Report of the Chief Operating Officer & Executive Secretary
A time of reflection and change
Despite a second year of disruptions due to the pandemic, continuity of services to members has been the cornerstone of our efforts in 2021. We’ve also been adjusting to a new-new-normal of in-person meetings and activities while respecting public health guidelines and ensuring the safety of participants. At the same time, we’ve been expanding our capacity to support virtual meetings and informative webinars to expand access to members.
Maintaining services to members wasn’t our only focus. In last year’s report, I wrote that the pandemic made it even more essential that we keep our strategic focus and invest in the bold and ambitious plans that our members demanded of us.
To that end, PIPSC put a focus on building new services to support our members in meeting their career development goals, giving them insight on the future of their work, and connecting them to training opportunities that allow them to thrive in a world of constant change.
I am proud to announce that we are building a new service to do just that. We have initiated a project called Navigar that aims to provide career intelligence and access to targeted training for professionals in the public service.
The world of work is changing. Artificial intelligence, automation and technology are increasingly used in professional occupations. But no matter how massive the disruptions, human capital will always be in demand. This project’s goal is to support PIPSC members, who are ambitious and responsible professionals eager to stay ahead of changes caused by social, economic and technological forces.
Through this new service, members will access evidence-based research and insight on how their careers are changing. PIPSC will recommend relevant and accessible training opportunities to keep them ahead of the changes in their jobs. The union will also support members in seeking employer funding and opportunities to advance their career aspirations.
The project has received a contribution of $2.5 million over three years from the Future Skills Centre – an independent government-funded organization dedicated to helping workers thrive within a changing labour market. I look forward to seeing this project come to fruition in the coming year.
2022 will also be a year of change at PIPSC.
With the election of a new board and president, PIPSC will begin a new chapter in its history. Our team has prepared a thorough program of onboarding and orientation to empower the new Board of Directors to fulfill its mandate to members. Our efforts are aimed at ensuring a solid foundation for good governance and board relations, and the program will culminate in strategic planning sessions that will set PIPSC on a path of continued success.
The incoming president and the board will have the full support of the entire staff team in realizing their vision for the future of the union.
This year we will say thank you to our outgoing President Debi Daviau.
Debi has been an outstanding leader for PIPSC. She has seen us through a challenging time, starting with the Harper government and its assault on public service professionals. She has led PIPSC to innovative and breakthrough victories on scientific integrity and domestic violence. She has made PIPSC known in the labour movement as a progressive, innovative, dependable and thoughtful union.
During her time as president we’ve seen a significant increase in member satisfaction from 67% in 2013 to 81% in 2019. Dissatisfaction has gone from 29% in 2013 to only 13% in 2019. Member approval of the union leadership’s views have increased by 16% over the same period of time.
Under Debi Daviau’s presidency, the PIPSC brand has developed many positive attributes with our members, who say they think of PIPSC as fair, approachable, effective, helpful and protective of their interests.
Debi ushered in a new era of member engagement, which has made PIPSC a strong political voice in Ottawa. It started with the launch of the Better Together campaign in 2015 as we were pushing back against the Harper government. It has morphed over the years to increase member engagement in every facet of union work and make this a more inclusive and representative community. Despite the pandemic restrictions, PIPSC broke a new record of member engagement this year as thousands of members took advantage of different virtual opportunities for engagement, including webinars on issues related to pay, parental leave, care leave, and pensions.
On a personal note, I want to thank Debi for supporting me throughout her entire term. Her respect for the staff team’s professionalism gave us all the opportunity to bring our best work to PIPSC. I’m not alone in feeling that way. Overall staff satisfaction increased from 42% in 2012 to 60% in 2019 – with 78% of our employees saying they feel valued by PIPSC.
Years ago, Debi talked to me about her motivation for being the president. She said, “I just want to leave PIPSC in a better state than I found it.” I can confidently say that she’s leaving PIPSC in a stronger position and I look forward to seeing how the next generations of leadership in this union will build on her success.