Salary, Merit, and Pay for Performance

The ability to collectively negotiate the terms and conditions of your employment, including your compensation, is an important advantage of being a unionized professional.

When employees negotiate together, they achieve better results and in turn, promote fairness and consistency at work. Collective bargaining of compensation also reduces the wage gap for women and for racialized and young workers.

Your Collective Agreement defines the parameters of your salary, merit, and pay for performance in Articles 40, 41, & 46.

Your salary

Your salary is based on your position’s classification. Each classification has a minimum and maximum. You can see the ranges for each in Schedule A or B of your Collective Agreement.

The union may be able to negotiate increases to your individual salary as a part of collective bargaining with the Employer—this is called an across-the-board increase.

We may also be able to negotiate increases to salary range minimums and maximums as part of the contract.

Your current Collective Agreement

Your 2018–2022 Collective Agreement between AMAPCEO and Public Health Ontario sets across-the-board increases to both individual salaries and to all salary ranges of:

• 1.5% on March 31, 2018 (retroactive to October 1, 2017);
• 1% on April 1, 2019;
• 1% on October 1, 2019;
• 1% on April 1, 2020;
• 1% on October 1, 2020;
• 1% on April 1, 2021; and
• 1% on October 1, 2021.

See Article 40 (page 89) and Schedule A of your Collective Agreement for details.

Merit pay increases

In addition to any across-the-board increases negotiated with the Employer, you may also be eligible for merit pay increases to your current salary based on your work performance during a 12-month work cycle.

Merit pay increases can be between 0% and 5% of your salary and are pensionable earnings.

Eligibility

You are eligible for a merit pay increase if your current salary is within the range for your position’s classification.

If you are at the maximum of your salary range, you may be eligible for pay for performance payments instead.

Receiving a merit pay increase

Your supervisor will assess your performance during the 12-month work cycle between your anniversary dates against your yearly performance objectives.

Based on your performance, they will award you an increase between 0%–5% of your salary. If your rating is satisfactory, you will automatically receive a 3% merit pay increase to your current salary.

Your merit pay increase will become effective on your anniversary date.

If your merit pay increase causes your salary to exceed the maximum for your position’s classification:

• your new salary will be set to the maximum; and
• the excess amount will be paid out to you as a lump-sum bonus.

Any lump sum you receive will not increase your base salary beyond the maximum salary range.

Pay for performance payments

In addition to any across-the-board increases negotiated with the Employer, you may also be eligible for pay for performance payments on top of your current salary, based on your work performance during a 12-month work cycle.

Pay for performance payments can be between 0% and 3.5% of your salary and are non-pensionable earnings.

Eligibility

You are eligible for pay for performance payments if your current salary is at the maximum of the range for your position’s classification and has been for at least 12 months.

If you are at the maximum of your range but it has been for less than 12 months, any pay for performance payments will be pro-rated.

If you are under the maximum of your salary range, you are eligible for merit increases instead.

Receiving a pay for performance payment

Your supervisor will assess your performance during the 12-month work cycle between your anniversary dates against your yearly performance objectives.

Based on your performance, they will award you a payment between 0%–3.5% of your salary on the next April 1. If your rating meets expectations, you will automatically receive a 2.25% pay for performance payment based on your current salary.

Any payment you receive will not increase your base salary.

If you have questions or need assistance

Please contact an AMAPCEO Workplace Representative at Public Health Ontario, and get in touch by email.

Workplace Representatives are trained union members who have volunteered to confidentially assist members like you in the workplace. They should be your first point of contact in seeking information and representation with an issue at work.