2013 Local President's Annual Report

January 2014

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

This report is being published on the local’s blog in advance of the 2014 Annual General Meeting on March 13th at noon in room 2-010 to give all members the opportunity to read it and prepare questions. I prefer that we have a dialogue on the local’s activities rather than having a formal one-way presentation.

We held our 2013 AGM on February 13 and elected 5 out of 6 available executive positions. We then held a special membership meeting one month later to fill the vacant Treasurer position.

A total of eight formal local executive meetings were held in 2013 in addition to regular and informal contact between the local executive members. Besides conducting regular business, the local executive also drafted and implemented a new regulation related to our by-laws that provides guidance on selecting official delegates, alternates and observers to conventions, seminars and councils.

In the spring we sponsored a series of lunch and learn sessions to discuss subjects that were important and relevant to you. This culminated in June with an emergency presentation on the Workforce Adjustment following the June cuts to the PSC.

With both the PA and EB collective agreements expiring in 2014 we held a special membership meeting in October, issued a survey and struck a sub-committee that developed 44 collective bargaining proposals that were provided to the Agriculture Union. The National Bargaining Conference will be held in mid-February and I have been invited by PSAC to participate.

Bill C-4 received royal ascent in December and with it our ability to bargain in good faith and protect the health and safety of our membership have been called into question.

Your executive handled numerous cases on behalf of members relating to inquires and complaints. This included dealing with health and safety matters and the move to our new building at 22 Eddy in Gatineau.

As your local president, I have had many opportunities to represent you at various meetings, committees and councils where in fact any PSAC union member in good standing may participate. Please consider doing so, as this is where much of the union's external presence is felt in the community. I was also elected as a member-at-large to the PSAC NCR Council Executive last May.

We were well represented at the Agriculture Union Eastern Ontario Seminar in London, Ontario where I was in attendance with your local Secretary. The 2014 meeting will be held in Burlington, Ontario in March.

Also coming up is the Agriculture Union Triennial Convention to be held in Winnipeg in August 2014.

There are still areas we need to work on, but we do need your help. Please consider becoming a steward to maintain our bulletin boards, join the OSH committee, staff a kiosk in the lobby of 22 Eddy or just to share what is happening with your colleagues.

You are the union.

In solidarity,
Larry Lavitt
President, Local 70155

LAST WORD
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