After negotiating their first agreement simultaneously with their Ontario counterparts, our Kids Help Phone members have signed their first collective agreement.
These workers oversee the volunteers who answer text messages sent by young people experiencing a mental health crisis. Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 e-mental health service offering free, multilingual and confidential support to help all young people in emotional distress.
“The work these members do is commendable and vital. Each day, our members can help save lives,” said PSAC-Quebec Executive Vice-President Yvon Barrière. “They deserve not only fair wages, but also job security and mental health support that takes into account their work.”
In this first round of bargaining, wages and job security were the priority, and substantial gains were made. Before organizing, these members had a pay grid that required 25 years of service to reach the highest pay level. Starting immediately, members with four years of service on the expiry date of the collective agreement will earn about the same wages as they would have earned after 25 years.
Here are the highlights of the new collective agreement:
Salary
- New pay grid structured to allow members to attain the old wage for 10 years of service after only three years.
- Economic increases:
- 2023: 2.5%
- 2024: 2%
- 2025: 2%
Job security
- Preference given to employees when filling job vacancies
- Protections against contracting out
- A seniority system that ensures that hiring and layoffs are done transparently.
Conditions of work
- Salary protections in the event of system or equipment failure
- Employees can no longer be required to use their own personal equipment (laptop) for work purposes
- Commitment from the employer to explore the possibility of implementing a Short-Term Disability plan
- New $2,000 per year benefit for professional mental health services
- Guaranteed right to regular breaks
- Guaranteed availability of a supervisor for debriefs, if needed, particularly after an intense shift or a long conversation with an individual in crisis.