
	Saturday July 4, 2009

What is SP?

SP is SERVICE PROGRAM, the new Classification Standard for all those members who are currently under the Program Delivery and Administrative Services. (This is everyone covered under the collective agreement except the MG group.)

Lysanne M. Gauvin, Assistant Commissioner, Human Resources Branch has advised us via email that the employer is proceeding with the implementation of the new classification standard. One of their first steps is to roll out the new SP Short Work Description Format. This can be seen as a positive action. This will allow Union and Management to resolve the issues of job content without a conflict regarding classification and/or pay. The Employer in discussions with the Union has decided the Short Format will be rolled out by the Team Leaders with the assistance of a Union and Management SP Contact Person. Every Office has identified a Union SP Contact and a Management SP Contact. These individuals were trained together and will be jointly responsible for training all the Team Leaders in their respective locations. These SP Contacts will also be available to answer any questions regarding the new short format.

The employer expects that all Team Leaders will be trained by mid November, and the work descriptions will be available for distribution to all employees by January 31, 2007.

The work descriptions will not look the same as those of the past. The employer’s intention is to write the description of our duties to the four factors identified in the Canadian Human Rights Decision on Pay Equity, as opposed to the current format of writing exactly to the classification standard.

One major consideration for all is the description; although it will be written in the new format it will still remain classified under the old standard. The employer can not proceed with classifying positions under the new standard until all consultations with the union are completed and the new pay bands are negotiated during bargaining. UTE encourages all members to focus on the actual content of the new description, to ensure that it does properly reflect your duties. When the new standard is ready for implementation you will be able to focus on the classification not the content of your description.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this process over the next few months we urge you to contact your Local Union SP Contact Person.

Linda Cassidy
Chairperson Staffing Committee

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