On January 21, 2025, the Deputy Ministers announced that ESDC is implementing a “stop the clock” on terms effective February 14, 2025. Usually, if you have been a term employee for 3 years, you are “rolled over” to indeterminate status. “Stopping the clock” then means that this conversion of term employees to indeterminate status is suspended. Term extensions will also be limited to a maximum of six months at a time.
This is devastating news to many of our term members at PDOC as this leaves your future uncertain with your employment only being extended for 6 months at a time and not knowing when or if you can convert to becoming an indeterminate employee. Our national bargaining agent, PSAC, will be meeting monthly with ESDC regarding the “stop the clock” and ensuring that we have a voice at the table.
Your executive team at Local 541 met with PDOC Directors on January 22, 2025 to discuss the situation and to obtain more information. We will also be meeting with them again shortly to further our discussion.
So what did we learn?
- The duration of “stop the clock” has not been determined.
- There will be no impact on pay and benefits of term employees.
- All term stabilization exercises have been paused. That means term employees will no longer automatically roll over to indeterminate status with 3 years of service.
- As of February 14, 2025, your accumulated time of service will be paused. If you have accumulated 2 years of service, you will no longer accumulate additional months of service until the “stop the clock” provision is lifted. This means you will still need to accumulate an additional year of service AFTER the “stop of clock” provision is lifted to become an indeterminate employee.
- Term end dates will not be retroactively reduced to the 6 month mark. This means that if your term has already been extended for 12 months, your term end date will not be reduced to 6 months.
- All affected term employees will be given notice via email communication.
- Management will be reaching out to the affected term employees to discuss the situation. You can (and should) request a one-on-one meeting with your Service Manager or Director to discuss your specific circumstances.
We want to reiterate that this does not constitute a Work Force Adjustment situation. Currently, there are no planned layoffs or early termination of employment but rather a pause on converting terms to indeterminate employees, a pause of accumulation of service, and a limit of term extensions to a maximum of 6 months. Local 541 will continue to work hard to communicate our concerns regarding this situation directly to the Directors at PDOC.
We encourage our members to focus on your personal and mental well-being. There are mental health resources that are available to you. CEIU is pushing for additional supports for our members including: financial planning assistance, access to internal/external job opportunities, and enhanced mental health resources beyond the Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).
If you have questions, please email us at local541.pdoc@gmail.com or reach out to any of our stewards and executives. We are here to advocate for your rights and make sure you are heard during these times.