Category: Bulletin

CRPEG Bargaining Update # 14. Ratification Package and In-person Meeting.

A tentative agreement was reached on March 9, 2022. Your Bargaining Team is remaining neutral on the ratification, neither to accept nor to reject the tentative agreement. 

It is important that you take the time to review everything prior to voting and prior to asking questions to the Bargaining Team. You will find all the information here. 

Should you require more information, the details will be presented:

  • At an in-person meeting at the Lion’s Hall on March 21. Doors will open at 5:45 PM. The presentation will start at 6:00 PM and will be simultaneously broadcasted through Zoom. There will be a questions and answers session. RSVP for in-person or Zoom.
  • At a second virtual-only meeting on March 22 at 5:30 PM through Zoom. There will be a questions and answers session. RSVP for Zoom.

If you are planning to attend the in-person meeting at the Lion’s Hall, please RSVP by Friday, March 18 at 3:00 PM as there is limited space. Based on the RSVPs, pizza and drinks will be provided.

All members will receive voting instructions and a voting key by March 21. If you have not received your voting key by end of day March 21, please contact Natalie Bélanger at nbelanger@pipsc.ca. Voting will start on March 22 at 9:00 AM. In order for your vote to be counted, your electronic voting key must be used by 12:00 PM on March 24.

A YES vote means that you accept all the proposed changes to the collective agreement. 

A NO vote means that you reject the tentative agreement and you reaffirm the CRPEG strike vote.

The results will be posted and emailed as soon as they are available.


On behalf of your CRPEG bargaining team, we thank you for your continued interest. 

CRPEG Information Picket

CRPEG is holding an information picket on Tuesday morning March 1, 2022, at the outer gate on the Plant Road starting at 6 AM. Please be advised of possible traffic delays. A pamphlet (see below) will be distributed to employees.

CRPEG will be in a legal strike position on March 14 at 12.01 AM. Your CRPEG negotiations team has communicated its willingness to return to bargaining with the company and the help of the mediator. The Company has not reached out to resume negotiations.

crpeg-strike-flyer-finalDownload

CRPEG Bargaining Update #13

On February 7, 2022, we entered into three days of conciliation with CNL. 

We would like to thank the appointed conciliation officer for his help. We came to the table ready to negotiate with a strong mandate for job action, in hopes of pressuring the company to finally make a fair offer. 

We did not reach a deal. 

The company made a marginal increase to their offer, but nowhere near what our professional members deserve. We have communicated to the company that their offer is not acceptable. The conciliation period ends on February 20, and the bargaining team stands ready to discuss a fair and reasonable offer with the company when they provide one. 

We recognize the uncertainty and frustration that negotiations bring. Now more than ever, we need to stand united and continue to fight for fair pay for our professional work.  

Our team will be meeting in the coming days to discuss our next steps given our mandate for job action, and how we’ll continue to build pressure to get the deal that you deserve. 

We’ll be in touch as soon as possible with an update and how you can get involved. 

In solidarity, 

Jonathan Fitzpatrick 
On behalf of your CRPEG bargaining team

Bargaining Update #12

OVERWHELMING STRIKE SUPPORT

On January 26 & 27 CRPEG held special Zoom meetings to discuss negotiations of our collective agreement. All terms of CRPEG’s issues and CNL’s meager offer were shared with the members. The CRPEG negotiations team is now at a standstill with CNL and heading to conciliation on February 7, 8 and 9, 2022.

A strike vote was held by electronic ballot, and the vote was open from February 1 to February 3. Our members have cast the strongest ever majority vote in favour of taking workplace action, up to and including strike action, if a tentative agreement cannot be reached.

The last strike vote taken by the CRPEG membership was in December 2018. That positive strike vote and hard work done by your bargaining team with the support of the members resulted in achieving the last contract. With strong member support, a strong strike vote and the bargaining team’s strong resolve to succeed, there is a possibility of reaching a fair and competitive contract that recognizes the membership’s professional work.

CRPEG Bargaining Update

The CRPEG bargaining team met with the employer on Dec. 17 & 18, 2020. This meeting was a good start to the negotiations. A small number of administrative changes were agreed to and signed off. The negotiations will resume with dates in January and February, 2021. 

Following best practices in this time of Covid-19, the negotiations are being conducted virtually. There are a number of technical issues with the socially distant set-up, including lack of bandwidth, but the teams are committed to working together virtually. 

Thank you all for your continued support and Happy Holidays. Stay safe and take care.

Your bargaining team. 

New Collective Agreement Signed on 10/April/2019

The collective agreement between Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada in respect of the Chalk River Professional Employees Group (CRPEG) was signed on April 10, 2019 during a special signing ceremony at the Chalk River site.  

From left to right: Nick Resetar (CNL labour relations director), Jonathan Fitzpatrick, (CRPEG president), Denise Doherty-Delorme (PIPSC negotiator)
  • negotiations_team_2019 (present during the ceremony)
  • CRPEG team (Present during the ceremony)

CRPEG Bulletin (2018 December 18)

With the transfer from active contributors to the Public Service Pension Plan complete some of our members have been approached with the “opportunity” to cash out their defined benefit pension plans and invest this money with a local financial advisor or investment advisor.

Ultimately everyone is responsible for making their own decisions about retirement planning.  The CRPEG executive would like to remind you that there are a variety of considerations you need to take into account when removing money from any pension, but especially one with a defined benefit that is backed by the Government of Canada.  One of the unique benefits offered to qualifying members of the public service pension plan is access to subsidized medical and drug coverage.  This coverage is unique in the pension industry and its value cannot be over-stated.  Additionally, as a defined benefit pension, the amount of retirement income available to the member is guaranteed and it is adjusted annually based on inflation.

When seeking financial advice it is not always clear how the individual advising you is being compensated.  The Government of Canada has set up a web page about savings and investments that has advice on choosing a financial service provider and what questions you should be asking.  In Canada there are two classifications of financial services, a financial advisor who manages your money, and a financial planner who helps you plan for retirement.  Only the financial planner has a fiduciary (legal) obligation to always act in your best interest.  The Financial Planning Standards Council recommends that an individual consult both a financial planner and a financial advisor with the caveat that the best practice is to have these be two separate entities, to remove conflict of interest.

For more information, please see:  https://www.canada.ca/en/services/finance/savings.html

Ratification Vote (06/12/2018) Result

We are pleased to announce that the ratification vote of the new collective agreement has passed. The contract has therefore been ratified by the membership.

Thank you to all those who came out to last night’s (06/12/2018) vote.

Our next steps will be to work with the company to incorporate the new changes into the text of the agreement, sign it, and arrange for distribution of copies to the members.

With respect to increases and retroactive payments, we will discuss with the company their ability to respond and provide additional details where possible.

Thank you to our negotiations team for their dedication, professionalism, and hard work throughout the process.

We would also like to thank our volunteers and scrutineers for their time, commitment, and involvement.

Best wishes to all, and Merry Christmas!