Question 6
You asked: SWOP seems to be on the rise. It's no secret the employer is facing funding problems. Is it possible the employer is using SWOP as a method to realize savings?
Let’s get into it.
I will first comment on your assumption that suspensions without pay are on the rise. Unfortunately, Unifor 111 does not track grievance or the nature of discipline call-ins. They very easily could and it would be quite beneficial to know if indeed suspensions are, in fact, on the rise. In the absence of that kind of empirical data, we simply do not know.
As to the second part of your question I would say that the amount of money saved by having employees off work without pay is zero! The company has to replace the employees and there will be times where that may involve paying the replacement employees at an overtime rate. There is absolutely no financial incentive for the company to issue suspensions. You will have to look elsewhere for their reasoning.
Thanks for the question.