(UPDATED NOV. 17 – Adding the 1%) LOCAL 15 (Nutrien): Wage increases, retroactivity payments, an important pension decision and how to log-in to your account

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Posted Nov. 17
FINALLY – here’s how to log-in and make the changes in your Sunlife RSP account.

All Local 15 Members currently have their pension plan set at a contribution rate of 5% and matched by the Company at 7.5%. If you would like to increase your contribution 1% to receive the additional 1.5% from the Company you will need to do this by adding a 1% RSP through Sunlife. 
To do this depends on if you already have a RSP account setup with Sunlife.

If you don’t already have a RSP account setup through Sunlife then you will have to contact Sunlife and speak to a representative that you want to open and RSP account and put 1% into it. Call Sunlife toll free 1-866-733-8612 – Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Once again, you will need your Sunlife access and ID and password.

If you already have an RSP you can log in to Sunlife.ca to add your 1% to your RSP. If you already contribute 1% or more you will already receive the 1.5X matching contribution and won’t need to make any changes. 

Just a reminder that if you are a Local 15 member, you have until end of day Nov. 18 to log into your account and add 1% from your paycheque to an RSP if you want to the increased pension contribution to be effective beginning with the Nov. 8 to Nov. 21 pay period.

POSTED Nov. 16, 2020 – 2:40 p.m.

We are waiting to hear back from Nutrien HR representatives.

POSTED Nov. 16, 2020 – 10:00 a.m.

It would seem the three steps below are not working for GSU members and they are being told Sunlife is unable to help or make changes.

GSU staff rep Dale Markling has reached out to Nutrien HR to find a solution so you can make the necessary changes in your accounts.

Once we have found a workable solution we will share it with all members by email. Updates will continue to be posted here.

POSTED Nov. 13, 2020 – 4:26 p.m.

We have received a message from Nutrien HR that says employees who are having difficulties getting everything set up should contact Sunlife. Sunlife is the expert on the investments and on their systems, and they will be able to assist employees through the process.

Contact Sunlife directly by:

Chat Live now
OR
Call toll free 1-866-733-8612 – Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Once again, you will need your Sunlife access and ID and password.

We will continue to post here if other problems arise.
Please accept our apology for the confusion.


POSTED Nov. 13, 2020 – 4:18 p.m.

Once again, we are hearing from members who are experiencing problems logging into the Sunlife site and making the required changes. Unfortunately GSU staff reps don’t have access to the Sunlife page set up for Nutrien employees, so we can’t share screenshots and instructions are getting lost in translation.

The latest information we have from Nutrien HR is it appears the problem is that the Pension amounts are fixed until some time in December. Accordingly, when Local 15 members log in to their Sunlife account, they should:

1. Select payroll contributions, and then
2. Select RSP (not Pension)
3. Add 1% RSP to their payroll contributions.

This will cause the Company to match that with their own 1.5%. (In other words, the effect of the pension and the RSP is 6% from the employee and 9% from the Company. This can all be rolled into one pension contribution in December when the freeze on pension changes is lifted.)

We will continue to post here if other problems arise.
Please accept our apology for the confusion.

This information was emailed to Local 15 members on Nov. 13. If you are a Local 15 member and you didn’t receive these emails, we do not have your email address. Please contact us to be added to our email list.

November 13, 2020

FROM: Dale Markling, GSU staff rep

TO: GSU Local 15 (Nutrien) members

Greetings,

The following information has been confirmed with Nutrien Ag Solutions’ human resources representatives. Please review the items below and don’t hesitate to contact your GSU staff representative if you have any questions.

PENSION: Act by Nov. 18, receive up to 9%; Do nothing, receive 7.5%

Under the recently ratified Memorandum of Settlement, you can receive an increased pension contribution of 1.5x to a maximum of 9% if you log in to your Sunlife.ca account by end of day Nov. 18 and add an additional 1% deduction from your paycheque to an RSP. You must log in by Nov. 18 in order for the increased pension contribution to be effective beginning with the Nov. 8 to Nov. 21 pay period. (INFORMATION ON SIGNING IN TO YOUR SUNLIFE ACCOUNT IS AVAILABLE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.)

If you don’t make any changes by Nov. 18, the pension contribution beginning with your Nov. 8 to Nov. 21 pay period will be based on the 5% you are currently paying, and you will continue to receive 7.5% until you make changes.

The current system freeze is anticipated to be off by early December, and when that occurs you will once again be able to change your contributions to each investment vehicle, investment, and raise or lower your contribution amount.

WAGE INCREASES

Your wage increase will take effect on Dec. 11.

As reported in our October 2020 bargaining report to members, the wage increases in the settlement are aggregate increases of:

·        2% in the first year – paid Dec. 11, 2020 (retroactive to March 29, 2020)

·        2% the second year – paid the 8th pay period of 2021

·        2% the third year – paid the 8th pay period of 2022

·        2.25% the fourth year – paid the 8th pay period of 2023

·        2.5% in the final year – paid the 8th pay period of 2024.

RETROACTIVITY PAYMENTS

You will receive your 2020 retroactivity pay (from March 29, 2020 forward) on Dec. 11, 2020.  

From Dec. 11 forward, your new rate of pay will be reflected on each pay stub.

ACCESSING YOUR SUNLIFE.CA PENSION ACCOUNT

 In response to member questions, I spoke to company representatives and this is the information you will need to make changes to your Pension Account.

  • Use your current User ID and your Password to log-in to your existing Sunlife account at www.sunlife.ca using the bright yellow SIGN IN button. If you have problems signing in, Sunlife online help is available here or by calling 1.866.733.8612 Monday through Friday between 8AM and 8PM EST.
  • If you do not have a Sunlife account set up, you will need to call 1.866.733.8612 Monday through Friday between 8AM and 8PM EST. Make sure you have your employee ID available. Sunlife online help is also available here.
  • Once you are in your account, elect payroll contributions, then RSP (not Pension), and add 1% RSP to your payroll contributions.
  • If you are having problems once you have logged into your Sunlife account, use the LIVE CHAT button for immediate assistance from a Sunlife representative.

I hope this information helps those who require assistance. If you continue to have problems signing into your Sunlife account, please contact human resources as GSU reps do not have the confidential employee information you will require. 

Regards,

Dale Markling
GSU staff representative