FAQs

Last Updated: Friday, November 3rd, 2023 at 2:05pm.

This page provides answers to commonly asked questions regarding the Collective Agreement. It will be updated with answers to any new frequently asked questions or updated information on existing ones. You are encouraged to check back here before posing new questions you may have in the future.

If you have questions about your employment that relate to transactional or process functions of Human Resources, whether it by payroll or leave related etc. you can either get information or avail of intake and handling of all requests through the Employer’s MyHR, including via there online chat.

For any questions that are not answered at this FAQ nor by the Employer’s MyHR, please email our Team of Stewards at stewards@cupe1615.ca.

Current Collective Agreement

Coming into Force

When did the new Collective Agreement take effect? [Updated as of 2023/08/31]

The new Collective Agreement took effect as of the date of signing which was Monday, August 28th, 2023.

What changes took effect when the Collective Agreement came into force? [Updated as of 2023/08/31]

The New Collective Agreement took effect as of the date of signing and the changes are laid out in the ratified package of Amendments to the Collective Agreement.*

The changes were made to the most recent previous agreement, which is COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT between MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND and CUPE LOCAL 1615, April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2020.

*Disclaimer: This document is subject to proof reading, and corrections of grammatical/ syntax errors etc.

Where can I access the new Collective Agreement? [New as of 2023/08/31]

The most recent Collective Agreement can be accessed here.

For what period does this Collective Agreement cover? [New as of 2023/08/07]

The period covered by the new Collective Agreement will be as follows.
April 1st, 2022 – March 31, 2026

 

Monetary and Salary Related

Salary Raise, Retroactive Pay and Bonus

When can I expect my salary raise, Recognition Bonus, retroactive pay? [Updated 2023/11/02]

The salary raise of 2% and 2% was scheduled to show up on your pay starting in the 20th Pay Period (PP20) of this year on October 5th, 2023.

The Recognition Bonus was scheduled to be paid out in the 21st Pay Period (PP21) of this year on October 19th, 2023.

The retroactive pay was scheduled to be paid out in the 21st Pay Period (PP22) of this year on November 2nd, 2023.

Note: The employer agreed to pay these components out in a different pay periods by our request in order to reduce the up front Income Tax deducted by the employer.

When can I expect my Recognition Bonus? [Updated as of 2023/08/10]

The Recognition Bonus is scheduled to be paid out in the 21st Pay Period (PP21) of this year on October 19th, 2023.

The employer agreed to pay this out in a different pay period from the retroactive pay in order to reduce the up front Income Tax deducted by the employer.

When can I expect my retroactive pay? [Updated as of 2023/08/10]

The Recognition Bonus is scheduled to be paid out in the 21st Pay Period (PP21) of this year on October 19th, 2023.

The employer agreed to pay this out in a different pay period from the Recognition Bonus in order to reduce the up front Income Tax deducted by the employer.

If I was or am on Secondment, leave or retired from a CUPE 1615 position will I receive the CUPE 1615 Recognition Bonus? [Updated as of 2023/08/14]

Yes, if you are in a CUPE 1615 position at the date of signing. The bonus would be prorated based upon the time spent in a CUPE position over the previous 12 month period.

For the case of not being in a CUPE 1615 position at the date of signing, the employer will be calculating the bonus on the basis of amounts paid/ hours worked in a CUPE position. For further clarity, the employer has agreed that retirees will receive the bonus and will be paid out after active employees have, and those on leave will also receive the bonus upon return to work.

How is the amount of retroactive pay determined?

Retroactive pay will include the sum of 2% of your pay in the 25 pay periods from April 1st, 2022 to March 31st, 2023 plus the sum of an additional 2% on the pay periods from April 1st, 2023 to date of the pay period the employer issues the payment.

If I was or am on Secondment, leave or retired from a CUPE 1615 position will I receive retroactive pay? [Updated as of 2023/08/14]

Yes, if were in a CUPE 1615 position for any pay periods from April 1st, 2022 to the date of payout. You will receive the sum of the increase in pay for all those pay periods. The employer will be calculating the retroactive pay on the basis of amounts paid/ hours worked in a CUPE position.

If you were not in a CUPE 1615 position for any pay periods from April 1st, 2022 to the date of payout, there will be no retroactive pay.

[New] I’m on leave (e.g. LTD, Parental Leave, etc.) and didn’t receive one or both of the Recognition Bonus, retroactive pay. Is that correct or are there steps I should take? [Updated as of 2023/11/02]

Payroll has communicated that “those on leave will receive theirs when they return to work”. It is important to note that members on leave can receive payouts while they are still on leave upon request. In order make such a request, members should be in touch with the Employer’s MyHr.

One needs to of course qualify for those components. If you are unsure, please review the other FAQs and/or inquire with MyHr on that. If after that things are unclear you may email our Team of Stewards at stewards@cupe1615.ca.

Note: The employer has clarified that several types of payouts for those on different types of leave normally receive payouts, by default, only once they return to work. The employer has said that this is a policy based on the fact that some of those on leave that involve supplemental monetary support could be affected negatively by the timing of payouts; so it is left to the decision of the employee.

[New] Why didn’t I receive the full Recognition Bonus, even though I’m Fulltime and Permanent. [Updated as of 2023/11/02]

There is a dispute between the union local and the Employer on this matter. The employer believes that Fulltime and Permanent employees should have their bonus prorated where as the union local believes that they should receive it in full.

A grievance on this was filled on Friday, October 2023 and a Grievance meeting was held on Wednesday, November 1st, 2023. Once we receive an official reply, the Grievance Committee will meet in order to deliberate on whether the response is acceptable or whether to file for arbitration.

An update on this will be provided here once there is one.

[New] If I believe there was an error with my salary raise, Recognition Bonus, or retroactive pay, what should I do? [Updated as of 2023/11/02]

First review the other related FAQs and/or inquire with MyHr on the potential error.

If you don’t receive a response from MyHr or a response remains unclear after follow-up questions or you believe the employer is misapplying something for your scenario, you are encouraged to email our Team of Stewards at stewards@cupe1615.ca.

 

Band and Step Level of Salary Scale

[New] How do I determine on which Step and Band I was paid? [Updated as of 2023/11/03]

To determine the Step Level you can carry out the following steps.

  1. Navigate to and login into Memorial Self-Service
  2. Click on the “Employee Services” tab at the top and then Pay Information and Pay Stub
  3. Select the year and pay stub of interest
  4. Locate the Rate in the table labelled Earnings
  5. Calculate the associated salary by multiplying that Rate by 1820
  6. Identify that salary within the Salary Scale table effective at that time from the Salary Scales page

EXAMPLE – Employee with Shift Differential and Retro – Pay Period 22 of 2023

Step 4: Pay Stub

Sample Paystub with Outcrop of Regular pay Rate
Sample Paystub [CLICK to ENLARGE]

Step 5: Calculation of Associated Salary

Regular Salary = Regular Rate × 1820 = ($30.862637) × 1820 = $56,170

Step 6: Identifying Salary Table and Salary

Salary Scale in Effect
Selecting Salary Scale in Effect for Given Paystub
Identifying Band and Step Level [CLICK to ENLARGE]

If after trying that, you have not been able to determine your band, you may submit an inquiry to the Employer’s MyHr.

[New] How do I determine on which Step I am supposed to be paid? [Updated as of 2023/11/02]

One can determine step level by using the following stipulations in the Appendix B-1 of the CUPE 1615 Collective Agreement.

(a) Employees shall advance two (2) steps on their respective salary scale on completion of each successive twelve (12) months of service from their last step progression subject to the maximum of the range.
(b) A newly hired employee shall advance two (2) steps on the salary scale on completion of twelve months service after the employee is hired and thereafter shall advance two steps for each year of service subject to the maximum of the range.

If after trying that, you have not been able to determine your band, you may submit an inquiry to the Employer’s MyHr.

[New] How do I determine the Band of my position? [Updated as of 2023/11/02]

The Band should have been listed on the job ad for the position. The starting salary should also have been listed on your appointment letter and whichever column on the pay scale chart of the Salary Scales contains that salary indicates your band.

If after trying that, you have not been able to determine your band, you may submit an inquiry to the Employer’s MyHr.

 

Maternity/Adoption/Parental Leave – Supplemental Allowance

When can I avail of the Maternity/Adoption/Parental Leave Supplemental Allowance and is it retroactive?

Members can apply for the Parental Leave salary supplement paid by the employer after the date of signing.

Maternity/Adoption/Parental Leave Supplemental Allowance is not retroactive. If you have completed such a leave before the date of signing, you will not receive the supplement.

[Updated] If I am already on a Maternity/Adoption/Parental Leave and have remaining weeks, can I avail of the Supplemental Allowance? [Updated as of 2023/11/02]

The intention of the employer and the union local is to allow members to avail of the supplement in this situation though the employer is still working to ensure this is allowable within federal legislation and regulation. This is something that is still being figured out.

An update will be provided here once there is more information.

[New] How and where do I apply for the Maternity/Adoption/Parental Supplemental Allowance? [Updated as of 2023/11/02]

We are still awaiting specific details, direction and information from the Employer on this.

In the meantime, it is suggested that you see 31.05 (g) of CUPE 1615 Collective Agreement and the 3 steps/requirements to be granted the Supplemental Allowance.

(g) An employee who has been granted maternity/ adoption/ parental leave shall be paid a Supplemental Allowance in accordance with Article 31.05(h), provided that the employee:
(i) provides the Employer with proof that the employee has applied for and is in receipt of maternity or parental benefits pursuant to the Employment Insurance Act in respect of insurable employment with the Employer.
(ii) has completed six (6) months of continuous employment before the commencement of the maternity/adoption/parental leave and is eligible for the Employer’s Group Benefits Plan.
(iii) has signed an agreement with the Employer stating that:
(A) within eighteen (18) months following the employee’s return to work, as described in Article 31.05(d), the employee will work a period equal to the number of full-time weeks for which the employee received the Supplemental Allowance.
(B) for the purpose of Clause (A), periods of leave with pay shall count as time worked. Periods of leave without pay during the employee’s return to work will not be counted as time worked.
(C) should the employee fail to return to work in accordance with Article 31.05(d), for reasons other than death, contract or term end date, early termination due to lack of work, having become disabled, or another reason which is approved by Human Resources, the employee will be required to repay the Employer for the full amount of the Supplemental Allowance the employee has received;
(D) should the employee return to work but fail to work the total number of weeks as specified in Clause (A) for reasons other than death, contract or term end date, early termination due to lack of work, having become disabled, or another reason which is approved by Human Resources, the employee will be required to repay the Employer for the remaining number of weeks owing.

Until further direction on where/how to submit, it is suggested you submit the proof, criteria fulfillments, and a signed agreement as listed above to both your supervisor as well as the employer’s MyHr.

 

Compression of Step Salary Scale

Will the compression of the step salary scale be retroactive?

No.

When retroactive pay is calculated it will be done using the step salary scale that was in place for those pay periods.

When the compression of the step salary scale takes affect, will my step level number change? [New as of 2023/08/07]

Yes; with the following important distinction.

If you are on a step from 1-17 on the present step salary scale, you will move to current step 18, which will be renumbered to step 1 in the new scale. If you are on a step from 18-36, you will not move on the scale and steps 19-36 will renumbered to 2-19 respectively.

When the compression of the step salary scale takes affect, will my anniversary date for awarding increment of steps stay the same or will it change? [Updated as of 2023/08/10]

Your date for progression of steps will remain the same.

For example, if an employee has an anniversary date of August 29th and is affected by compression of steps, the following would happen. That employee would move to step 18 ( new step 1) effective the date of signing (August 28th) and then move to step 3 (old step 20) effective the 29th.

If I were to leave a CUPE 1615 position now (or in the past) and move into a position under another union local or become non-bargaining, will I be on the same compressed step salary scale? [New as of 2023/08/09]

No.

If the employer were to also compress other step salary scales on campus, that would be a separate decision(s) and one in which CUPE 1615 is not involved.

*What will the step pay scale look like for the current period (April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2024) after the step compression, and the two 2% increases have taken place? [Updated as of 2023/08/10]

The April 1st, 2023 to March 31st, 2024 is expected to look as follows.*

 

Summer Hours and Overtime

What does the change to 24.07 mean for overtime during the summer? [New as of 2023/08/09]

The new language clarifies that if someone is asked to work an extra half hour, relative to summer hours, on a regular work day, you will not get paid twice for that 1/2 hour.

With the change to 24.07, if I am asked to come in on a day other than my regular work day, will I get overtime for all time worked? [New as of 2023/08/09]

Yes.

If you’ve only worked 32 1/2 hours during your regular 5 day work week, once you are asked to work on an additional day(s), you shall receive overtime pay at the rate of one and one-half (1 1/2) times your regular hourly rate or compensatory time off (“in lieu”) at the rate of one and one-half (1 1/2) hours off.

For example, if you work Monday – Friday 9:00am-4:30pm, and you are asked to work 3 hours on Saturday or Sunday, you will be compensated for the full 3 hours at 1 1/2 times the rate.