January 2, 2018
To: BC/Yukon Region Stewards
From: Ernie McLean, Regional Manager, BC/Yukon and Prairie Region
Peter MacDougall, Chair, BC/Yukon Regional Training Committee
Re: BC/Yukon Advanced Training School – April 11 – 14, 2018
We are pleased to inform you that the BC/Yukon Advanced Training School will be offered on April 11 – 14, 2018 at the Delta Hotels by Marriott Victoria Ocean Pointe in Victoria, BC.
The Training School offers specialized modules once a year to all stewards with at least six (6) months experience, in addition to having completed the Basic Steward Training.
Training will take place over four (4) days as follows:
A half day on Wednesday, April 11th from 1400 until 1800, a full day on Thursday, April 12th from 0900 until 1700, a full day on Friday, April 13th from 0900 until 1700 and a half day on Saturday, April 14th from 0900 until 1200.
This year’s school will offer the following sessions:
Session A (2 days)
- Executive Leadership Training
- Advanced Grievance Handling
Session B (1 day)
- Building Effective Consultation Teams
- Duty to Accommodate
We invite you to register for one (1) module from Session A and one (1) module from Session B that you would like to attend.
Session A
Executive Leadership Training (2 days)
The module is meant to provide learners with the knowledge and skills in several areas, which will develop and enhance their leadership abilities. The following are examined in detail:
- PIPSC structure and roles of PIPSC leaders
- Different styles of leadership and qualities that make leaders effective
- Communication – making appealing requests, expressing oneself objectively
- Dealing with and managing organizational change
- Team dynamics and team building
- Strategies for an effective Executive
- Parliamentary law
Advanced Grievance Handling (2 days)
The course objectives will develop and increase the skills of the participants to:
- identify and apply the steps in the grievance process
- fulfill the steward’s role in the grievance process
- support members through the use of effective interviewing, communication and investigation skills
- demonstrate sound knowledge of grievance handling, effective grievance writing and the presentation of grievances
- network with other stewards and seek support and collaboration when required
Session B
Building Effective Consultation Teams (1 day)
The course objectives will develop and increase the skills of the participants to:
- identify the purpose, roles and benefits of the union-management consultation process
- develop strategies for ensuring an effective and responsive consultation process
- identify actions for effective communication both with the membership and at the consultation “table”
- have the capacity to craft agenda items and determine priorities and desired outcomes
Duty to Accommodate (1 day)
The course objectives will develop and increase the skills of the participants to:
- identify the key principles guiding the duty to accommodate
- define and apply concepts related to accommodation
- explain the relationship between the duty to accommodate and key legislation such as the Human Rights Act
- clarify the responsibilities of unions, employers and employees in duty to accommodate situations
- develop the confidence and capability to advise and support members dealing with accommodation issues in the workplace
It is expected that you will attend the School in its entirety.
Note that participants may be expected to complete home work assignments in the evenings.
Please complete the on-line registration form, which is located on the PIPSC website at LINK. The on-line registration form is required no later than Friday, March 2, 2018, to be considered for participation in the Training School. Registration will not be accepted by fax or telephone.
As the Training School is limited to forty (40) participants, a selection criteria has been established and will be applied when reviewing the applications.
Once your registration has been received and reviewed, you will be sent an e-mail advising whether you have been selected or not selected to take this training. Please be advised that travel arrangements cannot be made, nor will hotel reservations be made in your name, until you have received confirmation by e-mail from the Vancouver Regional Office.
In addition to the registration form, please find attached a document outlining administrative details for this event.
If you have any questions regarding the Training School and registration process, please contact Patricia Fung at 604 688.8238 or 1.800.663.0485, extension 7820 or pfung@pipsc.ca.
We look forward to meeting and working with you.
Sincerely,
Ernie McLean, Regional Manager, BC/Yukon and Prairie Region
Peter MacDougall, Chair, BC/Yukon Regional Training Committee
ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES
BC/YUKON REGION ADVANCED TRAINING SCHOOL
April 11 - 14, 2018
Delta Hotels Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort
TRANSPORTATION
Stewards can claim the lesser of the actual kilometres x .50 cents driven or the rate of $700.00 (round trip), which is based on Air Canada Flight Passes and ground transportation.
Compensatory salary and meal expenses will be reimbursed based on travel by plane.
This is based on the PIPSC Travel Policy Schedule A, effective October 1, 2017. New rates are expected on April 1, 2018.
Any car rental requests require pre-approval.
Once we have confirmed your registration by e-mail and you require air travel arrangements only, please contact BCD Travel in Ottawa at 1.866.768.7624 or by e-mail at reservations1.ca@bcdtravel.com to reserve your flights.
Additional costs due to driving (rather than flying), such as meals, time missed from work and accommodation incurred during transit, will be at the responsibility of the traveller. Refer to the PIPSC Travel Policy available on our website at www.pipsc.ca for further information. If you have any questions regarding the PIPSC Travel Policy, please inquire prior to making your travel arrangements.
ACCOMMODATION
The hotel and training coordinates are:
Delta Hotels Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort
100 Harbour Road
Victoria, BC V9A 0G1
1.888.236.2427 (reservations)
250.360.2999 (phone)
It is expected that the majority of stewards will be able to travel on Wednesday morning in order to arrive at the training on time for the 1400 commencement. As the training concludes at noon on Saturday, it is also expected that all participants will travel home that day. Requests for additional accommodation will be reviewed in accordance with the PIPSC Travel Policy.
The Vancouver office will book your room nights at the hotel for the date of your arrival, once we confirm your attendance by e-mail. The room rate is based on single or double occupancy. If you wish to bring your spouse/significant other and/or children, please inform us on your registration form.
The cost of the hotel will be paid by the Institute through a master account. All incidental expenses are to be paid by the steward.
Rooms will be guaranteed to the Institute for late arrival. Please be aware that PIPSC will be charged in full for any rooms cancelled after March 9, 2018, regardless of whether or not they are used. We ask that you be mindful of this fact when completing your registration form, as we have had to pay for rooms after individuals decided to leave early.
If you have to cancel your attendance before March 9th, please notify Patricia Fung immediately at 604 688.8238 or 1.800.663.0485, extension 7820 or e-mail at pfung@pipsc.ca.
Should you have to cancel at the last minute, ie. on April 11th, or leave earlier than what you had advised, please contact the hotel directly to cancel your reservation, as well as notifying Patricia Fung. Failure to do so may result in you being charged for the room, as per the attached excerpt from the Travel Policy:
Part F - Accommodations
5. Hotel Accommodations Cancellations
5.1. When travel plans change and the accommodations will not be required, the member shall ensure that reservations are cancelled either through the Institute staff resource, the Institute travel agent or directly with the commercial establishment(s) as appropriate. Proof of cancellation shall be obtained (i.e., cancellation number and agent's name).
5.2. In cases where a charge is incurred due to the member's negligence, (e.g., failure to cancel a guaranteed reservation), the Institute shall recover the cost from the member. Where members are billed directly, they shall be responsible for making such payments.
MEALS
PIPSC will provide meals as follows:
Thursday – breakfast, lunch
Friday – breakfast, lunch, dinner
Saturday – breakfast
On Friday evening, PIPSC will be hosting a dinner at 1800. We encourage you to attend the dinner and meet your fellow stewards in a more social environment.
If you wish to opt out of the dinner on Friday, you must advise us no later than Friday, March 23, 2018, or this meal allowance will not be reimbursed.
SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER AND/OR CHILDREN
A spouse/significant other and/or child of the steward is welcome to attend the dinner on Friday night.
Dinners at the hotel cost the Institute approximately $80 per person. We are offering this meal to spouses and significant others for $25. Children attending the dinner will be charged as follows: for those 12 and under, they will be served chicken fingers and fries and ice cream at a cost of $10.
Children 13 and over will be served the adult dinner for $25. If your child is 12 and under, but would like to eat the adult meal, the charge will be $25.
Please be aware that if you have confirmed your attendance to this dinner and your plans change, you must advise the Vancouver office no later than March 23, 2018; otherwise you will be charged for the meal(s) for you and your guests. It is easier to add numbers than to subtract them, so if you are unsure of your plans, please advise us on your registration form.
It has unfortunately become necessary to implement this new policy, due to an ever increasing number of last minute cancellations and no shows at meals. This escalates the costs to the Institute, as there is no refund on guaranteed meal numbers.
PARKING
Parking at the hotel is complimentary.
COMPENSATION FOR LEAVE
Institute policy allows for compensating participants who use vacation, compensatory leave or leave without pay for attendance at training sessions. Compensation is also allowed when such leave is required to travel to the course. The participant must provide a completed employer's leave form authorizing the leave and complete a PIPSC Compensatory Salary Claim form available on the website.
Salary compensation will be provided for up to three (3) days on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, including reasonable travel time, except in the case of shift workers who will be reimbursed for appropriate shifts due to their attendance at the training. Reasonable travel time is defined as the amount of time that it takes to get from your home or work to the training location by the most direct manner with no stops.
OTHER
Dependent, child or other care expenses will be paid by the Institute where receipts are provided and in accordance with PIPSC policy.
If, for any reason, you expect to deviate from these guidelines you must notify us in advance. Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail Patricia Fung if you require further information regarding this training activity.