From Allison Dubarry's Fact or Fiction column in Steel Drum

JOB EVALUATION:

1. I just received my Job Description from Human Resources. Now what?
ANSWER: If you are satisfied that the Job Description accurately reflects what you do, the next step is for you to be interviewed by a member of the USW Local 1998 Job Evaluation Committee (JEC). The interview will allow the JEC to gather additional details about your job that may not have come through in the Job Description. These details will allow a more accurate assessment of the 17 Factors that make up the SES-U system and will be used by the JEC when it meets with its University counterparts to rate your job.

2. The Job Description that I received from Human Resources is not an accurate reflection of my current tasks. What should I do to correct this?
ANSWER: Talk to your supervisor and your Human Resources Generalist about having the necessary corrections made. If you and your supervisor and Human Resources are unable to reach agreement on the content of the Job Description, you may wish to contact your Steward http://www.usw1998.ca/stewards.htm or a member of the Union Job Evaluation Committee (JEC@usw1998.ca) to discuss possible next steps.

3. When will I be interviewed by a member of the JEC?
ANSWER: The Union is committed to meeting every one of its staff-appointed members on either a one-to-one basis or in small groups if there are similar jobs in a given department. We are currently proceeding with the interviews on a faculty and college-wide basis. Requests for small group and/or one-to-one interviews may also be sent to the Committee by email at JEC@usw1998.ca. Every effort will be made to accommodate requests in a timely manner.

4. Why should I participate in this process?
ANSWER: The existing job evaluation process is about 30 years old and has become ineffective in meeting the needs of the Local 1998 membership. The Union and the University have agreed to the process that is underway to put a new, gender-neutral system in place. Member participation in this process will be critical to the success of the new system. Copies of the completed Questionnaires will be retained only by the member and the Union. The contents will be used by the Union to advocate on behalf of its members if a University rating of a position is lower than the Union’s rating.

5. What can I personally expect from the new job evaluation system?
ANSWER: The University has agreed that no one will be reduced in the salary scale as a consequence of job evaluation. Some members may see a salary adjustment. The principal benefit for all members will be the introduction of a continuously maintained, equitable, and transparent process for valuing the work you do. You will be better able to manage your own career at the University by having a regular, seamless job review process and a system that permits you to see why your position and others are classified as they are. This will help you determine what skills and experience are required for advancement either within your position or to move into other positions.

6. Why is job evaluation taking such a long time to complete?
ANSWER: Implementing massive cultural change in a large organization is never easy or quick. While the University agreed in the 2002 Collective Agreement that a new, gender-neutral job evaluation system was necessary, coming to agreement on the tool to be used was a painstaking process. This was followed by more work to customize the tool to suit the unique environment of the University of Toronto. A nine-member USW Committee (jointly funded by the membership and the University), supported by a Job Evaluation expert from Steelworkers National Office, are diligently working to keep the project moving forward. The University has renewed its commitment to the project, agreeing to complete all Benchmarking and Factor Language discussions by December 21, 2005. The Union JEC continues to ramp up its interviewing process, having completed almost half of the approximately 3,300 jobs as of October, 2006. Interviewing will remain an on-going task.