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15 October, 2019
Dear Sisters and Brothers;
Manitoba’s recent snowstorm has taken a huge toll on the province. During this time, IBEW 2034 members have risen to the challenge and once again put themselves out there for Manitobans. Many of you volunteered to work long hours in the most adverse conditions to restore and protect the province’s electrical grid. The union and the utility together admire your professionalism and dedication, and we do not take it for granted. On behalf of the IBEW 2034 Executive Board, sincerest thanks go out to all of you working to make our province’s lights shine brightly again. Manitoba Hydro has also asked that we convey its deep appreciation to all of you at this time as well.
Over an extremely busy Thanksgiving weekend, Manitoba Hydro was able to coordinate accommodations and meals for staff, but as with all emergency situations and particularly disasters of this scale, there have been challenges. A number of IBEW 2034 members and their families have alerted both the union and the corporation to some less-than-optimal situations and conditions over the last week. The issues you’ve highlighted cover accommodations, commuting, and meals during the extended shifts assigned to IBEW members. Both IBEW 2034 and Manitoba Hydro thank you for alerting us to and explaining the challenges you are facing.
The union and the utility have met and are working together to solve the problems you’ve brought forward. The corporation has promised us improvement in the quality of accommodations, commuting and meals as you continue to restore power to Hydro’s customers. Manitoba Hydro has confirmed that it is fully committed to working within the provisions of its Collective Agreement with IBEW 2034 as everyone works together to tackle the devastation caused by this storm.
Earlier today, IBEW 2034 met with Manitoba Hydro’s Emergency Communication Centre staff to clarify and understand what exactly is happening to employees in the field. There are some common questions both the union and the corporation are hearing from employees. Here are the FAQs:
Q. Can Hydro force me to stay in a temporary camp? Can I go home after my 16-hour shift?
A. As always, the safety of employees is the number one priority. If employees are placed on standby, the expectation is that they will stay at camp, but they may return home for the night if the distance is 30 minutes or less. Corporate vehicles are not to be used for this purpose.
Q. If I go home, will I be paid mileage and travel time?
A. Mileage will be paid at the commuting rate under policy. Travel time is not provided.
Q. Can Manitoba Hydro cancel vacations?
A. Yes, any previously approved vacation may be cancelled. Any future vacation requests may be denied. If previously approved vacation is cancelled, the corporation will reimburse unrecoverable, out-of-pocket vacation expenses, provided proper documentation is provided.
Q. What happens to pre-paid tickets and expenses if vacations are cancelled?
A. If an employee has their vacation cancelled, they should have a discussion with their supervisor about eligibility for out-of-pocket expenses.
Q. Can our banked time be increased?
A. The 80-hour limit on banked overtime is under review by the corporation.
Q. I want to work but I am not getting called. What do I do?
A. Contact your supervisor or manager. A basic level of staffing may be needed in some areas to maintain departmental priorities, and so, not everyone can be assigned to storm restoration efforts.
Q. When are meals supposed to be provided to us?
A. Breakfast will be provided first thing in the morning before staff are deployed. A bag lunch will be given to staff so they can eat in the field when they are hungry. Dinner will be provided in the evening between 5:00 or 7:00 p.m., and food will be made available when the crews arrive back after their shift. As well, an assortment of snacks and drinks will be provided for consumption throughout the day. Overtime meals will be paid at intervals outlined in the collective agreement.
Q. What counts as a meal provided by Manitoba Hydro? Is it a hot meal?
A. The corporation assures us that it will do its best to provide employees with a hot breakfast and a hot supper.
Q. I’m on standby but not being called out. Don’t they have to dispatch me?
A. Hydro has stated that if there is a need for employees to respond to an emerging situation in their normal work area (unrelated to storm restoration efforts), then yes, employees on standby will be called out.
These are general answers for most cases. However, many circumstances are specific to different situations (e.g. medical conditions, hardship cases, etc.). If you feel you are in a special circumstance that requires different treatment, please speak with your supervisor and with your IBEW 2034 representative immediately so we can get you the appropriate answer.
There will undoubtedly be other questions that come up. We encourage you to send those questions or concerns in to the IBEW 2034 office as soon as they arise. We will do our best to get you an answer as quickly as possible.
Once again, thank you for your patience and commitment as we all work to tackle this unparalleled storm.
In solidarity,
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