Message to Relief and Part-time Deputy Sheriffs Regarding Overtime

We would like to ensure you are aware that we are currently in the process of filing a policy grievance regarding the Employer’s change in practice regarding overtime pay for Relief and Part-time Deputy Sheriffs. We do not agree with this change in practice and we believe it contravenes your collective agreement. Please note that this issue does not affect full-time permanent Deputy Sheriffs.

The NSGEU has learned the Employer met with staff and have communicated the following:

“Effective October 11 relief staff will no longer earn OT after 7 hours a day as has been the practice in the past. Going forward from that date, OT will be earned after relief staff have worked in excess of 35 hours per week, inclusive of the weekend. This will not effect full-time staff. This change is linked to the changes to the Transport section going to 12 hours shifts and is a budgetary mitigation step as well.”

NSGEU wants to reassure our members that we were not consulted with this change nor were we informed it was going ahead. We are disappointed as to how your Employer is mistreating Relief and Part-time Employees, along with total disregard of your rights under the Collective Agreement.

While we wait for a resolution to this dispute through the grievance process, the NSGEU strongly advises Relief and Part-time Employees to continue to submit for the appropriate overtime as per the collective agreement (the way you have always done). Please retain a personal copy of your hours to ensure you are compensated correctly when/if successful.

If your manager denies your overtime, please contact NSGEU and ask for your Employee Relations Officer, so that we can pursue the violations.

• For Local 1 (Cape Breton) – Jim Gosse, jgosse@nsgeu.ca
• For Local 2 and 14 (Pictou County and Antigonish and Guysborough Counties) Dustin Rioux, drioux@nsgeu.ca
• Local 4 and 5 and 16 (Annapolis Valley, Kings and Hants Counties; Lunenburg, Shelburne and Queens Counties; Yarmouth and Digby Counties) John Cook, jcook@nsgeu.ca
• Local 6 and 7 – (Metro) Dave Leddicote, dleddicote@nsgeu.ca
• Local 3 and 17 – (Colchester and Shubenacadie, Cumberland Counties) Elizabeth Kanyikwa, ekanyikwa@nsgeu.ca