Toronto ECCC Branch Executive Meeting Minutes Q2 2024

Toronto ECCC Branch Executive Meeting Minutes Q2 2024

July 12, 2024

Toronto Environment Branch Executive Meeting
(subgroup Executive and union activists invited as guests)

Virtual meeting on July 12, 2024.

Attendance:

Executive:

Andrea Darlington, President

Balbir Pabla, Treasurer

Alexandre Fischer, Member-at-large

Diane Pendlebury, Member-at-large

Jian Feng, Member-at-large

Michael Wheeler, Member-at-large

Marie-Claude Archambault, Member-at-large

Helen Yang

Katherine Wright

Absent:

Bill Sukloff, Vice-President

Qian Li, Secretary

Harry Keess, Member-at-large

Anna Deptuch-Stapf, Member-at-large

Agenda:

1. Acceptance of the Agenda

2. Review of previous Minutes - Meeting minutes OneNote file in the executive shared area
3. Business of the day
   1. Updates from IT AGM
   2. Special General Meeting in July
   3. Thoughts on Ice Cream Social (things we could do better next time)
   4. Set date range for lunch and learn on Accommodation
   5. Ideas on visibility items to purchase
4. Roundtable
5. Next meeting
6. Adjournment

Discussion:

1. Updates from IT AGM

IT AGM, Montreal June 14, 2024

• 50^th anniversary of the CS Group, now IT Group
• Concerns how AI will impact IT members in the Public Service.
• PIPSC submitted ATIP requests about the costs incurred by our employer on implementing the 3-day return to the work site.
• Stewards in some worksites have submitted Canadian Labour Code complaints about overcrowding in buildings due to the 3-day minimum. This is because the Gov’t sold or did not renew leases on buildings, increasing the occupancy of existing work sites.
• Contracting out is monitored by PIPSC at the worst-offending employers. Policy grievances will be submitted when a contract is inappropriate (not all IT contracts are inappropriate, but knowledge transfer should be part of those contracts).
• Preparing for next round of bargaining.
• Motion passed: newsletter for members at least twice annually.

2. Special General Meeting in July
   • SGM being held to determine whether the president will continue on administrative leave
   • All are welcome to join as observers if they are interested
3. Thoughts on Ice Cream Social (things we could do better next time)
   • Went well and was very well attended!
   • Could maybe setup a couple of different ice cream scooping stations based on flavour
   • Multiple topping stations to reduce backlog of people
   • Bring in small coolers and put ice in them and put the ice cream in these while serving to prevent melting
   • Prepare some discussion topics to ask members about, maybe have areas for people to discuss certain topics
4. Set date range for lunch and learn on Accommodation
   • Looking at September/October time period after holidays, no dates provided by Emma yet
   • Suggested to do beginning of October because a lot of things get delayed to September so it is busy and expected large meetings at the end of October.
5. Ideas on visibility items to purchase
   • Andrea requested the group to review the links provided from the supplier last year and think of ideas about what items to purchase for this year
   • Topic will be revisited at the next meeting once people have time to look things over
   • It would be fine to spend up to $XXXX on visibility items.  We have approximately 600 members at this time but it's not likely all will show up to the AGM.  Expect to buy for probably 150 members.
6. Note that HR will soon be publishing document regarding 3 day return to work.  This has been provided to PIPSC stewards and suggestions have been returned to HR but it's unclear how many of these suggestions will be incorporated, if any.
7. Suggestion for PIPSC to clarify emails like the expense reminder for Concur.  If this is going to all members, they may not understand that Concur is only for travel expenses and this does not apply to them
   • Balbir to email Ontario Region Director John Purdie and share thoughts on this
8. Cancelling August meeting as many people will likely be away
9. Will create poll to determine if current meeting date/times are still the best option for the group

Sept 11, 2024

Toronto Environment Branch Executive Meeting
(subgroup Executive and union activists invited as guests)

In person and virtual meeting on Sept 11, 2024.

Attendees

 Agenda

• Acceptance of the agenda
• Review of previous minutes
• Business of the day
  • Implementation of 3 days per week in office
    • T-shirts
  • Lunch and Learn Oct 8th
    • Organizing committee
  • Visibility Items suggestion follow up
  • Schedule date for AGM
  • Open office etiquette
• Roundtable
• Next Meeting
• Adjournment

Notes

PIPSC provided stewards with a digital toolkit on Return to the Office, including MS Teams backgrounds that say “Remote Works”.

We received t-shirts with slogans about Return to the Office. PIPSC suggested we wear them on Wednesdays, and to take photos of groups of people wearing their shirts. Send to Andrea.

Return to the Office: 

• Harry: seems to be more space than people. general level of dissatisfaction from members.
• Diane: general dissatisfaction about coming to the work site with no purpose. Etiquette for open spaces should be posted around the building. A lot of our meetings are still virtual, even with many people in the building. There should be training on how to use the new Teams rooms. Andrea: We’ll raise this at the next LMCC. Bill suggested each of us raise it with our respective managers. They should bring it to the management rep who attends the Ontario Region senior management meeting (OECC).

Telework panel doesn’t come into effect until the 3rd level grievance.

The 125km exception is still in effect.

Lunch and Learn is on Oct. 8, with the ERO. We'll provide a pizza lunch. Bill, Harry and Diane volunteered to help.

Visibility items. Suggestions are welcome, please view the link.

AGM to be held in November after PIPSC national AGM - either the 13th or 20th

Toronto IT Subgroup is having coffee meets at various work sites to talk to members about RTO - we could do this at Downsview