Ontario Region Executive Meeting - August 13, 2022 - Fern Resort
Present: J. Purdie, A. Stone, P. Tsuji, D. Kamaldin, R. Kaura, T, MacDonald, B. Brawley
Regrets: C. L’Estrange, T. Yantsis, T. Zaharopoulos
The meeting was called to order at 9:43 a.m.
1. Opening remarks
Director acknowledged land usage. The formal introduction of Tina MacDonald to the ORE.
2. Approval of the Agenda
The Director explained that he has chosen not to vote on issues but will only act as a tiebreaker. He explained the standing agenda items were in Yellow.
MOTION to add items v) Ontario Provincial Groups Liaison and vi) Ontario Young Professionals as standing Agenda items
Moved: Bridget Brawley
2nd: Din Kamaldin Carried
The Agenda was approved. Consensus
3. Approval of the Minutes
MOTION to approve the Minutes
Moved: Anthony Stone
2nd: Bridget Brawley Carried
Director’s Bylaw document to be re-submitted to Bylaw Action: Purdie
MOTION to go In Camera
Moved: Paul Tsuji
2nd: Din Kamaldin Carried
Meeting went In Camera at 10:08 and exited In Camera at 10:38.
Director to get a written report update from Stacey McLaren on the Toronto Centre situation Action: Purdie
4. Tracking Report
The Director did provide a name to the BLPC Chair for Ontario but the BLPC Chair recommended that it does not make sense to appoint someone for only 1 meeting.
Discussion on the cutting board whether it qualified as an asset acquisition since it cost over $XXX.
Tom Zaharopoulos needs to pick a delegate to attend the AGM in his capacity as branch president or if the branch does not use the delegate seat then it would revert back to the ORE.
The Director to follow up with Tom Zaharopoulos about his branch delegate seat.
Action: Purdie
The Director to make a suggestion to Heather to use Google Forms to record the feedback. Action: Purdie
Ontario Provincial Group Liaison to get information about the Ontario Federation of Labour. Action: MacDonald
The Strategic Plan was amended to change Ontario Groups Engagement in the Strategic Plan.
We have registered for the Labour Day parade and the cost was $XXX but we still have not received a package. We need to send an email to Heather so she can notify the membership about the details of the Labour Day parade. It will probably start from University and Dundas and end at the CNE. There are only 150 wristbands for admission to the CNE so it will be on a first come-first served basis and we may need a person to take registration forms.
MOTION to cover the travel costs of any ORE member who attends the Labour Day parade.
Moved: John Purdie
2nd: Anthony Stone Carried
The Labour Day parade notification will also be provided to the Branch Liaison for distribution to the branch presidents. We can use Tom’s supplier for the T-shirts or John has someone who can supply the T-shirts. We usually buy 200-250 T-shirts and we can consider buying extra wristbands.
Visibility Mobilization Events committee to provide the Branch Liaison with information to distribute to the branch presidents and to provide Heather the information to post on the website. Action: Kamaldin
5. Treasurer’s report - Yantsis
Nothing to report.
6. Regional Office Manager’s report - Kredenster
Nothing to report.
7. Review of Committees
a) BOD Committees
i) BLPC - The Director has attended the BLPC meetings since there is not currently an Ontario member. When we appoint representatives next year, we should consider whether the representatives are willing to file report/briefing notes to the ORE.
Ii) Elections Appeals – No report
iii) Finance – Report was filed secretarially on behalf of committee member Yantsis and the Chair addressed any questions. The next committee meeting is September 16th.
iv) Human Rights – No report
v) Information Technology – No report
vi) Professional Recognition – no report
vii) Science Advisory – report filed secretarially
Refer to the Training Committee to create an education piece on the PIPSC structure. Action: Brawley
MOTION to accept BOD reports as filed
Moved: Rachit Kaura
2nd: Tina MacDonald Carried
b) ORE Committees
i) Training Committee
The Director reported that Tom Zaharopoulos does not have time to continue to act as the Chair of the Training Committee and OSC but will continue to be part of the Training Committee. The next basic steward training is scheduled for 1 King Street in October 2022 and the 2023 OSC is scheduled at White Oaks.
Bridget volunteered to be the Chair of the Training Committee and the OSC
Consensus
The Director to notify Samah H. that Bridget Brawley will now be the new Chair of the Training Committee for the Ontario Region. Action: Purdie
ii) Bylaw and Policy
Nothing to report.
iii) Visibility Mobilization Events Committee
No Pride day participation. Work in process for Labour Day.
iv) Branch Liaison
The duties of the Branch Liaison were explained and concluded that it is not feasible to have a meeting at the OSC.
MOTION to nominate Tina MacDonald for the vacant ORE position of Branch Liaison effectively immediately.
Moved: Anthony Stone
2nd: Bridget Brawley Consensus
v) Ontario Provincial Groups Liaison
MOTION Bridget nominates Tina MacDonald to replace her for the ORE position of Ontario Provincial Groups Liaison effective immediately
Moved: Bridget Brawley
2nd: Paul Tsuji Consensus
vi) Young Professionals Liaison
The Liaison wanted to see whether he could get the home emails rather than the work emails of potential members. He wanted to develop a Call letter and interest form for the Young Professionals folder which could also contain Terms of Reference. There does not appear to be any delegate seats for the Young Professionals to the PIPSC AGM as in previous years.
Suggested wording – Thank you for your application. Only successful applicants will be contacted. If not selected as one of the committee members, we invite you to remain in the union community.
MOTION to change the age preference from 40 to 35 for membership in the Young Professionals committee
Moved: Tina MacDonald
2nd: Anthony Stone Consensus
Discussion whether space could be created on the Ontario Region and PIPSC website for the Young Professionals committee. Discussion whether an email blast could be forwarded through Heather but there would need to be translation.
8. Regional Council
Nothing to report other than the 2023 ORC will be held at the Fern Resort on April 28-29.
9. Steward Council
There is an updated Agenda for the OSC and there are currently 99 delegates registered. The workshops have already been scheduled and there is a Reception and Dinner scheduled for Friday night but there is no official hospitality scheduled on Friday yet.
MOTION to have the ORE issue a Call for nominations for the 2022 Steward of the Year to acknowledge performance during the period 2020 – 2022.
Moved: Anthony Stone
2nd: Bridget Brawley Consensus
Training Committee Chair to check the Health & Safety workshop syllabus for what is being taught at the OSC. Action: Brawley
10. Director’s Report
Director’s report was filed
11. New Business
A) ORE Vacancy
There were 7 applications for the vacant position on the ORE which runs until the next ORC in April 2023.
Mandy Chan has been appointed to the vacant ORE position with a majority of the votes after the first ballot.
Secretary will update the ORE Contact list. Action: Tsuji
B) AGM delegate selection
Discussion on 2 different situations. The first situation is that if there is a delegate vacancy before the AGM, the ORE will use the formula table to determine which branch will be allocated the vacant AGM seat. The second situation is that if there is a vacant delegate seat at the AGM then one of the observers will be promoted to delegate status at random.
The Director to follow up with Mandy Chan to see if she was already a delegate to the PIPSC AGM then the ORE would need to have an alternate delegate for her branch. Action: Purdie
When the Director notifies the unsuccessful candidates of the selection results, he should also update the Facebook page Action: Purdie
C) Peer to Peer Facilitator
Quebec currently has a system where the training is done by the Stewards rather than the ERO’s. Ontario is not likely to adopt this system.
D) Labour Day
Discussed earlier in the Minutes
E) Communication of Information
The Director needs to communicate important updates to the ORE such as Tina MacDonald accepting the previous vacant ORE position. Also, for Urgent-Urgent matters with a same day deadline, the Director should consider texting or calling the ORE for their position on an issue.
F) BLPC Position
Discussed earlier in the Minutes
G) PIPSC AGM Caucus
The Vice-Chair ORE will be in charge of running the AGM Caucus. The ORE decided to formulate a consensus on each Resolution by voting Y, N or Free Vote. The ORE should be supporting the resolutions brought forward from the ORC.
Secretary will tabulate the results of the Y, N, or Free Vote of the ORE once all the PIPSC resolutions have been forwarded. Action: Tsuji
H) Christmas Dinner
Discussion on having a Christmas dinner for the staff during our December meeting booked for December 16/17. Potentially the schedule is for a Friday night dinner with a Saturday meeting. We will follow up at our next meeting about the taxi policy/hotel issue.
I) Sergeant-at-arms
There were no applications for the Sergeant-at-arms position at the AGM.
MacDonald may have a Provincial member who would be interested.
J) Director’s Meetings
The Board of Director’s will hold a meeting once every 3 years in each region. The Director is looking at 2024 with London as a possible location in conjunction with an ORE meeting.
K) Resolutions
The Director will assume the sole responsibility for submitting the Ontario Resolutions to the Board of Directors. The ORE will need to revise the Strategic Plan to move the Resolutions responsibility from the Secretary position to the Director position.
12. Round table
No items
13. Next Meeting
September 8th-9th, 2022, White Oaks
A subsequent URGENT MOTION was submitted on August 22, 2022
MOTION that the ORE approve $XXX hotel accommodation for executive members that will be travelling to Toronto on September 4, 2022, to assist with the organization of the Toronto Labour Day Parade. The parade will be held on September 5, 2022.
Moved: Din Kamaldin
2nd: Paul Tsuji Carried