76th Atlantic Regional Council - Training and Education Committee (TEC)

Training and Education Committee (TEC)

Report to the 76th Atlantic Regional Council

Submitted By: Carolyn Hynes

The 2018-2019 year has been a very busy and exciting year for the committee as we continued our work to revamp the PIPSC Education Program.

Key highlights of the committee’s work over the last year include:

  1. Updated Steward and Training Policies-awaiting Board approval.
  2. Developed training selection criteria.
  3. Reviewed Steward Renewal application process and made suggestions for improvement.
  4. Developed the Role of Steward Document.
  5. Steward Levels: Continued to refine/define steward levels and determined what activities to allocate to each level.
  6. Special Training Requests-the committee is developing criteria for regions to consider when special training requests are received.
  7. Developed and implemented the on-line lunch and learn application form and provided feedback/suggestions for improvement post implementation.
  8. Brought forward, discussed ideas for new lunch, and learn topics and training courses.
  9. Reviewed courses available by other unions (e.g., CLC, FTQ, CUPE) to determine if can be adapted (e.g., Domestic Violence, OHS, Leadership, Bullying and Harassment) to meet PIPSC training needs.
  10. Participated in a Leadership course pilot- provided feedback to Education on the course along with recommendations to adapt the course for PIPSC members.
  11. Participated in a Bullying and Harassment course; feedback and suggestions to adapt for PIPSC members provided.
  12. Attended a PSAC Labour School, provided feedback to Education on this event, and made recommendations for PIPSC to consider when determining structure of future Labour schools.
  13. Participated in Pensions Lunch and Learn facilitator sessions.  
  14. Provided feedback on PIPSC initiatives such as the Awareness Campaign and Do Better Campaign.

As of February 2019, the committee has been tasked with the new “Steward Framework” initiative. This initiative, which has arisen from the Executive Committee’s Strategic Goals, is a continuation and expansion of the training revamp that the committee has been working on over the past year. Areas for consideration include Steward Renewal; Steward Role; Steward Recognition; Steward Application/Recruitment; and Steward Training. Milestones for 2019 have been set: Steward Survey is aimed for mid May 2019; Survey results presentation in June 2019; and presentations at upcoming Steward Councils. The committee work is moving forward at a rapid pace with the aim to meet the 2019 milestones.

Committee members this year included: Kim Skanes-Chair; Peter MacDougall-BC/Yukon; Robert Trudeau-Prairies; Peter Jozsa-Ontario; Gordon Bulmer-NCR; Martine, Quebec; and Carolyn Hynes, Atlantic; Nancy Lemarche-Manager and Brigitte Jolin-Education Coordinator. The committee said farewell to Education Officers, Ivana Soula and Claire Hurtig and we are pleased to welcome Joanna Simpson as the new Education Officer on the committee.

If you have any questions on the committee’s work this year please feel free to contact me.

In Solidarity,

Carolyn Hynes
Atlantic Region Training and Education Committee Representative