Rexall Pharmacies ULC (Edmonton) Collective Agreement 2024-2028

Article 30: Layoff and Recall

1.  
   1. Prior to layoffs occurring, the parties will meet and discuss the timing and specific process to be followed and any other issue the parties deem appropriate.
   2. In case it becomes necessary to reduce the number of Employees or regularly scheduled hours worked by Employees, the Employer will notify the Union and all Employees who are to be laid off at least fourteen (14) calendar days prior to layoff, except that the fourteen (14) calendar days notice shall not apply where the layoff results from an Act of God, fire, or flood.
   3. When notice of layoff is delivered to an Employee in person, the Employee may be accompanied by a representative of the Union, if one is available.
2.  

   1. Layoff shall be in reverse order of seniority within the affected classification and site, however, the Employer shall have the right to retain Employees who would otherwise be laid off when layoff in accordance with this Article would result in retaining Employees who are not capable and qualified of performing the work required.

      1. acceptance of an available vacancy;
      2. displacement of the least senior Employee in the classification in the bargaining unit;
      3. acceptance of layoff.

      An Employee affected by layoff may elect not to displace the least senior Employee and be laid off without forfeiting recall rights.
      
      If the Employee chooses a vacancy or displacement in a different site from which they were laid off, the Employee shall bear all applicable travel and/or relocation costs associated with such acceptance and the chosen location becomes the Employee's new site.

3. Recall
   1. When increasing the work force, recalls shall be carried out in order of seniority provided the Employee is capable and qualified of performing the work required.
   2. The method of recall shall be by telephone and, if such is not possible, by double registered letter sent to the Employee’s last known place of residence. The Employee so notified will return to work as soon as possible but, in any event, not later than five (5) days following either the date of the telephone call or the date the letter was registered.
   3.  
      1. The Employer shall endeavor to offer opportunities for casual work to laid off Employees in order of their seniority before assigning the work to a casual Employee, providing the laid off Employee is qualified and capable of performing the work required.
      2. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 30.03(c)(i), casual work shall first be made available to laid off Employees of the site from which the Employee was laid off.
      3. A laid off Employee may refuse an offer of casual work without adversely affecting their recall status.
      4. An Employee who accepts an offer of casual work shall be governed by the Collective Agreement provisions applicable to a casual Employee, however, such Employee’s recall status and seniority standing upon recall shall not be affected by the period of casual employment.
   4. For the purpose of this clause “Casual Work” shall mean:
      1. work on a call-in basis which is not regularly scheduled;
      2. regularly scheduled work for a period of three (3) months or less for a specific job; or
      3. work to relieve for an absence the duration of which is anticipated to be three (3) months or less.
   5. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 28.04, if an Employee is recalled for any length of time, other than for Casual Work, then that Employee’s period of recall rights starts anew.
4. No new regular or temporary Employees will be hired while there are other Employees within the Local Unit on layoff as long as laid off Employees are qualified and capable of performing the work required.
5. In the case of layoff, the Employee shall accrue earned vacation for the first (1st) month. The Employee’s increment date shall also be adjusted by the same amount of time as the layoff and the new increment date shall prevail thereafter. Employees shall not be entitled to Named Holidays with pay which may fall during the period of layoff.