. The first eight hours over 120 in the 21-day period will be paid at 1.5 times the employee’s base hourly rate and all additional hours over 128 in the 21-day period will be paid at two times the employee’s base hourly rate.
Either party may withdraw from this agreement by giving 21 days written notice.
As per Article 12.12 Lay-Off Procedure, and in accordance with the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between U.S.W. Local 5890 and Evraz Inc. Na., the employees listed will be laid off indefinitely effective end of shift September 26, 2020.A letter of confirmation will also be mailed to their last known address.
Brother’s and Sister’s from the Steel Division,
There appears to be some confusion on the companies schedules regarding the Thursday day shift. The Company and Union agreed that the Thursday day shift would be scheduled as a 12 hour shift but the last 4 hours would be the dead shift that the company didn’t intend to work but if they did the company agreed to post as the C.B.A states under article 8.09,
Any employee willing to work on their designated dead shift
will place their name on a list provided for such purpose on
a month to month basis. The month notice never happened. The local would like to remind it’s members of Article 9.01 which states,
The Company shall give notice of overtime as far in advance
as is practical. All overtime work shall be voluntary.
REGINA, Saskatchewan & VANCOUVER, British Columbia & TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)– National and Western Canada leaders of the United Steelworkers union (USW) say news of pending layoffs at Evraz Steel in Regina is the result of the federal government’s failure to commit to use Canadian products in Canadian infrastructure projects.
“It should not happen that one Canadian company can decide not to use Canadian steel products in its infrastructure projects,” said USW National Director Ken Neumann. “Our government has failed to protect Canadian jobs and does not even have a Canadian-made procurement strategy for public infrastructure projects, let alone private projects that impact our economic future.”
Steelworkers’ jobs at the Regina pipe mill are in jeopardy after it was learned that an order to make 48-inch pipe for energy infrastructure company TC Energy in Northern Alberta has been given to an offshore company.
