29 December, 2020

Dear Sisters and Brothers;

Lately we’ve heard from members who have expressed concern over some recent appointments that have been made by the Corporation.  Individuals have indicated outrage over Regular Status employees being placed in vacant positions, without posting the required Employment Circular and entertaining bids from eligible members. (Article E1.1 of the Collective Agreement.)  Circumventing the Agreement is a direct attack on members’ seniority rights.  And as you know, the IBEW holds “seniority” as one of its most fundamental principles.

Manitoba Hydro is proposing that a number of vacant Staff Status positions be filled directly from the pool of Regular Status employees.  If this is unchallenged, it opens the door to denying currently eligible Staff Status members the ability to bid on desirable positions, thereby shutting them out of earned opportunities.  The Corporation’s motivation for this approach is the reduction of relocation costs and the avoidance of a domino effect that an open bidding process might unleash. 

Since April 2019, your union has tried to work with the employer to find some solution that addresses the concerns of both parties.  We have suggested strategies to minimize costs but have NEVER AGREED TO SURRENDER YOUR SENIORITY RIGHTS.  Part of Hydro’s effort in September of 2019 was to circulate of an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the then currently vacant positions.  Nothing came of the EOI and none of the candidates who expressed interest received appointments at that time. 

In October 2020, the Corporation declared that it would be converting 47 regular status PLTs to Staff Status positions in a variety of locations.  It claimed that it was basing these appointments on information contained in the 2019 Expression of Interest.  We asked the Corporation to re-canvas members in order to gather current data about present vacancies and members’ interests, but to no avail.  

As a result of the flagrant breach of seniority rights being committed by Hydro, we have filed a Policy Grievance alleging violation of article E1.1.  That matter has been both heard and denied by the Corporation.  The grievance has now been advanced to expedited arbitration.  

Our information indicates that Hydro is currently appointing members to unadvertised vacant positions.  The Corporation’s actions can hold very negative outcomes for employees.  In the past 1½ years employee situations may have changed and the information they provided in the 2019 EOI could well be outdated.  Location availability may have changed, and members who had not previously been attracted may now be interested. 

The above outlines our progress to date.  Please be assured that this attack on seniority rights is being challenged as quickly and forcefully as possible.  You will be kept informed of any developments in this area as those arise.

In solidarity,

Business Manager
IBEW Local Union 2034