Your Rights

In its role as a protector of its membership, ETEA has fought hard to win rights for its members that many employees in the non-union world do not enjoy. These rights include, but are not limited to the following:

.

  1. The right to membership and active participation in the union (ETEA) without fear of harassment or discrimination. (CA article 4.01, 4.02)


  2. The right to a workplace that is free from all forms of discrimination and harassment. (CA section 12)


  3. The right to fair treatment while on probation as provided under the Collective Agreement. (CA articles 2, 9)


  4. The right to fair opportunities to work under hiring, layoff and recall practices that follow union approved rules of seniority. (CA, articles 8.02 b,d; 10, 11)


  5. The right to fair wages, and periodic wage increases with recognition of experience and qualifications as provided under the Collective Agreement. (CA article 22, Schedule A, “Placement and Movement on Scale”)


  6. The right to health and welfare benefits, and paid sick leave as provided by the Collective Agreement. (CA article 20, 21)


  7. The right to enjoy legal holidays and vacation time as they are provided for under the Collective Agreement. (CA articles 15, 16)


  8. The right to consideration for unpaid leaves of absence for various reasons, under the provisions of the Collective Agreement. (CA article 17)


  9. The right to reasonable* hours of work workload and assignments, as well as limits on class size, as provided under the Collective Agreement. (CA article 18, Letter of Understanding 1)


  10. The right to fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory evaluation practices, as provided under the Collective Agreement. (CA article 19, Letter of Understanding 4)


  11. The right to work under reasonable, fair, and equitable discipline practices. (CA article 14)


  12. The right to representation by, and support from an ETEA Shop Steward and / or Executive Member. (CA article 4.03, 13.04, 14.03)


  13. The right to a fair grievance procedure when you feel your other rights have been misapplied, ignored or negated. (Article 13)


 

  • Note: This list does not constitute a legal document; it is intended to be only a brief summary of the rights provided for under the collective agreement. For full disclosure of your legal rights as an employee of ILSC under the ETEA, please consult the Collective Agreement directly.


  • This is not an exhaustive list. You have other rights under the Collective Agreement, and under the Laws of British Columbia and Canada.


  • Some terms used in the Collective Agreement, such as “reasonable”, are somewhat open to interpretation, and may depend upon such variables as the definition of “employee” that applies to you (see CA article 2), or the type of program you are teaching in. If you have doubts about whether your specific circumstances are reasonable, you have the right to challenge the interpretations that management applies to such words. Please contact ETEA if you have questions.




Under the ETEA Constitution and bylaws, you have the following rights:

  1. The right to attend general meetings of the ETEA.
  2. The right to vote at ETEA general meetings.
  3. The right to run for executive and shop steward positions at the ETEA Annual General Meeting.
  4. The right to make proposals that affect ETEA’s policies and constitution.
  5. The right to initiate a recall procedure.
  6. The right to participate in debate at ETEA General Meetings.
  7. The right to propose topics, and changes to topics for debate.
  • Note: This list does not constitute a legal document; it is intended to be only a brief summary of the rights provided for under the ETEA Constitution and Bylaws. For full disclosure of your legal rights as a member of the ETEA, please consult the ETEA Constitution and Bylaws directly.


As a resident of British Columbia, you are also protected by the following acts: