Minutes approved at September 10, 2007 AGM

Vancouver SP Sub-Group AGM

Location:   Keg Caesars, 595 Hornby Street, Vancouver, B.C.

Time:    6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Date:    Wednesday, September 6, 2006

Present:   Chair        Mrs. Irene Bremsak

      Vice-Chair     Mr. Sid Ansari

      Treasurer     Mr. Pat Morin

      Secretary      Miss. Kathleen Kerr

Guests   Vice- President       Mr. Don Burns

      BC/YT Regional Director  Mr. David Gray

      PIPSC Staff       Mr. Evan Heidinger

1) Opening Remarks - Chair

The Chair welcomed everyone to this AGM and introduced the Executive and guest speakers.

2) Call To Order

AGM called to order at 6:30 p.m.

3) Elections Committee

Chair introduced the Elections Committee (Pat Morin and Sid Ansari) and advised that three (3)nominations have been submitted for the positions on the executive. She requested that any other nominations be submitted to the Elections Committee as soon as possible.

4) Approval of Minutes of Inaugural AGM 

Motion to approve minutes of Aug. 29, 2005 Inaugural SP Sub-Group AGM.  m/s KathyKerr/Judy Hartman. Passed.

5) Business Arising from Inaugural AGM

Secretary advised that the draft Constitution which was approved at our Inaugural AGM last year was submitted to the PIPSC By-Laws Committee for approval. The By-Laws Committee implemented generic by-laws for all sub-groups, including our SP Sub-Group. 

A booklet on consultation will be distributed at the PIPSC AGM in Ottawa this fall.

6) Treasurer’s Report

Copies of the Treasurer’s report were provided to each member upon arrival at this AGM.

The Treasurer reviewed his report.  He explained each budget item and the allowance of $8/member.  He made support documentation available, should anyone wish to audit the SP Sub-Group account.  He asked for any corrections, deletions or additions.  There were no questions. Motion to accept the Treasurer’s report.  m/s Pat Morin/Sid Ansari. Passed.

7) Budget

Copies of the Budget were provided to each member upon arrival at this AGM.  The Treasurer reviewed the budget.  Motion to accept the budget. m/s Pat Morin/Colin DiCenzo. Passed

8) Guest Speeches

Evan Heidinger, PIPSC Regional Staff

Evan advised that he is the manager of the Regional office. He has six staff members - 4 officers and 2 assistants. He outlined the portfolios (departments) assigned to each officer and his portfolio.  He outlined the services provided by PIPSC Regional office to its members such as (but not limited to): provides advice, counsels, and represents members; intervenes with management; ensures that collective agreements are being applied properly; provides training to Stewards.  Evan noted PIPSC can always use more workplace representatives, stewards.

Don Burns, Vice-President

Don extended best wishes to the SP Sub-Group from Michèle Demers (President) who would have liked to attend this AGM.  Don advised that PIPSC staff moved into the new building this past week-end. Don announced that there is a conference scheduled for September 6 and 7, 2007 in Ottawa next year on Science Policy.  Specifically, the conference is on the role of science inpolicy making.  PIPSC will be seeking input from scientists all over the world at this conference. Don provided additional background information on the conference. He noted that if anyone wishes additional information on this conference please send him an e-mail.  Gary Corbett is the lead organizer for this conference. Don reminded everyone of the agreement that PIPSC negotiated with Medical plan including the care cards, which once issued will remove the need to seek reimbursement.  Don outlined the potential impact of the proposed major changes in Public Works on PIPSC members.  Don distributed the August 18, 2006 article published in the Globe and Mail, the National Post and the Ottawa Citizen.  Don requested that members provide him with feed back on this newspaper article.

David Gray, Regional Director, BC/Yukon Region

David advised that there are two part-time vice-presidents and two full-time vice-presidents.  He is running for the position of part-time V-P.  He provides a newsletter which is accessible on PIPSC Web site and should also be posted by Stewards in the workplace. He is also the Chair ofthe PIPSC Finance Committee.  PIPSC is in strong financial shape and has been for years.  Heworks with PIPSC Board of Directors, which includes Don Burns.  There is currently a surplus; however, it is anticipated that there will be a deficit next year and in the following year because there has been no dues increases since the year 2000. Also, costs have increased such as supplies,staff salaries, everything goes up each year.  He is not suggesting a dues increase in 2006; however, he anticipates a dues increase in 2007 unless membership grows significantly.  The newbuilding was stripped to concrete and rebuilt.  It has been a challenge to keep the costs for the new building under control.  A lot of people worked hard on the new building, as of yesterday,the new building is fully leased. It has been leased to PWGSC for five years.  At the end of the 5 years, PIPSC can expand if necessary.  The building is held by a trust, the sole beneficiary of the trust is PIPSC.  There will be tours of the new building at PIPSC AGM.

9) Guest Speaker - Raymond Lauzier, SP Group - Biologist (BI), DFO

Due to budget cuts in travel, Michel Gingras was not able to attend our AGM.  Ray Lauzier, ou rguest speaker tonight, has been on the SP Group negotiating team for years.  Ray explained thatthe SP Group was reconfigured from the AP Group into the NR and SP Groups.  The NR Groupis comprised of Engineers and Architects.  On August 26, 2005, Bob Luce, PIPSC was assignedto be negotiator for SP Group. Bob retired on April 30, 2006 and has been replaced by Michel Gingras.  The negotiating team met in October 2005 for 3 days; and then in November, December and January 2006 (3 days each).  The Government changed.  The February 2006 meeting was cancelled by Treasury Board (TB) due to lack of mandate.  By May 2006, TB still did not have a mandate.  In early June 2006, the SP Group filed for arbitration. The arbitration panel is comprised of Bob McIntosh (SP), Gray Gullispie (TB) and Ivonne Tarte (Chair of the Arbitration Board). The dates set for arbitration are September 27 - 29^th, 2006.  There are anumber of issues that were referred to arbitration including (but not limited to): Hours of Work(MT); Shift work (MT); Overtime; Traveling time (in excess of 12 hours); Vacation leave(graduated increases of 1 day/year after a threshold); Change the date for carry-over of remaining annual leave from March 31, 2006 to September 30, 2006; give up marriage leave in exchange for one time only five days leave for everyone; religious observance; pay increments; 3%, 3% fora 2-year contract. However, the Public Service Labour Relations Act requires that collective agreements be in effect for at least 12 months as of the date of signature. Therefore, the new collective agreement will be for 3 years.  As a general comment,  the bargaining questionnaires are extremely important because the bargaining team base their demands on the completed questionnaires. 

10) Election Committee Report

The Elections Committee (Pat Morin and Sid Ansari) made final calls for nominations from the floor.  The Elections Committee closed the call for nominations and announced that the three nominations received (Stephen Hureau, Irene Bremsak and Kathy Kerr) were acclaimed.

11) Announcements

The Chair reminded members of

Stewards Council - October 13 and 14, 2006

Vanc. Branch AGM - November 22, 2006

BC/Yukon Open House - December 12, 2006

Steward 1 course - January/February 2007

12) Adjournment

Motion to adjourn  m/s Morin/Kerr at 9:00 p.m. (Passed)

Meeting of SP Sub-Group Executive:   Monday November 27, 2006 at 5:00 p.m. at Bridges, Granville Island (Editorial Note: Date for next executive meeting was changed to December 7,2006).