Bonnyville Health Centre Collective Agreement 2020-2024

LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING #8

BETWEEN

COVENANT HEALTH, BONNYVILLE HEALTH CENTRE
- AND -

HEALTH SCIENCES ASSOCIATION OF ALBERTA

ALTERNATE SCHEDULING OPTION TRIAL FOR FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME EMPLOYEES
 

Whereas the Employer has advised that the current provisions in Article 14 prevent the Employer from developing contract compliant shift schedules in certain departments, and

Whereas the Parties agree that it may be mutually beneficial to make available a secondary option for shift schedules, 

Therefore, the Parties agree:

1. On a trial basis, for the term of this Collective Agreement, optional scheduling provisions will be available which may be applied with written agreement between the Employer and the Union. 
   
   Where this option is applied, the relevant provisions of Article 14.07(c) or Article 14.08(c) shall be amended as follows:
   
   (i)     not more than two (2) different shift starting times between scheduled days off;
   (ii)    at least two (2) of the scheduled days off to be consecutive in each two (2) week period;
   (iii)   excepting Part-Time Employees who are employed specifically for weekend work, where possible one (1) weekend off in each two (2) week period but, in any event, two (2) weekends off in each five (5) week period;
   (iv)   at least fifteen and one-half (15 1/2) hours between scheduled shifts;
   (v)    no split shifts; and
   (vi)   not more than seven (7) consecutive scheduled days of work.
   
   Clause 14.08(e)(iv) shall be amended as follows:
   (iv)    The Part-Time Employee does not work in excess of seven (7) consecutive days, without days off.
   
   All other provisions of Article 14 remain in full effect. The written agreement shall include the shift schedule to which the agreement applies. Any agreement made pursuant to this Letter of Understanding shall be on a trial basis for a period of six (6) months and may be terminated by either party with eight (8) weeks’ written notice. The trial period may be extended by mutual agreement. When the agreement has been terminated the shift schedules shall revert back to the schedule in place prior to the trial and the Parties shall sign an agreement for optional scheduling as per Article 14.10, where required.
    
2. The Parties will meet within sixty (60) days of the date of ratification to begin discussions to review the current scheduling provisions and look for possible solutions and/or alternative(s) to the current provisions that will result in compliant shift schedules.  

This Letter of Understanding will expire March 31, 2024, or upon the date of ratification of the next Collective Agreement, whichever is later.