Thread regarding Cenovus Energy layoffs

I’d don’t want to go through losing my weekly overtime to a bad business decision again. With a union at least I will know how many hours I will work each week and what my job description is.

They have a certain way of attracting talent and then taking away all the benefits that attracted them to begin with. I never would have left my old job to go to a fly in fly out if I knew in a short time it would change to a drive in drive out. There was hope that we would get some answers when bigz said he was going to show us the numbers but then somehow local management stopped that? I still think they lost money cancelling those flights and they don’t want anyone to know. I’m going to vote for a union so that if this does happen again we can hold these guys accountable to their mistakes. I want the flights back.

The company is already bargaining as if we were unionized.

A few months ago HR drafted up a series of letters and sent them out to the workforce. The letters were drafted in much the same way as many before, with a "sign this or else" tone. The company knew full well the workforce was unaware of the recent changes to labour laws that allowed them to bargain with the workforce. If they attained 65% "consent" from the workforce our time and vacation practice would change. They took advantage of our ignorance of changes to the labour laws destroying good faith. So I figure if they want to bargain with us, then we should bargain from an organized structure so we can't be caught unaware again.

Obviously you are from Unifor.

I purchase 80 hours of holidays. This amount is deducted from my pay cheque’s as a taxable benefit. So 2 weeks pay is given to me and I give it back to the company minus the taxes. I’d already be better off to take leave without pay but this works well for benefits and such.

For no reason at all that can easily be comprehended by us lowly operators, the company decides I will use an extra 4 hours of holiday hours for a set off and it will be paid to me at straight time. I take time off and magically through changes in accounting I am now paid back 4 hours that was purchased with money that was already taxed. I then pay tax on that 4 hours pay again.

Why did we magically invent pay for time not worked and not needed to be considered for any foreseeable reason. I know that if I pay tax twice I pretty well get nothing. So when they tell me the extra 4 hours works out I see it another way. I see that over 3 sets off, I lose a full day holidays with no benefit to me.

Can someone in accounting explain this crazy math to me? Why would we do this?

One thread (this one) was fine for this topic, why making new ones saying pretty much the same? You are wasting our time and risking being blocked by site admins for spamming the board.

I think someone may be a little confused on the purpose of this proposed drive. I'm only recently hearing about the drive as of this week, but it appears to be geared towards the pathological favoritism, nepotism, and promotion of incompetence. I don't think this has to due with wages or benefits, rather the promotion of fairness and ability to progress based on experience, credentials and work ethic not taking vacations with your boss or driving 4 hours to aid in construction projects (which is evidently bullet proof). We're all aware that we are very fortunate to make the money we do but that does not excuse the current situation nor does it give anyone a warm feeling knowing they're just a number. And if this is your standpoint you may very well be one of those managers creating the problem. I think you might have also missed the BigZ fishing/dentist joke, which if you're so in touch with the needs of the people you may have caught on to. Union or no union, I think there is a consensus throughout the company that we are in a sad state of affairs in regards to the management. And I use the word management because the word leadership would provide them far more credit than they deserve.

Does this mean we can talk about the flights again or are they going to fire us cause there sick of hearing about it?

I would love for us to operate like govt! I would do even less than I do now knowing I can’t get fired!! Actually I don’t think ppl can get fired at cve unless you do something illegal.

@YtADXGd-1ffk here.....I'm gonna bite my tounge and try to respond reasonably.

First off, I'm not HR...I've been a long time OPS guy through many different industries. I've got a bit of experience with recessions through other industries as well here in Canada.

As for the claim that "unionized" employees never gave up anything...that's just false and I think you are being disingenuous. I personally know maintenance specialists from the company across the street that were unionized and were let go. The union won’t be able to help the Oshawa employees either, because this is a business and we can't forget that. Please stop spreading misinformation.

If you work at Cenovus, with our pay and benefits and can't go see a dentist, that sounds like a "you" problem. I'm sorry but we all seem to manage getting our kids to the dentist fine. I don't accept that excuse, and please don't incur union dues on everyone else because of your own issues.

We just went through one of the largest economic downturns in the industry, and this company still paid a bonus every year. Just think about that. That would NEVER happen in another company, full stop, and it should be taken into consideration when you evaluate whether your "welfare" is being attacked. I didn't get a raise, which s---s, but I'm still appreciative of the privileges we have. I'm sorry, I can't take of this seriously.

And here's a good test: Go out on the streets and start discussing the compensation/benefits/time off policies with different people. See how much sympathy you will get. That will hopefully answer your concerns and bring this to a reasonable level of concern.

And stop worrying about the CLT. I understand that populism is a popular sentiment these days, but these are all the same CLT we had before. And if it really bothers you, you don’t have to stay. Go and see for yourself if the grass is greener and leave the rest of us out who are trying to look forward instead of backwards.

Just wait for the UCP to get in and give Cenovus the ability to screw you field boys out of your OT.

To the cool heads: the only people who had to give up absolutely NOTHING during the last few years were the CLT. In fact they kept paying themselves more. So when you say “every company suffered from it” you are right. The exception is that in our company it was the workers that suffered. No one is representing the welfare of the workers. That’s why unions exist.

@YtADXGd-1ffk

Now we know what management asked HR to draft up as a reply. EXTREMELY lucky to have your job... f--- off. Wages are that high because of supply and demand. You know who never gave up anything during the price plunge? The people who are unionized. You are so LUCKY!!! You get to go fishing and can take your kids to the DENTIST.

No....Just stop.

Unionization WILL NOT fix commodity oil prices, which EVERY business was forced to cut costs/jobs. That was not unique to CVE, and if it was your business, you would have done the same.

For those that remain and are considering this, I urge you to REALLY reflect on whether the grass is greener on the other side. We have some of THE BEST compensation, benefits and work schedules in the business, and are EXTREMELY lucky to have the jobs we do. Sure, our leaders aren't always aligned, org structures change and decision making can sometimes be slow, BUT EVERY COMPANY suffers from it and unionizing only makes it much, much worse.

You will not simply just win by going to the bargaining table. You WILL have to give at that table too. Are you willing to give up more of your money? Are you ready to slow down decision making even more? An increased cost base may also mean more of our colleagues jobs lost... Are you really ready to throw away how good it is just so you can "stick it to the man"?

Lets be realistic here folks, we are some of the most lucky people on the planet to have what we have. There is NOWHERE else a 30 year old power engineer could make 150k a year and live the lifestyles we do, nowhere. Really, really think about it...because once you go there, its virtually impossible to go back.

Hoping cooler heads prevail....

What a great idea. Let's make this happen!