Local 012 Council Meeting Minutes

September 26, 2015 11:00 am

AUPE Headquarters, Edmonton

Members Present
Tim Duggan / Rick Passek / Jim Parker / Todd Smith
Darrell Turner / Frank Vidmar / Catherine Taylor / Kathie Milne
James Proudfoot / Mark Belkie / Nicole Pysh / Mike Dempsey
Terrie Wispinski / Sandra McCuaig / Andrea Campbell / Alex Fedko
Steve Pasquan / Richard Hansen / Cam Stevenson
Lucy Faferak / Mark Ellis / Jim White
Members Absent
Ken Podulsky
  1. Call to Order
  1. Introduction of guests
  2. Mike Dempsey
  1. Additions to and approval of agenda
  2. Motion to approve: Carried
  1. Minutes of previous meeting, May 9 2015
  2. Motion to move meeting minutes from January and May: Carried
  1. Correspondence: Distributed
  1. Officers reports
  2. Chair
  3. Labour school, sign up if interested asap, Oct 5th deadline, Oct 26th deadline. Education schedule is out for your interest. Mark read letter from Karen Weir re: privatization issue brought forth by Sandra McCuaig.
  4. Priska Ryan will be new MSO. Requests for retirement cheques must be approved by chapter chairs, plaques require local chair approval.
  5. Motion to move report: Carried
  6. Vice Chair
  7. n/a
  8. Treasurer
  9. No report, tabled to finance committee report
  10. Secretary
  11. Update re: Brenda Dacyk, convention delegates
  12. Motion to move report: Carried
  13. Provincial Executive
  14. Terrie: If anyone is interested in attending upcoming PE meetings, let Terrie know (dates in her report).
  15. Motion to move report:
  • Questions from Steve re: meal allowance change by PE; noted by Treasurer. Full cost (25$) will be reimbursed on expense claims going forward. Mike: reimbursement for overnight stays at a private residence increased to $50. Contract with Solareh for crisis support will be re-evaluated after 2 years. Question from Alex: re: telephone campaign and target audience. Question from James re: caller display for telephone campaign. Further conversation tabled for later in agenda. Darryl: applications open for AUPE committees, available online.
  • Motion to move report: Carried.
  1. VP Susan Slade: Womens conference and Grandparents BBQ werea big success. Susan is a VP candidate this year.
  1. Break for lunch: 12:10.
  1. Guest speaker: Mike Dempsey: Candidate for VP elections at convention. Member of Committee on Political Action (COPA), Public Service Pension Board, and Bargaining committee. Starting work on developing pension education information and training, as well as mobilization. Question from Jim re: people retiring and then going on contract for same position. Mike says it’s not ideal, but most pension money comes from interest on what is already invested.
  1. Committee reports
  2. Anti-Privatization
  3. Sandra is chair. New member intros, working on establishing mission statement. Discussed federal building issues, not filling vacancies results in out-sourced contracts.
  4. Motion to move report: Carried.
  5. Education
  6. Catherine is chair; discussion of bursaries, 19 of 30 applications received. Teacher is currently reviewing scholarship essay submissions. Thank you cards to be signed by council members. Committee working on policy for January.
  7. Motion to move report: Carried.
  8. Motion proposed to change policy on dollar value of dependant bursaries: “The education committee would like to bring forward a motion to change the policy for dependent bursaries. When there are 20 or less qualified applicants, bursaries shall be increased to $1500. If the number of qualified applicants is 21 to a maximum of 35, the bursary will remain at $1000
  9. Discussion on how to get word out to our members on scholarship/bursary availability (include wording on AGM invitation?). Nothing decided.
  10. Motion to adopt proposal: Carried.
  11. Finance
  12. Alex: presented financial report.
  13. Motion to move report: Carried.
  14. Motion proposed to move up to $75,000 in December to AUPEheadquarters ATB investment (dependant on how much money is spent on scholarships/bursaries/convention).
  15. Motion to adopt proposal.
  16. Some questions were brought forward and addressed. There is no additional risk associated, rates of return could be higher with this investment (principal is protected).
  17. Motion to adopt proposal: Carried.
  18. Policy
  19. Nicole presented the changes that were proposed, but no motions brought forth by committee at this time.
  20. Motion to move report: Carried
  21. ERC
  22. Mark: meetings are getting more productive. Discussed upcoming Respectful workplace training; discrepancy in overtime payout/banking, contrary to master agreement; no parking access for caretakers, not in their collective agreement, don’t meet criteria in master agreement. CHR told committee that there are no available spaces, but Sandra says there are many spots available. Discussed air quality, OHS concerns at Lacombe research federal building, telecommuting and job location transfer policies.
  23. OHS
  24. Steve is meeting on Oct 1 to find out more about his liaison position, taking GoA OHS courses to learn as much as possible.
  25. Motion to move report: Carried.
  26. Bargaining
  27. Terrie is chair right now, chair sits on GSBC, will review collective agreement to identify potential improvements. Talked about how to leverageAUPE app for bargaining messages. There is about one year before bargaining committee starts to gear up in Nov 2016.
  28. Motion to move report: Carried.
  1. Business arising from minutes: None
  1. New business
  2. Grey Card initiative
  3. Jason Heistad: Signature is needed, pilot is a template for 5 areas, not quite sure how it will be rolled out yet. James hasn’t taken training yet. Richard brought up issue of wording on grey card “ I choose AUPE” because it isn’t exactly true for government employees and it’s sure if electronic signatures can be trusted. Jason commented that having a signature is required for AUPE.
  4. Federal election messaging
  5. Mike Dempsey: Union cannot support time off or donations to federal candidates. “Get out and vote” telephone calls to target AUPE; AUPE members are more likely to vote, and to vote for progressive, labour friendly parties. Massaging will be mostly scripted. Re: messaging from AUPE to media about the federal election, AUPE should be non-partisan.
  6. Committee for Technologists
  7. James: Do we hold expertise, skills that we can share with the union? Bring suggestions forward to James.
  8. Convention Delegates
  9. Delegates set; Nicole will email Brenda to send delegate package to Sandra. Hotel info coming soon. Hospitality suite: need budget and hosts. $2500 budget set last year.
  10. Motion to spend up to $3000 this year: Carried
  11. Hospitality hosts: Rick, James, Jim, Alex.
  12. Discussion of door prize donation
  13. Motion to donate 5 *$100 Visa gift cardsand local 12 shirts: Carried.
  14. Vice president candidacy support
  15. Motion by Terry to support Mike in his campaign for $500 (purchase of buttons).
  16. Moved, seconded, all in favour.
  17. Guest speakers – Mike Dempsey, Jason Heistad
  18. Jason Heistad, candidate for Secretary/Treasurer this year. Talked about proposed headquarters relocation, competency training, pension training. Answered questions about Solareh crisis support; uptake will be reviewed quarterly; information for members will be included on website and future publications.
  19. Contributions for members in Medicine hat, Ken Podulsky
  20. Medicine Hat members: need more info to make a decision
  21. Ken Podulsky: Motion to donate a gift valued at $100: Carried.
  22. Bring ideas forward to executive council.
  23. Christmas donations to charities
  24. Motion to donate $3000: Carried.
  25. Executive council will decide, Womens Council of Shelters was suggested.
  26. Lifetime Membership
  27. Joe Michelson: send any info to Mark.
  28. OH&S Liason position:
  29. ACTION: all members to send names of union members on worksite OH&S committee to Steve.
  30. New MSO – Prisca Ryan
  1. Set date for next meeting: January 16th at AUPE Headquarters.
  1. Adjournment