Effective July 01, 2019:   220-hours of employment must be reported by a Union Employer.  (It was 270-hours up until June 30, 2019).

The Employer will report the amount of hours you have worked on a monthly basis, and will send $2.67 for each hour you have worked. As soon as you are eligible for benefit coverage, then you will be notified by mail only; and coverage will commence the 1st of the month following receipt of the completed applications.

Both the Welfare Plan and Pension Plan are funded by Union Employers.

The Employer submits contributions on the behalf of each Employee in accordance with their Collective Agreement. These contributions fund the benefit premiums required for the Welfare Benefits Plan and fund the equity required for the Pension Plan.

The initial eligibility to be covered for benefits is (270-hours until June 30, 2019) 220-hours effective July 01, 2019 reported to the Plan. Generally, it takes 3-months from when you work the hours until they are received and entered into your Hour Bank.

Example of an Hour Bank Member:

APRIL Hours:  Employers remit Hours and Payments to the Welfare Office by the 15th of MAY.
The Welfare Office enters the hours by the 30th of MAY.
After the MAY month end; Enrollment Applications are mailed to eligible members with at least 220-hours in their Hour Bank early JUNE.
Benefit Coverage will commence the first of the month following the receipt date of the completed enrollment application.
To confirm the date of coverage, a letter will be mailed to the covered member along with the Benefit Plan information.

During the time of your employment, your hours worked were reported by your Employer and recorded at the UA Local 170 Welfare and Pension office.

For every 110-hours worked (effective July 01, 2019), the UA Local 170 Welfare & Pension office will pay 1-month of benefit premiums while you are working. Any surplus hours not needed can remain accounted for in an hour-bank system and can accumulate over a period of time.

The maximum surplus of banked hours is 1,980-hours; this is sufficient to maintain your benefit coverage for up to 18-months upon termination of work.

Your benefit coverage will continue on a monthly basis while at the same time your hour bank will be lowered by 110-hours, until there is less than 110-hours. At that time you will be notified that your benefit coverage is about to lapse.

Your options for self-payment will be mailed to you before your coverage expires.

Contact the Welfare Plan Office for detailed information on Self Payment Rates for Benefit Coverage.

You have the option to pay for your benefits by monthly self-payments (not mandatory). If you choose not to make a self-payment, your benefit coverage will cancel.

You will be notified by mail, in the event that there are not enough contributions to cover your benefit coverage.  Please contact our office for any address changes.

This will provide you with ample opportunity to self pay for coverage which you can do for up to 24-months or until resuming employment with a union employer and reaching a balance of at least 110-hours in your Hour Bank.

The Plumbers Local 170 Welfare Plan is no longer printing or mailing out MEMBER BOOKLETS.  Why is this happening? We are always looking for ways to communicate to the Membership but to also keep in mind of our impact on our environment, which is why are MEMBER BOOKLET is readily available to you 24/7 here on our website.

Group Benefits – Plumbers Local 170 Welfare Plan.

To view the MEMBER BOOKLET (PDF copy).

If you require more information, please feel free to contact:

PLUMBERS LOCAL 170 WELFARE PLAN OFFICE:
#203 – 1658 Fosters Way, Delta, B.C., V3M 6S6
Phone: 604-526-3434
Office Hours:  8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time)
Toll-Free: 1-800-665-6808

or

COUGHLIN & ASSOCIATES
Winnipeg, Manitoba Division
*Please note time difference, they are on Central Daylight Time (CDT).*
Toll-Free: 1-888-204-1234