PIPSC Branch Presidents - November 2022
Location: Virtual
Date: November 3, 2022
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Facilitator: John Purdie, Ontario Director
Minutes, by: Tina MacDonald, ORE Liaison with Branch Presidents
Agenda Items
1. Branch funding – 2022 AGM
• Reminder to have AGM before December 31, 2022 in order to not lose funding
• Some of the branches had their executive just approve financials due to the pandemic but this is no longer an option
• AGM can be hybrid, virtual, or in person
2. 2022 AGM – Ontario Caucus
• ORE is hosting a caucus on the Thursday night of the AGM for the purpose of reviewing the resolutions ahead of time, together
• Ontario delegates will see this invite on your AGM reservation
• Ensure that if someone else is attending the AGM other then you – that the member is aware of their responsibilities as an Ontario delegate
• No, attendees do not have to be from Ontario to attend the Ontario caucus
• There will be PIPSC swag for Ontario delegates – in addition to swag from PIPSC
3. Ontario Young Professionals Committee (OYPC)
• Led by an ambitious, Rachit Kaura, ORE Young Professionals Liaison
• Encourage your members to participate with the OYP group
• For members 35 years of age and younger
• Objectives of the Committee include:
• Advocate on behalf of Young Professionals
• Raise issues specific to Young Professionals
• Engage Young Professionals in the workplace and educate them on our union and its benefits
4. Concur
• Currently they are understaffed and no secret that the return time for reimbursement is longer than what it should be - but they are catching up
• Suggestion that members apply for an advancement of monies for AGM
o An advance can give you up to 70% of the amount
• John has done power point presentations at union meetings over the last year
• The website has some recent changes so it may look a little different now
* Delegates should consider dining plans in Montreal ahead of time – many persons at one time in the city
5. Branch President Meeting Schedules/ Minutes
• Meetings will be 2 weeks prior to ORE meetings so that items can be taken to ORE, as needed
• There will be one meeting at Regional Council. The other meetings will be virtual – every other month.
Action – Tina to find a location on the PIPSC website for the agenda and minutes.
Action – Tina to send a monkey survey – asking about time preferences of meetings.
Action – Tina to provide times and dates of meetings
6. Branch of the Year
• Unfortunately, pandemic put a damper on this
• PIPSC putting the initiative back into order. Be looking for nominations in the new year.
7. AV Equipment available for use
• There is a piece of equipment, called an Owl, that is available for use for meetings. Put requests in to the Ontario Director (John). Will be on a first come first serve basis. The equipment has a camera on it and automatically moves to focus on the person who is speaking. Tina has sent an inform link to the branch presidents, already.
8. Communications – work email vs personal email
• Concerns that members seem to not always get email communication
• Personal email is the best option because work emails should not be used for union related items as the employer has access to that
• ORE is extremely dedicated to assisting with ensuring that emails stay up to date, also
Action - John to investigate possibility of taking the option of WORK email off the PIPSC
website
Action - John to discuss at BOD if personal emails can be shared with branches
Further discussion on election time and use of emails. This is not appropriate for work place email.
Suggestions included those personal emails be collected at branches AGM meetings.
9. Encroachment Task Force
• John spoke about a new PIPSC task force that is forming to reviewing member’s information related to which branch this puts them in. A lot of work to be done and as they dig deeper, they realize how large this problem may actually be.
10. ORE Outreach
• Wanting to “bring the show on the road”. By doing this it will give members an opportunity to sit in on ORE meetings and expose this level of PIPSC to members.
• If you want to have ORE in your city – let John know and he will look at scheduling an ORE meeting there.
11. Policy changes – AGM
• A document is being created for AGM attendees to view prior to the AGM. This document is a summary of policy changes from the last AGM to the new one.
• It will be available on the AGM webpage.
12. Donations
• Per policy, a constituent body cannot make charitable donations - including food banks. Last year an exception was granted.
• Donations from branches can go to the Legacy Fund or swag purchasing
• Attendees of the meeting voted for John to speak at BOD – rather or not donations for food banks can be done again this year
Action – John to take this question back to BOD
13. Lunch and Learn vs Better Together
• Discussion on what the difference is
i. Lunch and learn – apply for this funding for training items
ii. Better together – apply for this funding for mobilization
14. Support for unions – picketing
• Yes, you may go out and support/ picket – but only on your own time
i. Lunch or before or after work
ii. Make sure a member does not have any clothing or bag, etc. that will show the employer’s information
Action Items
Owner(s)
Deadline
Status
Locate where minutes will be kept – Tina, January 2022
Send monkey survey regarding times for meetings – Tina, January 2022
Provide presidents with times and dates of meetings – Tina, February 2022
Investigate possibility of taking the option of WORK email off of the PIPSC website - John
Next meeting
Can personal emails be given to the branches - John