CUPE Local 4270 Member Update – Union Dues Grievance Settlement
CUPE Local 4270 has successfully resolved Policy Grievance No. 002-Union Dues-2025 regarding incorrect union dues deductions affecting Community Support members formerly represented by MGEU.
Through the grievance process, Union members identified concerns that union dues were being incorrectly calculated on overtime earnings and shift premiums following the transition under HSBURA. This resulted in affected members paying dues above the CUPE Local 4270 dues structure.
As a result of discussions and advocacy by the Union:
• Overtime earnings were removed from union dues calculations effective November 16, 2024.
• Shift premiums were removed from union dues calculations effective May 31, 2025.
The settlement provides refunds to eligible employees for excess dues deducted between January 1, 2023, and May 31, 2025.
A Memorandum of Settlement (MOS) was discussed, finalized, and agreed to between the Union and Employer, and was signed on April 27, 2026.
Key information for members:
• Eligible employees include specific current employees identified through the payroll audit process.
• Employees who terminated employment prior to April 5, 2026 are not eligible under the terms of the settlement agreement.
The Union appreciates the advocacy, support, and patience of members while this matter was investigated and resolved. We are pleased that this process resulted in correcting the error and returning overpaid dues to affected members.
CUPE Local 4270 remains committed to ensuring collective agreement and dues provisions are properly applied and enforced, and that starts by hearing from you!
Frequently asked Q and A:
How did the Employer determine who would receive the dues overpayment refund?
When concerns were brought forward by members, the Union requested a thorough audit of the income types union dues were being deducted from. Through that audit, it was confirmed that errors had occurred, along with identifying when, where, and why the issue happened.
The audit determined that when former MGEU members transitioned to CUPE Local 4270, payroll changed which union received the dues, but the deductions themselves were not fully aligned with the CUPE Local 4270 dues structure.
It is important to understand that each union and each Local may have different dues structures and deduction formulas.
CUPE Local 4270 dues are deducted from regular hours worked only, and not from overtime earnings, premiums, or similar earnings.
The Union does not directly process payroll deductions. The Employer is responsible for ensuring dues are deducted correctly. Issues are often identified when members carefully review their pay statements and bring concerns forward.
What will the refund look like on my pay statement?
The dues refund will appear under “CUPE Dues” on the pay statement. Instead of the usual positive deduction amount, members receiving a refund may see a negative amount.
For employees receiving smaller refund amounts, the pay statement may show the current pay period dues deduction reduced by the refund amount.
When can members expect payment?
The Employer has advised that Payroll is prepared to issue the refund in Pay Period 12, with payment expected on the June 4 pay date.
Why was the payment delayed from the original April timeline?
The Employer advised that payroll processing requirements and pay period alignment resulted in additional time being needed to complete the corrections. The June 4 pay date is the timeline Payroll has confirmed they can commit to.
What steps should members take if they believe there is still a payroll error?
Errors can happen, which is why members are encouraged to regularly review their pay statements.
Step 1:
-Bring the concern to your Site Representative and discuss the issue with your manager.
-Be prepared to explain and show the error identified.
If the error is confirmed, management should submit a payroll discrepancy form to Payroll Support.
Step 2:
Payroll Support may contact you or your manager if further information is required. Once processed, the correction should appear on a future pay statement.
Step 3:
If there has been no update or correction within approximately two weeks, reconnect with your Site Representative to discuss whether further action, including the grievance process, may be appropriate.
Members are encouraged to continue reviewing their pay statements following any reported issue and to communicate with their representative once corrections have been completed.