May 30, 2024, Prairie/NWT executive meeting Minutes
Time: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: Canmore - Coast Hotels
In attendance:
Samah Henein, Regional Director
Nancy McCune, Vice President and Small Branch Representative
Marvie Ong, Treasurer
Jay Krishnan, Secretary
Cory Graham, Winnipeg-Southern Manitoba Branch President
Courtney Walker, Calgary Branch President
Robert Scott, for Saskatoon Branch President
Katy Windl, for Regina Branch President
Ira Hill, Small Branch Representative
Sharon Losinski, Edmonton Branch President
Guest: Kris Hawkins, Regional Manager
Regrets: None
1. Call to Order and welcome - Samah called the meeting to order at 9:05 AM
2. Land recognition – Robert read the land recognition
3. Equality statement – Sharon read the equality statement
4. Approval of Agenda – Robert moved, Cory seconded, motion carried
5. Approval of the last meeting minutes (March 9, 2024) - Courtney moved the amended minutes approval motion, Robert seconded, motion carried.
a) Matters arising and tracking report review. List updated
6. Director Report – Samah
a) Board update
HUMAN RESOURCES - The promotion rate increased by 24% compared to the second quarter of 2023. This means that employees are moving vertically or laterally within the Institute, which proactively improves the retention rate, reduces the cost per hire and increases positive sentiment. Our retention rate increased by 7% this year compared to 2023.
FINANCE - Preliminary view indicates that Q3 results should generate a surplus for the quarter with better than forecasted investment revenue. Year-to-date, a deficit still exists however it will be lower than what was presented last quarter which represented a $xx loss.
We have actively engaged with BDO to accelerate the timing of the main PIPSC audit to meet the timelines provided by the audit committee. While not finalized, we believe we will be able to achieve draft statements by September 13th.
The mortgage refinancing is in the final stages of completion, and we expect that the mortgage documents will be prepared prior to the board meeting. Once complete, we will be looking to hold a special Building Trust meeting to authorize the repatriation of the funds to pay back a portion of prior PIPSC loans and related interest. The mortgage proceeds of $xx will pay down the current Desjardins loan, approximately $xx and the majority of the remaining balance will repay PIPSC.
Collective Bargaining - The Collective Bargaining team is working with 35 active bargaining tables, though several are in the final stages of ratification and production of their collective agreement.
Groups still in active negotiation are the 3 CFIA Groups (VM, S&A and IN) and the SH Group. The CP Group is scheduled for mediation and arbitration to try to settle a collective agreement as well.
The Institute’s Strike Committee (“ISC”) continues to be more active, especially with the recent onboarding of new managers in other sections who have roles to play in any work stoppage. The ISC will continue to address challenges to move the Institute in a direction, that will allow it to be more prepared to support groups on the conciliation/strike route. We anticipate that more groups may become interested in that route in the future
Education & Internal Communications - The EIC team has been hard at work ensuring that services to members remain consistent and of high quality during this transition period.
April was a very busy month for the email program, seeing 64 emails sent to our membership. This represents a 36% increase from April 2023, during which only 47 emails were sent. EIC is currently short-staffed due to the recent departure of one of our Communications Officers. A hiring process is currently underway to replace them.
Our Education staff have had an exceptionally busy month that saw the delivery of seven training courses that have been in the works for several months. These include courses on mental health, oppression and racism in the workplace, conflict resolution, burnout prevention, and EDI that were delivered at the Atlantic and Prairies Labour Schools, as well as strike training for the New Brunswick Crown Prosecutors. Attention will now be turned towards completing curriculums for training in May and June and developing courses for the fall.
Education staff also prepared and delivered sessions for the Staff Conference in Montreal.
The Board met with the AC on May 28 and we discussed federal and provincial elections and lobbying. It was very clear that we need to start being involved in the election as it will affect our members future. A report will be provided to the board to summarize what was discussed. By sharing truth about the parties and their priorities we can keep our members informed. We need to remind them to vote.
-NSO name Paul Andres from London, Ontario
-Better Together changes will come to the board for approval
-Back up parliamentarian for the board – Stacy McLaren
-One on one leadership coaching sessions for 10 board members and 6 staff for the cost of $xx (xx plus taxes each 10 session)
-Draft environmental policy referred to BLPC to review if it can be implemented
-Change in the org structure: HR and legal will report to the ED.
-improvement in PIPSC staffing, hiring taking into consideration the EDI, interview exit process, training and talent management.
- Communication changes - If you have an Eventbrite or google form invite once the main message is translated, you will need to go back to Eventbrite and include the translation in it.
b) Regional update – nothing to report
Motion: Cory moved a motion to allow PIPSC staff to attend the regional executive meeting only when requested or when they present something, Nancy seconded, motion carried.
Samah recorded her motion as opposed.
7. Financial Report – Marvie presented the financial report, it is available on the G drive. Marvie moved to accept the report, Ira seconded, motion carried.
a) NPSW funding requests from branches- Samah. $xx/member for NPSW event
b) Steward Council event – max $xx/person for the event, $xx/person for promotional items
c) AGM hospitality – shorter AGM in Toronto, no need for hospitality
d) AGM Promotion – max $xx/person, ideas to submit within a month.
8. Training Report – Courtney
a) BST - Mar 7-9, 2024, feedback shared by Kris
b) Labour school - Apr 18-20, 2024 - Feedback on courses were good, still waiting to receive feedback on mental health course
c) Ask an ERO - May 8, 2024 – virtual. Approximately 20 participants attended. Another one to be scheduled in Oct.
d) Steward council - Sept 27- 28,2024 – Edmonton. Draft agenda in place, presidents to submit promotional item ideas to submit within a month
e) Health and Safety Training - Dec 6, 2024 - Winnipeg Delta. Discussed selection criteria.
f) TEAM update April meeting, presentation to the board by the TEAM lead, TEAM will submit the member facilitation and education to the board for approval. Mentorship program poster finalized. Filipe is the new education Team lead. Next meeting is in October. Requested a course on indigenous issue, ableism and ageism. At yesterday’s meeting, we planned out the 2025 labour school program.
9. Staff Report – Kris
The staff all attended a Staff Conference in April. I don’t think many of us realized how much we missed that connection, and it was a great time to learn together, sharpening some of our skills and working together. I personally left exhausted but with new connections. I also know that every single staff member felt a better connection with colleagues and renewed sense of purpose. These connections have already benefited members as I was able to directly speak with a colleague in Membership on a time sensitive issue.
Our EROs have very high workloads. We have one caseload of 81 files, and we are diligently trying to drive that down, but the issues keep coming, specifically RTO questions have spiked again. It’s important to remember that this means, if you have a case, that person is serving 80 other people. Most members are patient and respectful.
We have three adjudication hearings coming up next month, which I anticipate will proceed. We have resolved one additional pending hearing. Two are virtual, one is MAGE in Winnipeg, in person.
We have developed a good relationship with Education and the new TL. We’ve asked for development of a privilege walk and they were supportive of the request. The goodwill that has been built is helpful to the region as my sense is that Education’s relationship with the regional office is very beneficial to our regional initiatives.
For the Steward Council, I do not anticipate all staff will be in attendance. This will also be the same for OHS training.
10. AGM 2024 discussion
a) Delegate Policy
Motion: Nancy moved a motion on the allotment on AGM delegates as follows:
Each PRE executive member, except the director becomes a delegate
Every branch gets one delegate per PRC 2013 resolution
Remining delegate seats will be allocated based on population
Should a small branch fail to fill their seat by the set deadline, that seat will go to the large branch rotation.
If the secretary/treasurer come from a large branch, their branches would not be eligible for large branch rotation for unfilled small branch allocations
Courtney second, carried.
Action: Nancy to update the policy by the next virtual PRE meeting.
b) Delegate caucuses event
Caucus needed, discuss only selected resolutions.
Action: Samah to share the Atlantic resolution on dues increase $xx based on member/ERO ratio.
11. PRC resolutions: Nothing in writing, could be some from the floor.
12. Federal and provincial Election planning
Samah shared the election concerns discussed at the board and AC meeting on May 28, 2024.
Action: Region to encourage members to be active and involved and see whose platform supports us during provincial and federal elections based on what comes down from the PIPSC headquarters.
13. Board committees update from our regional representatives.
a) Finance – Nancy
Can’t disclose anything, minutes waiting to be approved. 21 years trust issue with the PIPSC building, the building needed to be deemed disposed after 21 years, capital gains tax implications, could be significant.
b) SAC – Ira
Spent a fair bit of time on biennial survey developed on Covid, which is being revamped to be used for RTO
14. Regional Face Book Page
Action: Ask Ryan if he wants to replace Katy as admin
15. Date and location of the next executive meeting of the year - Virtual ~end of June
16. Round Table
Nancy: want to discuss how the shared drive is organization. Mentioned that the Lethbridge branch used culinary school, it was extremely cheap. Asked if the Legacy Foundation email gone out or not.
Cory: new executive elected; new members are in. planning a ball game day
Robert: get together function 55 members and 6 guests attended
Courtney: AGM on May 9th, new secretary, a new member at large, planning family event @ the house of skates.
Ira: one executive meeting virtual, nothing organized
Katy: planning to take part in the pride parade, planning a ball game, something went wrong with our by-laws (email Tony Godard to rectify)
Sharon: picnic in 2 weeks, 120 registered, something has gone wrong with our by-laws (email Tony Godard to rectify)
Jay: an observation made on EDIA because of another executive comment.
17. Meeting Adjournment at 4:11 PM
Future events
-Presidents Meeting - May 31, 2024 - (half day AM) - Canmore - Coast Canmore
-Youth Committee Meeting - May 31, 2024 - (half day AM) - Canmore - Coast Canmore
-PRC - May 31, 2024 (half day PM), June 1, 2024 (full day) - Canmore - Coast Canmore
- Executive Meeting Virtual TBD
-Regional Training Committee - Sept 25, 2024 (1-5 PM) - Edmonton JWM
-Executive Meeting - Sept 26, 2024 - Full Day - Edmonton JWM
-Steward council - Sept 27, 2024 (full day), Sept 28, 2024 (half day AM) - Edmonton JWM
-BST fall - Oct 24-26, 2024 - Winnipeg Delta
-AGM- Nov 8-9, 2024 - Toronto
-Executive Meeting -TBD
- Health and Sa