Minutes - Draft
Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
SP Halifax Sub-Group
Annual General Meeting
Bedford Institute of Oceanography
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
24-May-2017
1) The evening started at 5:00 PM with supper provided by the Chadwick Foods of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography kitchen.
2) The meeting began at 5:45 PM.
3) The President, Patrick Potter, called the meeting to order. Mr. Potter introduced our guest, Thomas Landry, President SP Group. Mr. Potter welcomed the members to the AGM and took time to speak about some of the activities of the past year.
4) Approval of the Agenda.
a) Moved by Jim McMillan
b) Seconded by Patrick Potter
c) Carried
5) Approval of the 2016 AGM Minutes.
a) Moved by Jim McMillan
b) Seconded by Patrick Potter
c) Carried
6) SP Halifax Sub-Group financial statements: Jim McMillan provided 2016 final financial statements.
a) Motion: Be it resolved that the Financial Statement for 2016 be received.
(a) Moved: Jim McMillan
(b) Seconded: Wendy Sanford
(c) Discussion: Jim reviewed the documents for the those present. He then took questions from the floor regarding the Sub-Group finances. There was a general discussion of how funds were spent.
(d) Carried. Unanimous, to receive Sub-Group 2016 finances as presented.
7) SP Halifax Sub-Group 2017 Budget: Jim McMillan provided the proposed 2017 budget.
a) Motion: Be it resolved that the budget for 2017 be approved.
(a) Moved: Jim McMillan
(b) Seconded: Patrick Potter
(c) Discussion: There was general discussion about planned spending. In addition to the usual spending the Sub-Group executive proposed to develop a promotional one-pager to inform Sub-Group members about the SP Group and the various ‘classifications’ within the Group.
(d) Carried. Unanimous, to approve 2017 Sub-Group budget as presented.
8) Elections: Jim McMillan explained that there would be elections to the Sub-Group executive for Vice-President and Members-at-Large. All positions are for two-year terms and would take effect immediately following the AGM. A call for nominations was distributed three weeks earlier. The 2017 Elections Committee (Jim McMillan and Patrick Potter) presented the nominations report to the AGM. Following, nominations were invited from the floor of the AGM.
i) The election results are as follows:
(1) Vice-President:
(a) Leslie Nasmith (DFO) – by acclamation (two-year term) leslie.nasmith@dfo-mpo.gc.ca 902-401-2895 (work)
(2) Members-at-Large:
(a) Chris Jauer (NRCan) – by acclamation (two-year term) chris.jauer@canada.ca
(b) Sharon Noel (HC) – by acclamation (two-year term) sharon.noel@hc-sc.gc.ca
(c) Jeremy March (ECCC) – by acclamation (two-year term) jeremy.march@canada.ca
(d) Shannan Murphy (DFO) – by acclamation (two-year term) shannan.murphy@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
(e) Lee Titus (ECCC) – by acclamation (two-year term) lee.titus@canada.ca
9) The rest of the meeting was a presentation by Thomas Landry followed by a general discussion and questions and answers.
a) Mr. Landry was pleased to speak about the ratification of the negotiated Collective Agreement. He believes that the agreement, while not perfect, includes many good and long-awaited improvements. Mr. Landry told the AGM that bargaining would begin ‘soon’ for the next collective agreement.
b) The discussion pivoted to the frustrations with the Phoenix pay system being experienced by the members. We heard that some Meteorologists (MTs - shift workers) are severely stressed and anxious. Some of those present had specific stories of how members are suffering. The discussion was intense and emotional. Following the discussion, the AGM decided that the MTs would send a letter to the President of PIPSC requesting that PIPSC organize a local meeting with MTs, MPs, the President of the Treasury Board and PIPSC representatives. The purpose of the meeting is for members to hear actions underway to resolve the pay issues, for members to convey their issues to the MPs and to develop further actions to help relieve the stress.
10) Meeting adjourned at 7:20 PM.
(prepared by: Jim McMillan)