The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
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North Central Vancouver Island Branch (NCVI) Report

North Central Vancouver Island Branch (NCVI) Report

2018 Regional Council

The NCVI Branch serves 221 regular members and 15 retired members from Duncan to Port Hardy. Our seven-member executive met five times since our last AGM, discussing Phoenix, collective agreements, rallies, events, partnerships and engagement.

This year, with many new Collective Agreements coming on-line, Phoenix continues to be THE major issue as so many of our members have inaccurate or missing pay.  It’s a standing item on our branch agenda.  In October and February, we partnered in Nix Phoenix rallies with our friends at the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).  Despite the cold and rain (both times!), our members and theirs showed up to express the pain, frustration and bewilderment that our employer could implement a program that was so clearly not capable.

We stand with SP, RE groups and others to protect scientific integrity.  Dr. Kristi Miller-Saunders spoke at our branch AGM in May, sharing her experience in working in science for DFO, and her perspective on the importance of scientific integrity in the public service. Debi Daviau, in attendance, recognized her and others, including Tony Turner also in attendance, who have been targeted with scrutiny and media, and offered assistance.

Our branch’s motion that retired members’ dues should be allocated to their branch was adopted at the national PIPSC AGM in November, and congratulations to all who worked on this.  We all have the power to make change, as grassroots as this initiative shows.

Our branch supports workplace events, and this year we funded the Pacific Biological Station Children’s Christmas party and the PBS Seafood Barbeque. We also screened Star Wars to support the broader membership.  Robert MacDonald travelled in, and gave a great address. 

As we enter the next round of bargaining for many of our collective agreements, we will work towards being more visible.  Thanks to the Regional Executive for our new PIPSC rally tent and a rally kit with a bullhorn and signs.  We stand out!

Our branch recognizes the importance of working across the branches/groups structure of PIPSC, and we have added updates from the AV, SP, RE and CS subgroups to our branch executive meetings.  With small numbers and limited resources, we make a bigger impact and reach more members when we work better together.

In Solidarity,

Jennifer Mollins, secretary on behalf of our president and executive

Carl Cahoon, President; Nick Leone, Vice-President; Tamas Lipcsey, Treasurer; Diana McHugh, Kalie Gossen, James Shepherd, Charles Fort, Jean Van Der Mark and Bill Woolverton