Return To Work Q&A
Will I be paid to attend the Orientation session?
Yes, this is a mandatory session for which you will be paid four hours.
What if I can’t attend this session?
Your presence at this session is critical to get you back to work in a timely fashion. If you do not attend, this will be considered a voluntary resignation from employment with Vale. If there are extraordinary circumstances that prevent you from attending, you must call the Return to Work Coordinator at (705) 682-6830.
When will I start getting my regular pay?
Your regular pay will begin upon the first regular shift back at your plant.
When will my benefits start?
Benefits were reinstated effective July 8, 2010. Note that due to programming requirements for the benefits carrier, electronic point of sale processing may not be in place for the seven business days. If this occurs, you can submit a claim be reimbursed for eligible out-of-pocket expenses.
Why can’t you tell me when to report for my first shift?
While our aim is to get everyone back as quickly as possible, the transition to normal operations must take place in a safe and orderly way based on the most urgent needs of the business. Due to the required workforce balancing process, we will need time to ensure we have the appropriate number of people required to run the business in the proper plants and mines. You will be informed at the Orientation session when to report back to an Information Session. You will be informed at that Information Session when to report for your first regular shift.
How do I know if I am due to be fit tested?
If you wear a tight-fitting respirator (including dust mask, half-face or full-face respirator) and it has been more than two years since you were last fit tested, you are due for fit testing (note, employees at the CCNR and Electrowinning need to be fit tested annually). If you wear multiple tight-fitting respirators, you need to be fit tested for each different type. We have a record of each of the respirators that have been assigned to you. All employees that are past due will be required to be fit tested during the Orientation session. In order to be fit tested for a tight-fitting respirator, you must be clean shaven.
Who will be affected by the workforce balancing?
Based on retirements and resignations during the strike, there are a number of vacancies that will need to be filled. We anticipate a surplus in operations at the Smelter, Matte Processing, Electrowinning, Transportation, Filter Plant, Divisional Shops, Central Tailings, Clarabelle Mill, Garson Mine, Coleman Mine, Misc. Mines (All Mines Construction, All Mines Development). In addition, there may be a surplus of employees in the Electrical, HDET, Instrumentation, Millwright, and Welder trade classifications. Those employees who may be eligible to fill vacancies or are in plants that are currently in surplus will receive Reassignment Choice Cards in the package mailed to you, listing various plants as possible destinations.
If I have received a Reassignment Choice Card, what do I do with it?
If you have received a Reassignment Choice Card, please fill it out and bring it with you to the Orientation Session.
How can I fill out a Reassignment Choice Card if the vacancies aren’t known yet?
We appreciate that it may be challenging to indicate preferences with incomplete information, however in the absence of understanding who has chosen to leave the company or elected to retire, we can not be sure what our workforce looks like. As part of the Return to Work Agreement negotiated with the USW, there is a pressing requirement to complete the workforce balancing process as quickly and efficiently as possible so that employees can be notified of any changes to their plant location before they return to full-time shift schedules.
When will I be notified if I’m being reassigned to another plant?
If you are affected by the workforce balancing, you will be contacted sometime during the week of July 26th.
Can I request to transfer plants by filling out a Reassignment Choice Card?
No, we are embarking on a workforce balancing process, not a request transfer process. Workforce balancing is required as a result of the retirements and voluntary resignations we’ve experienced since the strike began. Only those who may be affected – all employees in trades classifications and those operations employees in a plant where a surplus is anticipated – are required to fill out a Reassignment Choice Card and return it to the Company no later than Thursday July 22nd.
I’m working out of town and not able to make it back to my Orientation Session. Does this mean I will be fired?
The Orientation is a mandatory session and you are asked to make every effort to be there. If you cannot make it to your scheduled Orientation Session, please call the RTW coordinator at 682-6830.
Provisions may be made for special circumstances to make up the Orientation Session – but it is important to make contact with the company to confirm your intention to return to work. It is also important that you get your Vacation Canvas Form and Reassignment Choice Card (if applicable) in to the Company no later than July 22nd.
What if I have work scheduled and can’t make it to the mandatory two-day off-site Employee Information Session?
You are required to attend the two-day off-site Employee Information Session, as indicated in the registration package you receive at the Orientation Session. It is a mandatory session at which you will receive important information needed in advance of returning to your regular production or maintenance duties. It is extremely important that you attend this session, even if it means taking time off from your other job.
There will be limited flexibility in rescheduling this session. If you absolutely cannot attend, please call the Return to Work coordinator as soon as possible at 682-6830 with the reason(s) why, and someone will get back to you.
How much vacation time am I entitled to for the remainder of the year?
Your 2010 regular vacation entitlement shall be based on 50% of your entitlement in accordance with Article 15.01 (rounded to the nearest full week). No employees will be granted less than two weeks of regular vacation time to be taken in the balance of the year.
If I’m only entitled to take half of my vacation time in the balance of the year, what happens to my vacation pay?
Your entitlement to vacation pay in 2010 will be based on your unreduced 2010 regular vacation entitlement and paid based on Article 15.05 of the CBA. For example, if you have four (4) weeks of entitlement, in 2010 you will be able to schedule two (2) weeks of vacation time in the balance of the year (and receive vacation pay) and the other two weeks of vacation pay will be paid to you.
If I have more than two weeks of vacation time entitlement for the balance of 2010, can I opt to forego any vacation time?
This question only applies to employees who have five (5) or more weeks of regular vacation entitlement. For example, if you have five (5) weeks of vacation, you will be entitled to schedule three (3) weeks in the balance of the year and two (2) will automatically be paid to you. As indicated on the Vacation Canvas Form, you may elect to forego one week of vacation time and receive pay only rather than time off.
What is the process for scheduling vacation?
A Vacation Canvas Form was enclosed in your Return To Work Information Package. Please fill it out by indicating your preferences for regular vacation weeks. No regular vacation time will be scheduled or granted during the 6-week transition period to normal operations. This does not apply to pre-retirement vacation.
Vacation will be scheduled by seniority within the department and classification. Only regular vacation can be requested at this time. Special vacation requests must be made to your Supervisor at a later date.
How am I supposed to schedule my vacation if I don’t know what shift schedule I’m on?
We need you to submit your Vacation Canvas Form so that vacation can be scheduled in a timely fashion for the rest of the year. It is important that you rank your preferences according to the time of year you would like to take vacation so that we can do our best to accommodate.
Has the July 1, 2009 statutory holiday been paid out?
Any entitlement to pay for the recognized holiday on July 1, 2009 was paid at that time.
Was there a floating holiday for 2009?
No. Employees were granted a floating holiday with pay in each year of the previous Collective Agreement on June 1st of 2006, 2007, and 2008. There was no floating holiday granted on June 1, 2009 as that would have flowed from a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)
Employees will be granted a floating holiday with pay in each year of the New CBA effective July 8, 2010.
Do I need to take my mandatory two weeks of vacation time consecutively?
Vacation scheduling is governed by Section 15.03 of the CBA, which says that if you have only two weeks vacation entitlement, it must be taken consecutively. If you have three or more weeks, it may be split into three parts, each of which must be at least one complete week, with only one part in prime vacation time. If you have three weeks vacation, and opt to sell one week, you must take the remaining two weeks consecutively.
Will I be paid a shift premium for the Orientation Session and Information Sessions?
No, as specified by the Return to Work Agreement that was negotiated with the USW, employees will be paid at their regular rate of pay for these sessions.
Will I be paid my pre-strike wages or post-strike wages for attending these sessions?
You will be paid post-strike wages. Employees’ regular rate of pay has been adjusted effective July 8th to reflect increases in the new CBA.
When will I receive my return to work payment?
In order to receive your return to work payment you must submit your required forms such as your vacation canvas form and reassignment choice card, if required. You will receive your return to work payment in the pay cycle following the date we receive these forms and subject to the conditions of the Return To Work Agreement.
Can the Company roll my return to work payment directly into an RRSP?
No, there is no option for the Company to deposit the payment directly into an RRSP. However, for eligible employees who elect to take the special one-time retirement incentive, part of the incentive may qualify as a retiring allowance under the Income Tax Act (Canada) and, as such, may be transferred to your RRSP without any impact on your RRSP contribution room as indicated on the Special Retirement Incentives Declaration Form.
When can I access my Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other personal items at the plant?
Your personal items have been tagged with your name and will be available to you when you get back to your plant either in a locker or in a central location. Generally the first day back at the plants will be classroom based and an opportunity to locate PPE will be provided. If you are assigned to another plant as a result of the Workforce Balancing, arrangements can be made with supervision at your former plant to retrieve any personal items.
Can I go to my plant early to get my gear?
No, you are not authorized to return to your plant until you are scheduled to return. You will be provided with this date at the 2-day off-site Employee Information Session.