Minutes of the Lethbridge AFS Subgroup Annual General Meeting
December 1, 2016
New Dynasty Restaurant
Attendees: Shayne Baker, Robert Beggs, Chelsey Butler, Tyler Clark, Brent Clifton, Mary Cousins, Richard Desjardins, Kim Forsyth, Tony Pierson, Brent Rodgers, John Tyreman, Curtis Zwingli, Todd McCoy, Mary-Ann Isaac, Mark Marynowski, and Kim Mclean
Minutes:
Motion to accept the December 1, 2015 minutes made by Robert Beggs, seconded by Curtis Zwingli.
Carried
Financial Statements:
Motion: To accept the financial statement as presented with a bank balance of $X as of November 30, 2016, made by Kim Forsyth, seconded by Mark Marynowski.
Carried
President’s Report: Shayne Baker:
- AFS National AGM (June, 216) Notes:
- Meeting coming about small offices between AFS Executive and CRA. Presentation being put together by executive. AFS Executive met with Bob Hamilton briefly. UMC delayed.
- Bargaining Update
- Gov’t only bargaining with itself over sick leave for now. Repealed laws and put itself into weaker position deliberately. Are they really that committed to this course of action? Last I heard employees can keep banks but they will no longer accumulate. 15 days/year. In-house. May all be put over until next round of bargaining.
- Last pay offer was 0.75 0.75 0.75
- Don’t expect contract before 2017 summer.
- CRA/TB didn’t come with a mandate until last round. Bargaining has only really just started.
- Bargaining – 3 groups have settled – no sick leave changes – 1.5, 0.75, 0.75, 2 other 1.0 for 3
Adjudication dates January 28 and 29, 2016. Based on the information in the Delios decision, CRA will probably be putting forth financial arguments.
- Election
Primary function of Subgroups is consultation. Since ITB swallowed ITS, we have separate management structures. As a result, SATSO UMC’s are entirely AU focussed. I am a CS, I don’t know AU issues, unfamiliar with job (ex. Performance Management for an AU) and I’m not in the office enough to know what other local issues are coming up.
I didn’t run for President. Nancy asked me to take on VP role to fill out executive because Kathy Maberley was retiring. Then Nancy ran for Regional Director and won, which forced her to vacate Presidency and forced me into it.
President needs to be in the office!
Curtis and Richard stepped up to fill in other vacancies to keep subgroup in compliance. I would be willing to fill a position on the executive, but the President needs to be an AU. President should also become a steward.
Elections: Shayne Baker and Brent Clifton
President Tony Pierson
Secretary/Treasurer Richard Desjardins
PIPSC AGM Update: Todd McCoy
I attended the PIPSC AGM in November 2016 on behalf of our branch. So did Scott Brison as well as 262 delegates from across Canada.
Scott Brison is the first standing Treasury Board President that spoke to PIPSC in its 100 year history.
My impression is that the Liberals are a softer, prettier version of the Conservatives. They seem to say the right things, but basically carry on with Conservative policies.
Scott Brison
- Was impressed with our professionalism
- Like him, we were drawn into the public service.
- They want to build High Performance Public Service of the Future
- He spoke about
- Agility
- A pilot project to employ members of the first Nation
- The diversity in the Canadian government
- The gender-balanced Parliament
- About the need to do more about Mental Health in the Workplace
He never mentioned negotiations except to say that they should be fair and balanced.
Phoenix Pay System – Simply unacceptable to screw up like that.
The lesson learned is – Ensure a Legacy system continues to work before going to a new system.
We have lots of good people here and we need to build on our collective wisdom
He thanked our members for our service and he is proud of our opportunity to build a better Canada.
And right now the world needs more Canada
Debi Daviau spoke 5 Agenda Items for PIPSC in 2017
- Improve Collective Bargaining
- No real change over 1 year after the election
- STOP Outsourcing
- 87 % of PIPSC survey respondents say the number of contractors is rising.
- Meanwhile, 3000 government jobs have disappeared.
- PRESERVE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY
- See what is happening in U.S.A.
- PROMOTE Tax Fairness
- We have seen the reduction in the number of tax collecters
- So much tax money not collected. #SAD
- DEFEND our PENSIONS
- It’s funny how the wealthy want everything, yet the middle class deserve LESS.
VOTING
There were very many votes occurring over 2 days -I worked with my fellow stewards in the Prairie/NWT region to ensure our voice was heard.
Meeting adjourned at 1 p.m.