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Union UpdateAugust 22 to September 23, 2005 In this issue:
Agriculture Component : Structure Review ConventionDelegates at the Agriculture Component Convention did a thorough review of the Component’s structures and adopted a series of resolutions reflecting the work done in this area in the past three years. The convention was held in St. John’s, Newfoundland, from August 24 to 27, and was attended by about 140 delegates. Some of the major changes to the Component’s structure included the creation of a full-time position for the First Executive Vice-President who will be required to reside in the National Capital Region. A new director’s position was created to represent employees of the Canadian Grain Commission on the National Council of the Component, and the responsibility for Locals in Ontario, outside the National Capital Region, was rearranged to be shared between both Regional Vice-Presidents. One of the guest speakers was John Sharpe, the president of the CBC employees local currently locked out in St. John’s. He spoke, in particular, about job security and contracting out in the public sector. In his opinion, the fight CBC employees are currently waging takes on particular importance for all workers whose employment is being made more precarious, something that has been going on for far too long. The president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour, Red Anstey, talked about the importance of public sector employment to his city and to the province of Newfoundland as a whole. On Saturday, August 27, delegates elected a new member of the Executive Council of the Component and 12 new members of the 23 who make up the National Council. The Executive Council now consists of National President Yves Ducharme, First Executive Vice-President Bob Kingston (a position now in the NCR), Second EVP Debbie Forsythe, Third EVP Denis Sicard and Fourth EVP Howard Willems. In addition to the members of the Executive, the National Council now consists of the following regional presidents: Fabian Murphy, Eastern Atlantic provinces; Allan MacRae, Western Atlantic provinces; André Grégoire, Eastern Quebec and Raphaël Tarasco, Western Quebec. The National Capital Region is represented by Barry Payne; Central Ontario by John Langs and Southwest Ontario by Glenn Miller. Sam Barlin represents Western Ontario, Northern Manitoba and Nunavut; Brenda Baergen, Northern Saskatchewan; Ron Filteau, Southern Saskatchewan; Michele Coe, Southern Alberta; and, Mike Vanson, Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. Eastern British Columbia is represented by Darrell Lee McKenzie; Western B.C. and the Yukon by Bob Jackson. Four directors also sit on the National Council: Idelta Vieira for National Defence, Céline Préfontaine for the Commission and the Public Service School, Marianne Hladun for Equality Promotion and Curt Elash for the Canadian Grain Commission. The National Health and Welfare Union: The fight against privatizationDelegates at the 13th Triennial Convention of the National Health and Welfare Union have gone on the warpath to resist the transferring of services their members provide over to the Service Canada initiative. A resolution to finance a campaign to maintain these services under the Treasury Board umbrella was adopted by the delegates. They also agreed to fund an equity conference to be held before their next Triennial Convention and voted to freeze Component dues at their current dollar values. The 13th Triennial Convention of the NHWU was held in Vancouver on August 21 to 24, 2005, and was attended by about 100 delegates. Its theme was Building Solidarity - Respecting Diversity. The main speakers included B.C. Civil Liberties Association Director General Murray Mollard, who spoke of the threats to our civil liberties and cited the story of Maher Arar, who was deported to Syria by U.S. secret services and tortured there. PSAC National President Nycole Turmel also addressed the convention as guest speaker. Delegates also collected funds to assist workers on strike at Telus in B.C. and to support a women’s shelter in east-end Vancouver. The delegates re-elected Ray Strike to the position of National President, Edmond Kwan as Equal Opportunity Officer. Also re-elected were the Regional Vice-Presidents Linda Boudreau, P.E.I. and N.B.; Réjean Genest, Quebec; Suzanne Charbonneau and Claude Gagnon, National Capital Region; and Elizabeth Gillelan and Lise Lapierre, Ontario. Several people were newly elected: Tony Tilley, National Executive Vice-President and Regional Vice-Presidents Gilles Maillet, Nfld. and N.S.; Patricia Todd, Manitoba; Jackie Juchacz, Saskatchewan; Niru Channan, Alberta; and Lorraine Plummer, B.C.and Yukon Pension Surplus Litigation Final Pre-Trial Preparations UnderwayIt has been more than six years (September 14th, 1999) since the Federal Government passed legislation (C-78 - Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act) unilaterally expropriating approximately $30.2 billion in actuarial surplus from the Superannuation Accounts of the Federal Public Service, the Canadian Forces and the RCMP. However, the day of decision for pensioners and federal workers and their survivors is finally in sight. The PSAC, along with other bargaining agents and retiree groups, filed a Statement of Claim as plaintiffs against the Federal Government in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in November 1999. After several years of preliminary legal procedures a trial date has been set by the Court for November 15, 2005. Expert witnesses from the accounting and actuarial professions have been retained by our lawyers to support our legal arguments against the Federal Government. On September 7, 2005, a Case Management Conference was held in order to determine and clarify for the Court the actual issues in dispute in this case and to possibly agree on a schedule of events and timetable for the trial deliberations. It is anticipated that the trial will last approximately three consecutive weeks. At a date yet to be determined in October 2005, a Trial Management Conference will be convened for the purpose of presenting the names of witnesses to be called during trial along with the substance of their testimony. As well, the Case Management Conference will review the presentation of evidence. The PSAC will continue to provide the membership with updates on any significant developments which occur during the lead up to the actual trial. The PSAC is also continuing its opposition to the recently announced increases in employee contributions to the federal superannuation plan. Labour Day, PSAC style
In Halifax, PSAC members and their families joined in a Solidarity March and Picnic to celebrate Labour Day. Rather than go to the cottage for the last long weekend of summer, these activists and their families took up banners, flags and pennants as well as donning PSAC headbands (which proved quite popular) and marched in solidarity with locked-out CBC employees (members of the Canadian Media Guild), as well as employees of Canadian Gypsum and many other unions. In Ontario, thousands of members took part in Labour Day celebrations in most major cities, including Toronto, Hamilton, London and Windsor. Winnipeggers celebrated their city’s long history of labour struggles in Vimy Park. PSAC members were active in organizing events there as they were in Regina and Edmonton. In Vancouver, the day started off with a brilliant blue sky. The week before, members leafleted six work sites in the Lower Mainland and downtown Vancouver, handing out over 3,000 flyers encouraging our members to come out to the Labour Day Rally. The PSAC banner was installed high on a fence for all to see and gather around, and our members handed out colourful PSAC bandanas. Regional Executive Vice President Patty Ducharme was in attendance, welcoming PSAC members and wearing her bandana proudly. In the Yukon, the weather was miserable but nevertheless there was an aroma of grilled hamburgers in the parks. The annual Feed the People barbecue sponsored by PSAC Local Y010, YEU, the Yukon Federation of Labour and the Yukon Area Council was held on Labour Day in Rotary Peace Park. The event provided a free lunch to working people, unemployed Yukoners, union supporters, and to family members and friends of all. The fall chill in the air did not deter nearly 1,000 people from joining union members in the celebration of Labour Day. Local Y010 has worked on this festive event for over 10 years, and we would like to thank all the volunteers and organizations that helped put this event together. Labour in the Yukon: a BBQ in the park in spite of the weather. Canada Post: Pay equity decision coming in early fallPSAC has been advised that the Human Rights Tribunal will issue a decision in the case of our pay equity complaint against Canada Post sometime in early October. The union will post the date of the release of the decision on its website as soon as it is known.PSAC women on lobbying path in the Atlantic regionWomen members of PSAC in the Atlantic launched a lobbying campaign to make Members of Parliament aware of the problems arising from poverty and other issues regarding women. “For far too long, we have heard the promises to eliminate poverty in Canada, for a National Child Care Program, and for equal pay for work of equal value”, said Jeannie Baldwin, PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President – Atlantic. “If there was ever a time for our federal government to step up its commitment and eradicate poverty in its entirety, now is the time. Baldwin believes that Canadians can make a difference and bring about important changes for the millions of poor and destitute people both in Canada and abroad. "We can no longer sit idle and watch while millions suffer and die in inhuman conditions" said Baldwin. "It is time for all Canadians to act by contacting their MPs and the federal government to demand concrete measures to eradicate poverty.” On Global White Band Day, Canadians across our country, from Vancouver, B.C., to Signal Hill, Newfoundland, joined millions in 72 countries around the world to send a message to the G8 global leaders to Make Poverty History. The lobbyists also intend to raise awareness among MPs about the fact that many women are still confronted with violence in their veryday life. “Stopping violence both within and outside of the workplace is imperative to a healthy working community and living environment,” Baldwin said. “Governments must support all actions to eradicate and eliminate violence in and outside the workplace and help women feel safe at work, in their homes and in their communities. “ For Donna Gourley, Director for PSAC Women in the Atlantic, this lobbying campaign was a good opportunity to send the right message to the Prime Minister who attended the 2005 World Summit on September 14 at the United Nations in New York.“More than 170 Heads of State were at that meeting to review the progress accomplished since the 2000 Millennium Declaration committing to cut poverty in half by 2015,” said Gourley. “With five years gone, and only ten to go, it’s time for rich countries like Canada to adopt a package of specific, concrete actions to eradicate world poverty.”
Mary Marson (DND), Peter Stoffer (NDP MP) and Lori Briand (RCMP) enjoy a last minute picture after a successful lobby meeting.
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PSAC members and their families celebrated Labour Day in all regions of the country. With parades, BBQs, pony rides, music, and more, PSAC members demonstrated once again they know how to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of unions and to promote the rights gained by workers in this era of globalization and privatization. Everywhere, our members expressed their solidarity towards their sisters and brothers on strike or lock-out, especially the CBC workers. Here is a partial round up of their activities around the country.