Minutes / Procès-verbal
RMG Executive meeting / Réunion exécutive de la GMR
January 17, 2024 / 17 janvier 2024
PIPSC Office / Bureau de l’IPFPC
250 Tremblay Road / 250 ch. Tremblay
Ottawa, ON
9:00 a.m. Eastern time / 09h00 HE
Present / Présent
Sylvia Boucher
Kim Skanes
Richard Rice
Brian Barrett
Yvon Brodeur
Stewart Wong
Michael Forbes
Don Burns
1. Election of RMG Officers / Élection des officiers de la GMR
Don B and Michael F carry out the election for the position of Guild president. Sylvia Boucher is the successful candidate. She assumes the role of president. Don and Michael continue with election of officer positions. Vice President - Kim Skanes is elected. Treasurer - Brian Barrett is acclaimed. Secretary- Don Burns volunteers to serve as secretary.
The executive establishes a bylaws committee with Kim, Michael and Yvon.
2. Opening Remarks - President / Remarques d’ouverture
President Boucher highlights objectives for the coming year including better communication with members and staff. Need equal treatment of English and French.
3. Approval of Agenda / Approbation de l’ordre du jour
Approved / approuvé
4. Approval of Draft Minutes, RMG Executive Mtg. September 21, 2023 /Approbation de l’ébauche du procès-verbal de la réunion du 21 septembre 2023 de l’exécutif de la GMR
Minutes approved / procès-verbal approuvé
5. Presidents Report - Rapport des Présidents
No report as President is new to the role. / Aucun rapport puisque la présidente est nouvelle au rôle.
6. REO’s Reports / Rapports de DRE
Atlantic Region Michael Forbes
“I attended the PIPSC Retired Members Nova Scotia Chapter AGM Meeting on October 5, 2023.
On November 14, 2023, I joined a meeting of the Mainland Nova Scotia SP Subgroup Executive
as a Member at Large.
The PIPSC Halifax Branch held its Annual General Meeting on December 5, 2023, and I
attended the meeting at the MicMac Amateur Aquatic Club, Dartmouth where the Atlantic
Region Director, Manny Costain, addressed about 70 PIPSC Members. I had the privilege of
advocating for the Retired Members Guild there.
The Atlantic Region 2023 Seasonal Social took place in Halifax on December 7 th, 2023. I had the
occasion to attend this event and promote the Retired Members Guild”
Quebec Region Yvon Brodeur
Need to change our funding structure and our approach with retired or retiring members. Try new things.
Ontario Region Brian Barrett
Been focused on finances, will look at establishing a new chapter. There is a problem with our membership lists , approximately 40% errors.
NCR Region Sylvia Boucher
Richard and Kim are REO Observers at all NCR Chapter executive meetings. Need to increase the members’ awareness of the RMG and ensure communications with members.
NCR Chapter AGM, 10 new members, approximately 60 members attending.
Want to improve members' awareness and ensure communications from PIPSC reach all members.
The guild should have someone sitting on NFAR.
A question was raised previously regarding the status of the Guild. It is a constituent body of PIPSC, equivalent to a group. Guild chapters are established under the guild bylaws and are constituent bodies of the guild.
Prairies/NWT Stewart Wong
No Report
BC/Yukon Don Burns
There is an issue with retired members not getting communications from PIPSC. An issue we need to correct.
7. Finance Update / Mise à jour sur les finances
In touch with all chapter executives and provided 2023 funding except Moncton (nil response). Will have a new spreadsheet for 2024 finances onward.
Brian and Richard will work on a funding request for the 2024 Guild AGM.
Concerns expressed around chapter AGMs and documentation of meetings. It is suggested that chapters work with local branches.
Two new IPads are required for new executive members.
Signature cards for new core exec were completed and given to finance.
8. Old Business / Affaires courante
PIPSC AGM/RMG AGM Update and Comments
Guild AGM
The Delta hotel is not a good location, expensive parking, poor service and inadequate preparation by the hotel. The hotel location could be the reason for the low turnout.
PIPSC AGM
Poorly organized, much of the event had no relevance to the work of the union, 4 days too long, very poor training courses, poor gala event where many members were unable to attend, gala too expensive. Bylaws and policies were ignored or broken by the Board of Directors. Not a good bilingual experience. Several guest speakers were very good presenters but too narrow a focus which did not relate to our union business. Budget questions could not be answered adequately, information was very limited
9. New Business / Affaires nouvelles
For the 2024 Guild AGM, Chapter Presidents will not attend. The plan is to have them for the 2025AGM to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Guild.
Sylvia proposes to have a Google Drive set up for the executive.
Richard proposes to use a brand new surplus projector as a draw prize for renewing members in the 2024 membership drive.
10. Round Table / Tour de table
Brian - Keeping a separate email account for financial communications, will use Google translate when sending messages to chapters. Last quarter focused on finances, next focus on visibility with our members, sharing experiences and trying to learn from them.
Stewart - Manitoba is having challenges and is looking for advice on how to encourage more participation.
Yvon - Will consider the role of secretary in future.
Kim - Wants to make the guild more relevant to members and to be more visible.
Don - PIPSC communication not reaching all retired members is an ongoing issue. We don’t know if this is an issue in communications or membership. Apparently, the request for messaging members has a checkbox to be marked for inclusion of retired members. If correct this should be changed to have a checkbox marked if retired members are to be excluded with the rationale. We need a better approach.
Proposes we look at a PIPSC bylaw that restricts the ability of a member on extended medical leave from work or long-term disability from running for elected office until they return to work.
Sylvia – NCR Chapter has a spring meeting and a fall AGM. Richard and Kim attend and help out as REO observers.
Richard- receives all messages from the IT Group.
11. Next Meeting Dates / Dates des prochaines réunions
March 20/21
June 12/13
Sept 18/19
Nov 7
Meeting Adjourned at 15:55 / La séance est levée à 15h55