USGE and the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) are embarking on an 11-month pilot project that will change the way grievances are handled for USGE members, that should help in improving the response times and that should lead to the overall reduction of outstanding grievances at all levels.
Starting on May 1, 2014 and ending on March 31, 2015 inclusive, the pilot project will launch a two-level grievance process for USGE members only. The two-level grievance procedure will apply to all individual and group grievances with the exception of grievances pertaining to:
- Harassment;
- National Generic Work descriptions;
- Classification; and
- NJC Directives.
During the project the new managers delegated to answer grievances at Level 1 will be:
- Warden or equivalent (Institution);
- District Director (Community);
- Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Institutional Operations or Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Corporate Services (RHQ);
- Director General (NHQ); and
- Regional Director (CORCAN and Health Services).
The manager delegated to answer grievances at Level 2 (Final Level) will be the Assistant Commissioner, Human Resources Management.
For USGE members this means that the Locals will no longer be formally representing members during their grievance hearings. The RVPs will be the representatives for USGE members. However Local representatives will be expected to support the RVPs in the preparation of the grievance file and may even continue to participate in 1st level grievance hearings. It is also expected that Local representatives continue in their efforts to try and resolve the issue with the grievor and the immediate supervisor/manager through informal discussions.
USGE strongly urges all CSC Locals representatives to contact their RVPs for further information on this project. USGE is supporting this initiative and asks that our members do the same. By streamlining the process we can improve the response time by the CSC, facilitate informal discussions between employees and supervisors and ensure that the issues giving rise to grievances are resolved in a more timely manner.