2013 Vice-President's Annual Report

At the 2013 AGM on February 13 I was elected Vice-President in absentia because during that week I was taking training to become a Joint Learning Program facilitator.

As Vice-President it is my duty to serve the Local by undertaking duties that the President may not have time to do. As such I have worked diligently to complement the President's work on internal and external committees. I am currently serving as a PSAC representative on the PSC's Occupational Health and Safety Committee, as the Local's delegate to the Ottawa Area Council, and the Local's delegate to the Ottawa District Labour Council. I have also served as a delegate or observer to various National Regional Council meetings, which encompass both Gatineau and Ottawa.

In support of the President, I also served on the sub-committee that developed the collective bargaining proposals that were provided to the Agriculture Union. Although loss of our sick leave is surely topmost in many of our minds, these proposals did not focus on it as we were anticipating that Bill C-4 would diminish our ability to bargain in good faith on this important issue.

Much of my committee work is externally focused. Not only do I bring issues discussed at the area council and labour council back to Local Executive meetings, but I also bring the perspective of our Local to these meetings. Indeed, as the sole PSAC delegate to the Ottawa and District Labour Council, I find myself called upon to make sure that ODLC members understand the PSAC perspective. I have also represented the Local at various ODLC events such as the Labour Day parade, and information sessions sponsored by the social justice organization ACORN.

I am currently working with Nicholas Saumure on the Local's nomination committee. In the next little while we will be contacting many of you to encourage you to run for Executive office or to become a steward. There is also opportunity to become an additional delegate to a council or committee. Please get in touch if you have an interest. The union is probably one of the most overtly democratic institutions of society and it is only by working together that we can continue to make it so.

In Solidarity for We are the Union,

Philip Lillies