@banff

From: at-banff (98/7/29)

Regarding:
Official Announcement:

The Management of MVA has put in motion a number of staff job description
rewrites that have resulted in a serious breach of the collective agreement
that was made between management and staff regarding the consultative process
and empowerment.
Contrary to this collective agreement, staff are being presented  with revised
job descriptions along side the option of putting in their notice so that
management can  replace them with persons who agree with the changes.
The staff in question were not even aware that their job descriptions were
being
changed. No communication of job description rewrites was conveyed  prior to
being told that the changes had been made. The staff in question were not
included in any sort of pre-consultative process.  As well, there is still
great
speculation and misinformation within the department about rumoured changes in
reporting structures and changes in the powers of the ruling hierarchy. In
this case too,
none of the staff who are to be impacted by these changes have been consulted.

This is a serious situation that has resulted in more staff disempowerment,
alienation and distrust.  Do not doubt that this process of erosion of staff
morale and slow attrition of MVA staff, translates into direct benefits for the
management of this department.

I would like to suggest that a test be made of the legitimacy of the collective
agreement, be done tomorrow during the staff meeting.
The management of MVA could be called on the breach of this agreement and asked
for an explanation in a public and open forum. Further more, that all staff be
an instrinic part of all future job description rewrites, contract negotiations
and reporting structure changes.
It is up to the staff to decide if this type of action should be taken.
I would also like to suggest that upon bringing this issue to the meeting, that
the management will cover the issue up, protect their own, insist that the
situation has been dealt with and argue that it was all just an unfortunate
misunderstanding. (subtext..insubordinate staff error)

Is there anyone out there who thinks that the facilitated meeting and it's
resulting collective agreement is worthy of fighting for?
Is there anybody out there?

- from The Junior Clerk.