EXECUTIVE MEETING
OF THE QUEBEC REGIONAL COUNCIL
DECEMBER 14, 2018, AT 8:30 A.M.
REGIONAL OFFICE
- MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
8:37, start of the meeting
In attendance: Martine Lacroix, Robert Tellier, Benoit Pelletier, Nancy Lavoie, Stéphanie Fréchette, Richard Doyle, Yvon Brodeur, Christian Tremblay
Absent: Réjean Michaud, Gerlando Renna, Hugo Landry
- READING AND ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
We agree to keep miscellaneous open.
Moved by: Christian Tremblay Seconded by: Nancy Lavoie
- READING AND ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETINGS
The minutes have been available on the region’s Drive since the last meeting.
Moved by: Richard Doyle Seconded by: Stéphanie Fréchette
- ITEMS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 13
No follow-up
- DIRECTOR’S REPORT
a. Official Languages Working Group: meeting tomorrow, there are vacancies, so recruitment is open. Prairies, NCR, Atlantic. Resolution in 2019 to become a Committee of the Board.
The report of the last meeting will be provided as soon as it is available.
b. Contact with Amanda Simard, Member of Parliament at Francophone Affairs in Ontario
c. Lobby Day on February 4 as a pre-meeting, followed by a 5-day meeting in the House of Commons
Info to come
d. Contact with Tanya Fredette, Senior Recruitment and Outreach Officer, PIPSC
e. Discussion with Debi Daviau for the creation of a Resolution Committee (discussion in January at the retreat)
f. Diversity Action Group to be revived
g. Regional Harassment & Violence in the Workplace Task Force: Nancy is working on a document.
h. Quebec Region Communications Committee: Hugo and Anne have been named for this group.
i. Dispute resolution: need to have someone trained to manage issues internally before cases are transferred to Ottawa: Richard is interested.
j. Integrated Science Capsule (4): three on scientific integrity and one on dispute resolution, a work tool for promotion at PIPSC events (tool)
k. Strategic planning Regional Office and Regional Executive March 2019
l. Strategic planning with Branch Chairs: To take place before the Regional Council as planned.
m. Strategic meeting of the Regional Executive: January 24 and 25, 2019, Trois-Rivières.
- TREASURY
Since Gerlando is absent, there is no report.
Robert gave a quick presentation of the situation.
$35,846 in the account minus outstanding cheques. Cash flow is around $32,000.
Maximum account allocation: $39,000.
Suggestion on expenses: Grievance training around $9,000 in June 2019, four video capsules $12,000 and additional day with staff around $4,000.
If the 2018 budget is reserved for spending in 2019: $25,000 in reserve, so the cash flow will be around $14,000.
We’re still waiting for an invoice from the October meeting.
Benoit Pelletier’s request to be reimbursed for telecommunications costs of $328.38, which is half of his annual telephone bill. This use is primarily due to the requirements of his position on the regional Executive.
Resolution to pay half of Benoit Pelletier’s monthly telecommunication bill every six months. Be it further resolved to retroactively pay the 2018 invoice in the amount of $328.38.
Moved by: Seconded by: Richard
Carried unanimously.
- REGIONAL AND NATIONAL COMMITTEE REPORTS
a. Education and learning:
Martine informed us of a meeting yesterday to report on TEC in Ottawa. Pilot leadership training. Martine gave her comments on this national training. Our leadership training would be more suitable.
Next Monday, Benoit will attend the training on harassment.
Proposal to form a National Council of Stewards, in the form of an Enhanced Council for Expert Stewards, type of training session. We’ll propose a two-hour block format: Board, training, regional initiatives, ... Martine will write to the TEC Chair for this proposal.
Cost of $250,000 approved by the Board of Directors.
Discussion in connection with the Steward Councils, some regions are off the beaten track. The last survey at the SC did not work. An online survey will be sent out.
Ontario is focused on Stewards, without politics: topic of health, yoga class, nutrition workshop. Nothing political or union, but more focused on thanking the Stewards.
Atlantic: costume ball. It’s important to come up with ideas to think outside the box.
In connection with mentoring, there is a discussion to verify the relevance of keeping it at the regional or group level vs. referring to the consultation.
A discussion on how to attract new Stewards, maybe through a direct call from the Director.
Training 2019:
February 6-7-8-9, school
April 4-5-6: Basic Steward Training
June 7: OHS - Professional burnout
October 24-25-26: OHS Violence in the Workplace
November 21-22-23: Steward Course Social Approach
FTQ training: how to energize the union, January 17 and 18, 2019. Nancy is interested.
Two-day FTQ Union Education Seminar
Benoit is making a request for a training session in Ottawa. He presented the training opportunity, which is in a four-week format, with two weeks at the beginning of the year. Expenses will be around $10,000 for the first two weeks, including the cost for training, accommodation, salary, meals and other expenses.
Resolution to commit $10,000 for Third Party Neutral training at St-Paul University in Ottawa. This amount will be used to cover the two weeks of training.
Moved by: Seconded by: Robert
Carried unanimously.
b. Finance Committee: met on December 3, the year ended well. The policy on childcare fees was put forward, all that remains is to present it to the Motions Committee (Stéphanie).
Benoit will ask for comparative figures with other regions in relation to spending to see where we are at nationally.
c. Hotels: for 2019, Benoit has made 11 requests and analyzed them all.
For February, Estrimont is the cheapest by far and we received a loyalty discount on the bill.
Benoit reported that most of the Stewards are located in the greater Montreal area. He is also looking into the prices of rooms and parking. He is taking into account the possibilities of meeting adaptation needs and the availability of childcare. He shared the results of his research and the Estrimont is the cheapest for school courses. He also mentioned other smaller training sessions, such as OHS. He suggests Trois-Rivières.
Yvon is not available for the SC on September 13. We were supposed to go to Victoriaville, but the possibility of going to Trois-Rivières on the weekend of September 6 is discussed. We are waiting for a callback on the availabilities at the Delta.
d. IT: Since Hugo was absent, Christian reported that the migration is on hold due to a lack of staff; we do not want to subcontract.
e. Youth: Youth Symposium in Ottawa in February, a list of participants was sent.
f. Status of Women: a national committee will be formed. We are not changing the existing regional group, funding will come from the national office as requested.
g. Task Force on Official Languages: Yvon informed us that the request has been made for a bilingual AGM.
h. By-laws and Policies Committee: Stéphanie informed us that the Committee is pleased with its work. Revision of policies to reduce duplication.
i. National Committees: Yvon presented the list of National Committees, their regional Chairs and candidates.
The candidates selected from the discussions are:
Science Advisory Committee: Jean Bérubé Chair
Elections Committee: Michael Forbes Chair
Training & Education Committee: Kimberley Skanes Chair, Martine Lacroix Region
Elections Committee: Gordon Bulmer Chair, Nancy Lavoie Region
Human Rights Committee: Mario Guertin Chair
Finances: Chris Roach Chair, Benoit Pelletier Region
Professional Recognition and Qualifications Committee: Thomas Landry Chair, Johanne Potvin Region
ITSP: Greg Scriver Chair, Hugo Landry Region
By-Laws and Policies: Nancy McCune Chair, Stéphanie Fréchette Region
- UPDATING OF FILES BY MANAGERS
a. Branch Liaisons: Richard plans to contact Branch Chairs at the beginning of the year to prepare for the strategy meeting. There will be a brainstorming session to find a new TGIF-type campaign, which is a few years old now. We must also find ways to improve communications between the Branches themselves and also the region. We will again request that the dates of the AGM be published as soon as possible to facilitate the participation of the Director or other members of the Executive. We will also be able to take the opportunity to find out what members’ interests are for the Regional Council (last SC survey 24 responses).
b. Political and Social Action, Lobbying and Mobilisation Committee: Christian is waiting for the lobbying activity in February. He wants to pull out the list of members in Quebec and link the list of associate members to those members.
Mobilization: waiting for Tanya Fredette. Federal elections are coming up. Video capsule on workplace mobilization to improve the importance of mobilization and how to have an impact on mobilization. Yvon invited Christian for a FTQ meeting on mobilization.
c. Promotional Items: Yvon met with Joanita Comeau to prepare to share information with the Branches. Martine suggested that we order quality pencils (model presented).
d. Communications: review 2019
e. Youth Committee: Symposium February 2019
f. Strategy Committee end of January
- MISCELLANEOUS:
Facilitators: The TEC is looking for people to give a presentation on pensions and other issues. Martine has a list of 13 people who are interested in giving this training. We already have three people, Réjean, Steve and Annie, who are facilitators.
- NEXT MEETING
January 24 and 25, 2019, Trois-Rivières
- ADJOURNMENT:
1:22 p.m.
Moved by: Richard Doyle Seconded by: Christian Tremblay