Occupational Health and Safety Committee:
NVITEA Representatives, Denyse Oswald-Finch – Tom Willms – Molly Toodlican
From ARTICLE 26.4
26.4.1 The Institute shall maintain an Occupational Health and Safety Committee in keeping with the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations of the Worker’s Compensation Board and ensure such committees carry out all the duties and responsibilities in accordance with the regulations.
26.4.2 The Occupational Health and Safety Committee shall assist in creating a safe place of work, shall recommend actions that will improve the effectiveness of the occupational health and safety program, and shall promote compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety regulations.
26.4.3 The Employer agrees to provide employees information and orientation to health and safety measures, as required by applicable legislation.
Joint Union-Management Committee:
NVITEA Representatives, Dale Calder – Kennedy Bergstrom
From ARTICLE 10
10.1 The Union and the Employer recognize the mutual value of ongoing joint discussions through a Union-Management Committee on matters pertaining to working conditions.
10.2 Composition
10.2.1 The Committee shall be composed of (2) representatives of the Employer and two (2) representatives of the Union.
If possible, at least one (1) of the representatives of the Union and one (1) representative of the Employer will have been members of their respective negotiating committees.
10.2.2 Additional representatives or resource people may attend the meetings from time to time in order to provide information and/or assistance to the Committee.
The Committee shall be chaired on a rotational basis with a member of the Employer’s delegation chairing on even numbered years and a member of the Union’s delegation chairing on odd numbered years. The chair will be responsible for the preparation and circulation of the agenda, minute of the meetings, and the arrangement of the meeting rooms.
10.2.3 The Committee shall meet at least once per academic year, or at the request of either party to discuss and make recommendations to their respective principals on, but not limited to such matters as:
- Changes to employee benefits,
- Position classifications,
- Services,
- Labour-management relations,
- Issues with application or interpretation of parts of this Agreement,
- Matters of employer-employee relations arising out of this Agreement,
- Recommended amendments or additions to this Agreement whether or not there is an unresolved grievance or collective bargaining is underway,
- Operational priorities,
- Program performance and student enrollment, matters referred to the committee pursuant to the grievance procedure, and
- Policy matters under consideration by the Employer.
10.2.4 The Committee shall not have the authority to bind either party to this Agreement, or any agreement, but it may make recommendations to the parties’ principals.
Joint Professional Development Committee:
NVITEA Representatives, Nedra McKay – Kathie Horner – Jessica Stepp
From ARTICLE 11.4
11.4.1 The administration and allocation of the professional development fund is the responsibility of the Joint Professional Development Committee (JPDC). The JPDC shall determine the criteria and procedures for fund allocation.
11.4.2 The JPDC shall consist of three (3) members appointed by the Employer, and three (3) members appointed by and from the Union, one of which shall be a support staff member.
11.4.3 Professional development funds for continuing employees shall normally not exceed $2,000 per person per fiscal year. Group PD shall not normally exceed $10,000.
11.4.4 Upon approval by the Joint Professional Development Committee, any professional development funds remaining as of March 31st may be used to provide indemnity to eligible employees. Eligible employees are those who have requested professional development funds in the current fiscal year and who have spent more than the maximum amount allocated to them prior to March 31st. Eligible employees will be required to provide receipts and will be paid equitably from any remaining funds to a maximum amount of $500.00 each.
11.4.5 The JPDC will produce a year end report on the use of professional development activity and the use of funds. The purpose of this report, which shall include costs, shall be to monitor professional development efficiency. This report will be made available to the President of NVIT and to the Union.
11.4.6 Upon request, the Employer shall provide to the Union an accounting for all professional development expenditures.
Support Staff Employee Evaluation Committee:
NVITEA Representatives, Anna Brown – Dale Calder
Pending determination if this committee will continue.
Support Staff Issues Committee:
NVITEA Representatives, All Support Staff
This committee is for all support staff. Various meetings throughout the year will be set asking support staff to bring up any issues they may have in a safe supportive meeting meant only for support staff. The full Executive Team (including the faculty positions) may attend these meetings to provide additional support and clarification.
Joint Bargaining Issues Committee:
NVITEA Representatives, Kennedy Bergstrom – Nedra McKay
This committee was developed for NVITEA members who wish participate in the bargaining discussions. Any member can volunteer. The committee meets one per year in non-bargaining years and can be more frequent during a bargaining year. Members will discuss solutions to the issues that both faculty and support staff bring forward. Members may be asked to attend and participate in the bargaining sessions with management during the bargaining years. Members are asked to renew their participation each year.
Status of Women Committee:
NVITEA Representative, Cam Cox
Pending determination if this committee will continue.
Joint Working Group to Indigenize the Collective Agreement and NVIT:
NVITEA Representatives, Sharon McIvor – Elaine Herbert – Stacy Michel
From LOU #4
Whereas the parties to this collective agreement:
- Agree on the value and benefit of Indigenizing this collective agreement and, NVIT; and
- Recognize the mutual value of ongoing joint discussions in a culturally safe environment through an Indigenization focussed committee; and,
- Agree on the need to identify and explore ongoing opportunities to advance Indigenization at NVIT; and
- Agree to establish a Joint Working Group to begin the work of Indigenizing this collective agreement and NVIT.
PURPOSE
Develop recommendations to advance Indigenization of this Collective Agreement and at NVIT.
MANDATE
In recognition that the participants on the joint committee will bring with them their own unique perspective, experience and expertise, the Parties anticipate that the Joint Working Group will establish its own Terms of Reference.
COMPOSITION
The intention of the Parties is to ensure that the joint committee is open, inclusive and transparent welcoming from Elders, employees, learners, board members, local chiefs and members of the broader NVIT community.
The co-chairs of the current NVIT Indigenization Committee will be invited to actively participate in the Joint Working Group.
Notwithstanding the above, the core of the Joint Committee shall comprise three (3) representatives appointed by the Employer and three (3) representatives appointed by the Union. Each party will strive to include representatives from the Merritt and Burnaby campuses. Ideally, a minimum of here (3) of the representatives of the Union and a minimum of three (3) representatives of the Employer will have been members of their respective 2023 negotiating committees.
The committee will be Employer-Union co-chaired with the Union co-chair chosen by the Union representatives and the Employer co-chair chosen by the Employer representatives.
MEETINGS
The Joint Working Group will meet at its discretion.
To allow for broad participation, meetings will be held during work hours.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommendations must be submitted to the Parties – ie. Employer and Union, no later than November 30, 2023.
With the understanding that the Indigenization of the collective agreement is in the best interests of both Parties, recommendations from the Joint Working Group accepted by both Parties will be included in the Employer’s and Union’s set of bargaining proposals for the renewal of the 2022-2025 collective agreement.
The Joint Working Group does not have the authority to bind the Employer or Union to any recommendations.
PRACTICAL INITIATIVES
The Parties agree that to the extent possible, an Indigenization lens will be applied to their interactions.