Atlantic Regional Executive Meeting Minutes - January 28, 2023
The Lord Nelson Hotel, Halifax, NS
CHAIRPERSON
Manny Costain
EXECUTIVE
Jennifer Cantwell
Cathy Hebert
Carolyn Hynes
Gerald Hill
Kimberley Keats
Christine LeDrew
Kelly MacKinnon
Scott McConaghy
Yvonne O’Keefe
Mike Pauley
STAFF
Donna Davis, Recording Secretary
1. Welcome and Directors’ Opening Remarks
Manny read the land acknowledgment and welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2. Ice Breaker
Carolyn proceeded with the Ice Breaker. Christine LeDrew will do the Ice Breaker for the March meeting.
3. Agenda
Add Update of Newsletter
Motion #1 Cathy Hebert moved, and Yvonne O’Keefe seconded that the agenda be approved as amended. CARRIED.
4. Approval of Regional Executive Minutes
The minutes of December 2, 2022, were reviewed.
Motion #2 Kelly MacKinnon moved; Kim Keats seconded that the minutes be approved as presented. CARRIED.
5. Action Items Review
Manny reviewed the Action Items.
Action Items
Atlantic Regional Executive
December 2, 2022– The Lord Nelson Hotel, Halifax, NS
|
#
|
Action |
Item/Completion Deadline |
Completed/Progress |
BF |
|
1 |
Donna |
To rebook the virtual Atlantic Regional Steward Check-In for every two months. |
ONGOING |
|
|
2 |
Donna |
Scope out new properties for meetings, one suggestion was the Hilton Garden Inn, St. John’s, NL. |
ONGOING |
|
|
3 |
Resolutions Committee |
Put together an amendment to the Travel and Balancing Union Activity and Family Life Policy to include the Training School. |
BF |
|
|
4 |
Donna |
Contact Hotels for March and September Executive and Training Committee Meeting to adjust meeting space and accommodations. |
DONE |
|
|
5 |
Manny |
To invite Phil to the Friday night Director’s dinner for our Steward Council. |
ONGOING |
|
|
6 |
Manny |
To have a zoom meeting of the newly elected executive before the September Executive and Training Committee meeting to vote in positions for the Executive and Training Committee. |
ONGOING |
|
|
7 |
Scott |
To clarify 11.2.3 regarding numbers on the Melville Branch so Manny can pass this along. |
DONE |
|
|
8 |
Donna |
Add a blurb, on the Cvent invite about what the Steward Check-In entails. |
ONGOING |
|
|
9 |
Manny |
Send an email to clarify whether expenses can be claimed through concur for lunch and learn, or if a spreadsheet must be issued to have funds reimbursed. |
DONE |
|
|
10 |
Donna |
Book the Atlantic Young Professionals Committee stand-alone meeting for February 17, and 18, 2023 at the Lord Nelson Hotel, Halifax. |
DONE |
|
|
11 |
Christine & Gerald |
To look into and suggest swag items for the Atlantic Regional Council and Steward Council. |
DONE |
|
|
12
|
Jennifer |
To look into and suggest some identity items for the executive. |
DONE |
|
|
13 |
Manny |
Email branches with their non-renewal list to ask them to encourage renewal. |
DONE |
|
#9 Everything through concur to track properly, including reconciliation.
#11 Contigo Mugs for ARC.
#12 Vest
Action: Manny to email finance to find out the process for the reconciliation of Constituent Body Accounts.
Action: Christine & Gerald to look into Swag items for Steward Council.
6. Calendar of Events
Manny reviewed the Calendar of Events.
Action: Donna to add the new dates for the 2024 and 2025 meetings to the Calendar of Events.
7. Regional Director’s Report
Manny advised that his Director’s Report is on the Google Drive for review, along with his Board of Director’s Report. In addition to his report, Manny advised there has been some discussion as to whether the Regional Offices are still required. Manny asked the Manager; Atlantic Region what issues would be faced if the Halifax office space was closed. Cheryl advised that most of the Halifax staff is in the office at least one to two times per week, and Max and Chery are in three to four days a week. The Halifax office lease has been extended for a period. There is not enough office space for the Labour Relations Officer to have an office as he is using the conference room. PIPSC and the Regional Office managers will decide on a new space for the Halifax Office. Other offices were told by their director that their offices will be shut down.
Other issues talked about were Policy Grievances, the right to refuse dangerous work, and the right to refuse - adequate workspace. Bill 23 on the New Brunswick side, Right to Strike - Essential Services, Legal looking to see if they can challenge this issue. A Return to Office email went out with questions to members.
Motion # 3 Manny Costain moved, and Christine LeDrew seconded the Director’s Report be approved as presented. CARRIED.
Motion # 4 Manny moved, and Cathy Hebert seconded to go into a closed session. CARRIED.
Motion # 5 Scott McConaghy moved, and Christine LeDrew seconded to come out of the closed session. CARRIED.
8. Financial Report
Gerald stated we already have the budget for 2023 approved and we will review the 2024 budget in the afternoon. Gerald went over the financials, and he will get them reviewed and audited. The Annual Allowance will be completed when we review the final numbers in February. We need the ARC Draft Minutes and Elections Report and the final counts of members, as our allotment is based on the number of members we have in our region.
Motion # 6 Gerald Hill moved, and Mike Pauley seconded the Financial Report to be approved as presented. CARRIED.
Motion # 7 Manny Costain moved, and Kelly MacKinnon seconded to go into a closed session. CARRIED.
Motion # 8 Christine LeDrew moved, and Gerald Hill seconded to come out of a closed session. CARRIED.
9. Training Committee Chairperson’s Report
Carolyn Hynes, Chair of the Training Committee, went over her report submitted on the google drive. In addition to her report, Carolyn mentioned that the number of participants for the training would be increased to 25 in the Budget. She talked about Peer-to-Peer training. Training event preparation for the Atlantic Regional Council has been switched to a Town Hall on Return to Office with Craig Bradley, Sean O’Reilly, and Chris Roach to vet the questions in the town hall and talk about various challenges in each department. We will need to prepare questions on Return to Office. We will have to divide the group into two, one for NB Groups and one for regular stewards. A breakout group for New Brunswick with President Jenn Carr and Manny Costain.
Training School courses will be Grievance and Consultation, Duty to Accommodate, or Occupational Health and Safety depending on their availability on the Education Drive. We also need a one-day course which must be agreed upon by the executive. One suggestion was Performance Management.
The Atlantic Region has been asked to pilot the Mental Health course, however, it is not ready, so we declined at this time to do the pilot.
Action: Manny to ask Jenn Carr if she will do the breakout with the NB Groups during the Town Hall.
Action: Manny to invite Sean O’Reilly, Craig Bradley, and Chris Roach to the Atlantic Regional Council to facilitate the Town Hall.
Action: Carolyn to communicate with Cheryl regarding the Training Committee’s decisions on training after each meeting.
Action: Carolyn to ask education if the Performance Management is ready on the education drive.
Motion # 9 Carolyn Hynes moved, and Jennifer Cantwell seconded the Training Committee Chairperson’s Report. CARRIED.
10. Committees of the Board Reports
a. Training, Education, and Mentoring Committee (TEAM)
b. PRQC Committee – no meeting.
c. Finance Committee
The TEAM report was reviewed on the Google drive. There was no PRQC Committee Meeting since the last report. The Finance Committee report was reviewed on the Google drive.
Kim Keats gave a verbal report on the Science Advisory Committee stating it was a short meeting. There were stickers with "Stick up for Science". There will be training in the spring, in which Kim participated in the pilot. Scientific Integrity was discussed, as the interpretation and understanding of the Policy. Scientists do jobs and give their advice; the government has the choice to accept or reject their recommendations and this is not a breach of scientific integrity. The women in science initiative is still being rolled out and there are plans to do another learning lab for women. There is a Women in Public Service Sector Science Network.
Motion # 10 Manny Costain moved, and Christine LeDrew seconded that the Committees of the Board reports be moved as presented. CARRIED.
11. New Business
a. Elections Sub Committee Mandate Review – the Elections Sub Committee Mandate was reviewed. There are five (5) members up for election. The rest of the members will be on the Committee, although two members have removed themselves. It has been agreed to get DOTS to facilitate the election results again this year.
b. Executive Member of the Year Award – This has been prepared and will go out to members soon.
c. Meeting Schedules for 2024, up to 2025 ARC – this has been done in a previous section.
d. Moncton Area Social events in association with the Basic Steward Training will be held at the Timber Lounge; Kelly will prepare the notice and send it to Jennifer to process.
Action: Kelly MacKinnon to prepare the notice for the Moncton area social in association with the Basic Steward Training.
Action: Kelly to look into a place for a social event in conjunction with the Executive Meeting in March in Moncton.
e. Lunch and Learn Funding Criteria– The website is up to date on requests for Lunch & Learn.
f. Principles for AGM seats and ARC Formulas (deferred from December Meeting) – Scott explained the principles for the Atlantic Regional Council seats. The formula should only cover one Atlantic Regional Council voted by the Executive.
Motion # 11 Motion to keep the Atlantic Regional Delegate Allotment at 110 with three (3) extra seats to distribute at the Regional Director’s discretion moved by Manny Costain and seconded by Scott McConaghy. CARRIED.
Action: Donna is to send the ARC delegate allotment letter and documents to branches, groups, and retired members guild before the next meeting.
Action: Donna to BF the AGM Formula to the May meeting Agenda.
g. ARC Formula for 2023 – done in e.
h. Regional By-Law Amendment – Training Committee Chair – Scott read the By-Law.
6.1.3 Standing Committee Chair: The Standing Committee Chairs with the exception of the Training Committee Chair, shall be elected by the Regional Executive, from among those on the Regional Executive, at the first meeting following the Regional Council Meeting.
Training Committee Chair is elected within the Training Committee.
i. UFLB Policy and Cheat Sheet Update (deferred from December Meeting) – Scott working on the update.
j. 2024 Budget Discussion (deferred from December Meeting) – The 2023 budget was approved, and the 2024 Budges were gone over and will be put on the Regional Executive Financial Drive. Some changes were to move the Christmas lunch to a dinner for per diem purposes and make it a staff appreciation dinner. Meet & Greet at four of our executive meetings is set at a certain amount, anything over will be covered by the Regional Director's Budget. International Women’s Day pins and posters can be ordered for events. Training School will now have more participants therefore networking funds will need to be increased. Atlantic Regional Council Social Event should be an in-house event and bring in entertainment. Peer-to-Peer training will add additional numbers to the training school requiring additional funds. The Seasonal Social will be on November 29, 2024, perhaps it is time to change this event, Manny suggested having it at the hotel.
Motion # 12 Gerald Hill moved, and Carolyn Hynes seconded to purchase International Women's Day Pins, 500 pins with the additional funds allocated to each region. CARRIED.
Action: Gerald to put the budgets on the Atlantic Regional Executive Financial Drive.
Action: Gerald to ask finance how to access additional funds for special events.
Action: Gerald is to purchase International Women’s Day Pins, and ship them to Carolyn before February 14.
Action: Donna is to set aside 15 minutes on the agenda at the Atlantic Regional Council for Manny to talk about Women's Day.
Action: Cathy to look for the Annual General Meeting visibility item.
k. AYPC Update – Christine advised she has a meeting scheduled at the Lord Nelson in February and a Social Event. The Social event will be at the indoor roller-skating dome. This includes a party room and discounts from a local pizza establishment.
l. ARC/AGM Guide Principles – defer this item until the January meeting.
11. Round Table
Manny and the Board set strategic priorities for this year, which include Annual General Meeting, Return to Office, New Website, Steward Framework, New Elections System, New Financial System – that works with Cvent and Concur, Navigar, BC/Yukon Nurses – keep the group afloat, Oracle to Cloud, AI Tool, and Simultaneous Interpretation Software.
Cathy Hebert will be staying on as a representative for the Scholarship Campaign.
Gerald felt it was a long two days, but we accomplished a lot.
Motion# 13 Cathy Hebert moved to adjourn the meeting at 5:16 pm.