Nanaimo SP Sub Group Minutes of 2021 AGM

November 30, 2021

Virtual Meeting, Nanaimo, BC

1. Call to Order – The meeting was called to order at 12:00 noon.  28 members were present, including executive members Nick Leone (President), Sean MacConnachie (Vice President and Elections Officer), Linda Nichol (Secretary and recorder of AGM minutes), John Candy (Treasurer), Tammy Norgard, Linnea Flostrand, Maria Cornthwaite. Also in attendance was guest speaker Rob MacDonald (BC Yukon Regional Director)
2. Acknowledgment and expression of gratitude and respect for the traditional and unceded territories of the Coast Salish People upon which PIPSC members live and work (The Snuneymuxw First Nation and the Snaw-naw-as First Nation)
3. Approval of Agenda – There were no additions to the agenda. Motion to accept the Agenda: John Candy/Linnea Flostrand, Passed.
4. Statement from the President – highlighting the unique & challenging times imposed by the COVID Pandemic and its impacts on SP operations & engagement. Further detail outlined in the President’s Report.
5. Adoption of Minutes from 2018 AGM – Motion to accept the Minutes: Tammy Norgard/Sean MacConnachie, Passed.
6. Report from the President by President Nick Leone – The year in review was presented. See attached report (2019-2021). 
7. Annual Financial Report presented by Treasurer John Candy– Review of Annual financial report: Typically spend 1200.00-1300.00 annually but that was not the case in 2020 due to disruptions associated with the pandemic. Approved expenses included to calendar year-end to cover the PBS Children’s Xmas Party and donation to the Nanaimo Foodbank (Loaves and Fishes). Motion to accept the report as presented: Linda Nichol/Tammy Norgard, Passed.  The final 2021 Budget and Financial Report were reviewed and approved including projected expenses to calendar-fiscal year end. 

NOTE: Approved 2021 Financials will be submitted to PIPSC National Finance upon completion of the Fiscal year (early January 2022).

8. Election of President, and Treasurer – Due to the pandemic an AGM was not held in 2019 and thus all of the positions were due for elections. Typically, these are staggered so that they do not all come due for election in the same year. No nominations were received in advance of the AGM or from the floor. Nick Leone was acclaimed as President (2-year term), Sean MacConnachie was acclaimed as Vice-President (2-year term), John Candy was acclaimed Treasurer (2-year term), Linda Nichol was acclaimed Secretary (2-year term).  
9. Appointment of Members-at-Large – Maria Cornthwaite, Tammy Norgard, Linnea Flostrand, Michelle Charbonneau (new) and Shelee Hamilton (new) were appointed as Members-at-Large (1-year term).  
10. New Business – The importance of Stewards and the need for more was raised by Linda Nichol. Presently there are only two Stewards to represent Nanaimo SP subgroup members and the Res group. They are Linda Nichol and Maria Cornthwaite. Ideally there should be as many as 6 Stewards for the size of our group and thus Stewards could take on as much or as little as they feel they can do.  Please reach out to Linda or Maria to find out more about this role and the training need (which is not a significant time commitment).
11. Guest Speaker – Robert MacDonald Regional Director, BC/Yukon, gave a positive and encouraging talk reminding us of the role of our union with respect the contracts and working conditions we enjoy. Member engagement matters and Rob spoke of the importance of employees/PIPSC members not becoming complacent. So much of what we take for granted in our contracts are hard won at the bargaining table. We are entering a next round of bargaining very soon as most of our collective agreements expire soon. This is a time to be engaged. Consider getting more involved with your Nanaimo SP subgroup. There can be up to 7 Members-at-Large. This is a good role to learn more about your subgroup and how your union works. Consider becoming a Steward. Engaging can make a difference to your fellow employees and to your own future. 
12. Questions -With more staff working remotely from home, there was a question asked about how someone ends up in one subgroup or another. This question from someone working for an office in Ottawa but recently relocated permanently to Vancouver Island.  There was also a question about the previously proposed changes to our medical sick leave provisions under the proposed Employee Leave & Wellness Program (ELWP). Robert MacDonald explained that the ELWP was being negotiated outside the formal Bargaining process & that in part due to Pandemic times & impacts, this initiative has been shelved, at least at this time. Further updates are likely to be provided in the new year in light of the Bargaining process scheduled to begin in Summer-2022.
13.  Adjournment Meeting adjourned at 13:00

PIPSC Nanaimo SP Subgroup

Presidents Report – November 30, 2021

It’s been nearly two & a-half years since the Nanaimo SP subgroup held its last AGM (April-2019). Shortly afterwards in the new year (Jan-2020), former and long-standing Nanaimo SP Subgroup President Dan Leus (DFO-PBS) officially stepped down from his role in the Executive. Dan’s departure from the Executive was a genuine loss given his tenure, character and expertise, and as such, we would once again would like to acknowledge & express our sincere gratitude & appreciation for Dan’s excellent Executive leadership in guiding our SG through some highly dynamic & challenging times – quite exemplary indeed!

At that time, then Executive VP Nick Leone stepped in by Executive acclimation, along with a minor shuffle of the standing Executive board. Shortly afterwards however, the COVID-19 Pandemic was announced having significant influence & impact throughout the public service workplace & routine operations of many of the Union’s Subgroup committee operations, including Nanaimo SP.

In view of the Pandemic times, its impact and effect on employees & our collective workplace environments, the SG was unfortunately forced into a temporary hiatus with limited interaction or engagement over this time. The subgroup did however manage to provide financial support to a notable & long-standing annual event, the DFO-PBS Children’s Christmas Party (Dec-20’) which the SG will once again look to help sponsor this coming Christmas Season.

Your Executive sincerely regrets the absence of engagement over this challenging & difficult period, however, is committed to trying to re-establish routine Union operations & activities commencing with this its 2021 AGM. As there has been limited recruitment in supporting/replenishing the SP Executive over the past several years, the SG’s principal focus in the near-term will be towards engagement & recruitment of PIPSC members, and particularly newer members of the Public Service, recognizing the elevated staffing levels of the past couple of years. Our intention & hope is to try and revitalize the SP SG & its operations to ideally better support our current & shifting employment environment, as well as promoting the issues and concerns of our changing membership.

It is our hope as well, that you will help to participate in this process through awareness, workplace dialogue, engagement & support of Union affairs and potentially as active members of your employment group Executive. In doing so, you will help better shape & frame a SG reflective of its membership, elevate its diversity and representation of the current & emerging employment environment & demographics. Remember, your Union helps supports YOU – it’s members, so please consider lending a hand in supporting your Union & by doing so, your colleagues/yourselves.

Your SP-SG looks forward to re-establishing itself and a return to more ‘typical’ and active participation over the coming year, particularly in view of the recent Regional and National level executive transitions (2021), and emerging next-round of the Collective Bargaining process (commencing summer 2022). Your awareness, interest and support are crucial. We look forward to the new year with optimism & promise.

Yours In Solidarity,  

Nick Leone, A/President & your Nanaimo SP-SG Executive