The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
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75th Ontario Regional Council - Toronto West Branch Activity Report

Number of members: 621 Regular 36 Retired 1 Rand

Current Executive Members

Frank Wong Branch President

Nivin Fouad Branch Vice President

Lorne Woodhouse Treasurer

Renu Goenka Branch Secretary

Shelton Chu Member-at-Large

Wendell Cole Member-at-Large

Steve Rosa Member-at-Large

Vito Trentadue Member-at-Large

Mebs Najak Member-at-Large

Jennifer Myles Member-at-Large

Previous AGM date: November 21, 2018

Next AGM date: November 2019

Branch Executive Meetings

Last Meeting Date: February 4, 2019

Next Meeting Date: March 18, 2019

Number of meetings held since last Regional Council: 11

2018 Branch Activities

Feb. 19 Co-sponsored with UTE and Management Black History Month Event

May 1 Emailed reminder of International Workers Day (May Day)

May 8 Co-sponsored with UTE and EAP Committee TW’s Mental Health Fair

May 22 Sponsored Youth Professional Network career boot camp networking fair

June 6 Better Together campaign re: Ontario Election Poster Distribution and Pizza Giveaway

June 13 Ice cream give away celebrating National Public Service Week

Oct 10 Sponsored World Awareness for Mental Health Day put on by the Helping Our Wellness Committee

Dec 15 Subsidized gifts for children of members at the TW Kids’ Christmas Party

Dec 24 Annual Christmas Coffee offered to Toronto West staff snacks and beverages to celebrate the holidays and meet and greet the TW Branch and Subgroup Executives

All but one of the TW Branch Executive members are also AFS TW Subgroup Executive members. Because of the commonality, we hold monthly meetings to discuss both branch and subgroup issues.

The Branch Executive continues to educate members about the Institute and Institute policies and initiatives, members’ work environment, and members’ rights and benefits being employees of the Public Service through emails and informal meetings.

The Branch believes that members should know their rights and obligations as employees in a Federal Unionized Environment. Knowledge is power. We empower members by giving them tools to use to address issues in the workplace.

TW Branch also helps promote ideals and causes supported by the Institute by providing funding for Physical and Mental Health Awareness and Diversity in the Workplace, and celebrating and acknowledging the hard work performed by our members.

Issues and Concerns:

  1. Lack of transparency in staffing processes, including the Expo Job Fair/Inventory and “taps on the shoulder” and the de-emphasizing use of internal staffing processes.
  2. Confusion on the Institute’s support of the Employee Wellness Support Plan, whether the sick leave regime has been eliminated, loss of sick leave credits.
  3. New reporting structuring commencing April 1, 2019, resulting from the implementation of the Greater Toronto Area Services Modernization Plan.
  4. High cost of living in the GTA.
  5. Pay issues with the Phoenix Pay System.

Submitted by: Frank Wong
Branch President