Below is the full text of my report, delivered at the AGM on February 13, 2017.
Thanks,
Andrew
***
Local 00303 – President’s Report (2015 & 2016 combined)
This report covers two years of
activities that include 2015 and 2016.
I’ll start of by saying that our new
normal seems to be constant change – at least that’s what we’re being told, and
based on the past two years it seems entirely true.
In the past two years we’ve seen a
change in government take place – our last AGM in Spring 2015 included an
agenda item on strike preparation, which seemed entirely appropriate then. We can look back now, as we await the review
and likely ratification of a new tentative collective agreement, with a new
government (and even a new office) and in some ways feel like we’re in a better
place now than we were then.
And yet.
Our Regional Office has had major
changes in senior leadership, not all of them stabilized, which has had an
impact on us all.
The transfer of the multiculturalism
program was extremely hard on those employees moving from CIC to PCH, and not
nearly enough was done to support them. All
this while dealing with the incredibly high volume of work related to Canada
150. This has been especially hard on
that program team, as well as the communications team who have experienced
management changes while delivering more content and coordinating higher
profile events. I miss Canada 149…
As well, our Department has recently
told us we are again (and seemingly always) in a structural deficit, for which
new plans need to be put in place, and more changes expected.
Oh, and hopefully we got paid. Phoenix has been an unmitigated disaster,
directly and negatively impacted almost everyone in our office – indeed,
seemingly every government employee who has been transitioned to the Phoenix
pay system has had problem.
But I do believe we’ve shown resiliency
as a union, and stability as a Local – with a full complement of Local
executive members and what we hope have been open lines of communication, we
have worked hard to represent our Local’s interest, and advocate up the line
whenever something has needed more attention to resolve.
Within the period of change, we’ve
unfortunately had fewer opportunities to speak directly to Regional senior
management – with no LMCCs since last Spring – though that has recently
changed, we had our first meeting with the new RDG, specifically to discuss the
“Modernization Initiatives” (more on that later) – and are cautiously
optimistic that through that forum our concerns and suggestions are being
heard.
I’ve been working beyond my role as
Local President as an Area coordinator during our bargaining – and want to
thank everyone who joined us at lunchtime days of action, to send photos and
messages of support to our bargaining team during an extremely difficult round
of negations. Your dedication and support
were instrumental to achieving what the bargaining team itself feels is a
strong renewed collective agreement with NO CHANGES to our sick leave. We’ll also discuss that in more detail later.
I’m also an Assistant Regional
Vice-President for our Component, Union of National Employees, and in that role
have a seat at the National Health & Safety Policy Committee, and the Human
Resources Labour Consultation Committee – both important forums to raise our
concerns and advocate for constructive change.
Our goals moving forward include
ensuring our work is recognized and valued, and that any changes undertaken
improve and support this work. Our LMCCs
will now take place monthly, and I encourage anyone who has any issues or
concerns they’d like to raise with senior management to please let your local
executive know – we will do our utmost to make sure your issues are heard and
addressed.
I’d also like to thank the entire Local
executive team, who have volunteered their time and energy to help support us
all and ensure our work is recognized and our workplace is a healthy and fair
one.
The years ahead will continue to be
marked by changes, that seems inevitable.
Our ability to manage that change, and help direct it will be key.
