When we think of union negotiations, we think collective bargaining, involving resolving any disputes, salary, hours worked, and any policy amendments. However, it is often overlooked the value of the employee group benefit plan to the compensation bargaining chip.
Let’s consider the Canada Post negotiations and the top asks:
• Wage increase
• Paid medical leave
• Personal days
• Fertility treatment benefits
• Gender-affirming care benefits
• Paid meals
• Limit surveillance for productivity
• 88% of wages if injured at work
• Vision care benefits
• Massage Therapy
• Mental Health Support
• Orthopaedic Equipment
• Increased health specialist benefits
• Protection against technology
• No contracting work out
• Snow tires for rural mail carriers
• 8-hour routes
• Benefits for temporary employees
Why should business owners care?
Because of all of these, almost half of the top requests were benefit related. This provides a tremendous insight into what employees actually value and view as compensation.
Great corporate Cultures starts here
Aligning flexible benefit program to compensation, productivity and safety is a more strategic approach to achieving a return on the premium invested. This kind of alignment builds employee engagement, encourages team members to utilizing the program to enhance their ability to do the job well, and hence creates a more profitable company.
Strategic approach to compensation
Another recent union negotiation saw an even more in-depth look at the benefit plan, by clarifying the amount of salary being covered for both life insurance and long term disability.
Rather than a flat amount of Life Insurance, the negotiations requested two-time the annual earnings for this coverage and increased the long term disability from the more streamlined 66.67% of gross monthly salary, to 75% with an overall maximum matched with the actual salaries of the group and increasing the non-evidence maximum so even those with pre-existing medical conditions would benefit from the change.
The finer points matter
Removing barriers to claims, this group ensured brand name drugs would be covered under the prescription benefit. Vision care was brought into this century. Instead of the out-dated $200 every 24-months, the benefit was increased to current reasonable and customary costs of being able to purchase glasses. The same was true for paramedical practitioners like physiotherapy, psychology and the like.
Having accommodated these asks, it is expected that the employees will be better able to utilize the plan in a more proactive manner for further employment satisfaction.
Let’s have a conversation.
Reach out if you would like to explore your corporate benefit options, like:
· Protection of salary
· Vision care options
· Health Spending Accounts
· Employee Wellness Programs
Note: this was written without the aid of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Disclaimer: Please note that the information provided, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. The site is read by a world-wide audience and employment, taxation, legal vary accordingly. Please seek legal, accounting and human resources counsel from qualified professionals to make certain your legal/accounting/compliance interpretation and decisions are correct for your location. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance.
