Section: 4 - Financial Matters
Subsection: 4D - Reserve & Investment Policies
Created: December 2003 | Last Revised: April 2025
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the AMAPCEO Labour Disruption Levy and Labour Disruption Reserve.
Policy
Labour Disruption Reserve
This reserve provides the union with a designated means of funding labour disruption pay, member health premiums (subject to agreement by the Employer), and any associated operational costs incurred during a labour disruption.1
Labour Disruption Levy
AMAPCEO will segregate 10% of all member dues collected into the Labour Disruption Reserve. The segregated portion of dues is referred to as the “Labour Disruption Levy.”
The Board of Directors may also opt to transfer surplus funds from the Operating Reserve to the Labour Disruption Reserve at any time or make use of the Operating Reserve and Collective Bargaining Reserve in support of job action, if required.
Funding Target
AMAPCEO has a goal of reaching a funding target of $55 million in the Labour Disruption Reserve by 2035.
Funding Target Review
AMAPCEO will review the Labour Disruption Reserve Policy, including the Funding Target and the amount of the Labour Disruption Levy as part of each five-year strategic plan, in the event of a labour disruption, or when there is a significant change in status of the fund or the organization.
Authorization for Reserve Draws
The Board is authorized to borrow against the Reserve Fund, or draw against it, following a positive vote authorizing job action held by the members of an AMAPCEO bargaining unit, or in the event of a legal lockout.
Minimum Contingency Funding
In order to affordably carry out job action, the union will endeavour to achieve and thereafter maintain a minimum of 4 weeks’ worth of labour disruption funding, inclusive of both pay and health benefits coverage, for its entire membership (OPS and HARLO units included).2
The Labour Disruption Reserve (LDR) should make up a minimum of 75% of funding with any additional funds required to achieve the 4-week minimum commitment coming from other reserves (Operational Reserve or Collective Bargaining Reserve).3
The Board of Directors may choose to augment the Labour Disruption Reserve through the direct transfer of funds from the Operational Reserve at any time, or utilize Collective Bargaining Reserve funds to support labour disruption activities on an as required basis.
1 A separate Labour Disruption Pay Policy sets the rate for strike or lockout pay. The policy is reviewed cyclically for currency. A separate Labour Disruption Job Action Policy sets out details surrounding forms of job action. All of these correlated policies should be read in unison for clarity.
2 Maintaining a minimum contingency of 4 weeks’ funding will provide the union with the benefits of a substantive collateral stake from which to secure any necessary credit required to fund job actions and an after-the-fact ability to pay out job action expenses so as to avoid having to incur, carry and service a longer term debt.
3 This commitment will occur naturally (at the present rate of contribution to the LDR without augmentation from any other reserve) by January 2029.
