Chalk River Professional Employees Group (CRPEG)

Hello CRPEG members,

Your CRPEG Negotiations Team met a number of times over the spring, summer and fall to prepare for the next round of negotiations. Your current collective agreement will expire on December 31^st, 2023. Your team is using the results of the member survey of spring 2023 to formulate the list of priorities and proposals. Some of the priorities that were identified are the current cost of living, scale and merit increases, remote work conditions, vacation, promotions, benefits and leave.

The team met on November 9 with the Company for one day to exchange proposals. Negotiation meetings have been scheduled with the company for December and January 2024. Future negotiation dates will be scheduled in the New Year.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the negotiations team via the following email address: crpeg_negotiations@pipsc.ca

In solidarity,

Your Negotiations Team

Hello CRPEG members,

CRPEG is submitting three separate proposals for the 2024 round of negotiations for the renewal of the CRPEG collective agreement; administrative changes (presented November 09, 2023), general non-monetary proposals presented in this last session on December 7th, and salary proposals to be presented in the new year. A number of negotiation meetings have been scheduled in 2024 in January, February and April.

The CRPEG membership has given the bargaining team a clear mandate: improve working conditions, promote members’ rights and interests, and vigorously safeguard professional standards. In this round, we will build on the successes the parties collectively achieved in previous rounds since 1993. Our goal, as always, is to reach a fair and equitable agreement at the bargaining table. The agreement is a mature agreement and as such a thorough review of the terms and benefits was necessary. The terms of the contract have been relatively stagnant for a considerable period of time, with only minor changes to benefits and conditions.

The company faces significant hurdles in attracting and retaining the staff required to meet its goals. The number of vacancies for professional scientists and engineers for bargaining unit positions remains high. Our members consistently report that they are overworked due to insufficient staffing.

Together, we must learn how to be successful in addressing challenges of an ever-changing work environment, which includes remote work and on site work. After several years of working within this changing environment, we now have experience to help interpret and shape articles and conditions to produce clearer guidelines for our working environment. Changes made during the past pandemic require refinement given the benefit of hindsight, and areas of neglect need new attention and refreshing based on current real-world conditions.

It is our hope that these will be approached with open minds on both sides. With all of the changes going on around us, the CRPEG commits to think creatively and work openly and honestly together with the Company to reach our goal of a fair agreement that fully recognizes the professional work of the membership.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the negotiations team via the following email address: crpeg_negotiations@pipsc.ca

In solidarity,

Your CRPEG Negotiations Team

The CRPEG Collective Agreement for 2021 January 01 – 2023 December 31 was officially signed in a ceremony held at CRL on 2022 September 06 afternoon.

We have uploaded the unsigned version under the Collective Agreement page. A fully signed version, when ready, will be uploaded on that page as well as on the PIPSC website and on myCNL under the “Employee Relations” section.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the PIPSC bargaining team for their dedication and their continuous support throughout this process, especially:

• Denise Doherty-Delorme, PIPSC Negotiator
• Josianne Drouin, PIPSC Labour Relations Associate
• John Anderson, PIPSC Senior Research Officer
• Jennifer Carr, PIPSC President

Our special thanks to CRPEG bargaining committee members and most of all we would like to thank CRPEG members for their continuous support.

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 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.

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

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.

Please see attached CRPEG bargaining update flyer. If you have any comments or concerns please contact your CRPEG bargaining team.