… our downtown was a more appealing place to live, work and play
… we reduced congestion on our roads
… our neighbourhoods had everything we needed within walking distance
… there were more hours in the day to take care of all the things that matter most
… we could turn the corner on the housing crisis
We can achieve all of this and more. We are launching a community coalition on October 29 based around the Cities Reimagined Pledge – sign your organization up for it today!
Remote work can help us transform not only where and how we work, but the places we live.
Come join the labour movement and community sector for a panel discussion and celebration of the opportunities of converting Ottawa’s office spaces into better uses and transforming our downtown. Together, we believe that remote work is a powerful tool for building more efficient, healthier, and dynamic cities.
Remote Work to Reimagine the City
Date: Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Times: Panel discussion: 6:30 pm to 8 pm; Dance party ft DJ Trinidaddy: 8 pm to 11 pm
Where: Ottawa Art Gallery – Alma Duncan Salon
Light refreshments will be provided.
Please feel free to invite family, friends and neighbours who are also interested in how remote work can help us transform not only where and how we work, but the places we live.
“O’Siyo ᎣᏏᏲ “o-si-yo,” (Cherokee: I see you) Hello and Bonjour Union Sibling,
I am very pleased to announce that Douglas Hill will be joining the Union of National Employees as Director, Member Representation & Labour Relations, as of November 1, 2024. I had the honour of seeing him in action representing members with passion, empathy, and legal expertise. I witnessed a man ready to fight for the injustice faced by every member when their collective agreement and human rights were being violated with relentless determination.
Doug joins us from PSAC’s Representation and Legal Services Branch where he worked as a Grievance and Adjudication Officer for over 20 years. In addition to his primary duties of mediation and litigation, he has provided advice to components, mentored several colleagues and has enjoyed facilitating training sessions at various conferences.
Doug prides himself on being able to resolve most matters through mediation, however, he has successfully litigated countless cases before Labour Relations Boards and Human Rights Tribunals. Notably, the Grierson-Heffernan v. Canada Border Services Agency case which was featured in Lancaster’s Public Service & Employment Law. Dyson v. Department of Fisheries and Oceans involved a rejection on probation and was upheld at the Federal Court of Appeal. Reeves v. Department of National Defence awarded large damages for racial discrimination, Doro v. Canada Revenue Agency awarded precedent-setting maximum damages under the Canadian Human Rights Act for gender discrimination and sexual harassment and Nada Bastasic v. PublicService Alliance of Canada regarding breach of duty of fair representation.
Doug’s in-depth experience, knowledge and proven track record in mediation and litigation on issues regarding grievances and human rights makes him invaluable to the role and we look forward to his professional leadership for UNE’s members and staff.
Please join me in giving Doug a warm UNE welcome to our team.
Alisha Kang National President, Union of National Employees
While the municipality, the province and federal government bicker over the handling of the fire, over 250 Parks Canada staff have returned to ground zero with asbestos signs posted on fences with uncovered potential toxins including heavy metals.
I arrived at Jasper the morning of September 26th with my National Executive Vice President at about 10 a.m. local time. Within two hours of us setting foot in town, the National Executive Vice President was on the ground suffering a major asthma attack.
Our members don’t have the results of the particulates tests from the clean-up nor is the air quality testing for particulates of asbestos or heavy metals.
Of course, the health and safety of my members are the primary reason for our visit to Jasper. Parks Canada is evicting a member of UNE whose home was one of the few to survive to give it to a manager. The Park Superintendent lives alone in a four-bedroom house unaffected by the fires while members are put up in accommodations with no kitchen and are cut off from their per diems. Parks’ Superintendent has not allowed a lot of firefighting staff to go off on 699 leave, including those that found their young colleague deceased in the fire.
Allow me to paint you an accurate picture of the life of our members in Jasper. The member works, live and eats within the park. Most of our members make under $65,000 a year. Now that might sound reasonable but remember that the prices of everything in Jasper are high because the town is built on tourism alone. Eating, gas and groceries are often five times the average for a town of similar size. Their housing comes to them either through an employer much like the old mining company, at unreasonably high amount due to the location or at an extremely long commute. They don’t own the land and if they don’t do as their employer says, they could be out of a job and a home. You can’t be homeless in Jasper, or they put you on a bus out of town.
I, however, can’t avoid sounding the public safety alarm as the implications of what the National Executive Vice President experienced and the lack of properly scoped toxins and particulate testing mean that not only are my members being exposed but also those that visit.
Whether this is happening due to a decision to get Jasper up and running without the hindrance of clean up faced in Fort Mac with the fire retardant or to ensure the cash cow to the province is back in business. I do not wish to know a decade or so from now that my members and their families were unnecessarily exposed for political and capitalist ends.
Please support your union siblings by demanding answers from them.
Alisha Kang, National President, Union of National Employees
This is a pivotal moment in the fight for justice, and we need to stand together! We are invited to join in person for the Black Class Action Court Hearing.
Show up. Stand up. Be heard.
Your presence will make a powerful statement, and together, we can continue to push for equality and fairness for Black public servants and racialized communities.
“O’Siyo ᎣᏏᏲ “o-si-yo,” (Cherokee: I see you) Hello and Bonjour Union Siblings,
I am excited to share the news that Sylvie Courchaine joined the UNE team on September 18, 2024, as Executive Assistant to the Directors’ Team. She is already proving to be a great addition to the organization and will help us in the new direction we have set during this mandate.
Sylvie Courchaine comes to us from the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), where she held various positions over the past eighteen years. She began her journey with PSAC as a Financial Accounting Bookkeeper, managing member and staff claims, as well as looking after account payables and receivables. During this time, she completed the Financial Accounting Fundamentals Course within the Chartered General Accountants of Ontario program.
After four years in accounting, Sylvie transitioned to the Human Resources Branch as a Pay and Benefits Administrator, a role she had previously held for eighteen years with a major retail chain company. Her dedication and expertise led to her promotion to Payroll Supervisor and subsequently to Pay and Benefits Supervisor, positions she held for over nine years.
Sylvie’s curiosity and passion for learning propelled her to her most recent role as Membership Dues and Information Management Officer, a position she occupied since last October. She has a strong passion for working with Excel, particularly in utilizing advanced formulas, creating macros, and designing pivot tables.
In her spare time, Sylvie enjoys crafting, singing, and spending quality time with her family.
Please join me in giving Sylvie a warm UNE welcome to our team.
Thank you, Merci, ᏙᎾᏓᎪᎲᎢ “di-da-yo-li-hv-dv-ga-le-ni-s-gv,” which means “Until we meet again”
As a proud member of the Union of National Employees (UNE), Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), I want to emphasize the significance of Mental Illness Awareness Week, which takes place from October 6-12, 2024. This year’s theme, “Access For All: Time For Action, Time For Change,” calls for urgent, equitable mental health care and challenges everyone—employers, policymakers, and communities—to take action now.
Mental Illness Awareness Week is a crucial time to reflect on the struggles millions of people face in accessing care. Public sector employees, particularly Indigenous peoples, disproportionately experience mental health challenges due to historical trauma, systemic inequities, high-pressure work environments, tight deadlines, and the ongoing transition to post-COVID workplaces. When compounded with inflation and global crises, the toll on workers becomes even more significant.
The Union has taken proactive steps by advocating for flexible work environments, enhanced mental health resources, and protections against burnout and harassment. Despite increased awareness, barriers to mental health care remain—long wait times, geographical limitations, and financial constraints continue to hinder access, especially for marginalized communities.
However, talk alone isn’t enough. We need actionable solutions. Access to care is not a privilege—it’s a right. Many workers still hesitate to seek help due to fears of career repercussions. As a Union, we are committed to reshaping this narrative, ensuring that mental health discussions are normalized in the workplace. Open conversations help create more supportive and inclusive environments for everyone. Employers must be equipped with the resources and training to support employees facing mental health challenges. This collective effort is essential to ensuring that no one is left behind in accessing care, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or location.
Continued activism plays a vital role in fostering a workplace culture that prioritizes mental health. This week emphasizes that mental health care is not solely about individual self-care—it’s about building an environment where employees feel safe sharing their mental health struggles without fear of judgment.
There is a deep well of resilience rooted in Indigenous traditions, cultural practices, and community bonds. When addressing mental health in the context of Indigenous relationships, it is crucial to acknowledge the unique challenges faced by Indigenous communities. This includes addressing systemic barriers and promoting access to care that respects Indigenous autonomy, identity, and self-determination. Strengthening relationships with Indigenous peoples requires not only improving mental health access but also fostering trust and collaboration in healing and wellness initiatives.
A fitting quote from Indian monk Swami Vivekananda, which aligns with mental health awareness, is: “Talk to yourself at least once in a day, otherwise you may miss meeting an excellent person in this world.”
Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy offers a holistic approach to mental health, blending spirituality, self-awareness, and positivity as the foundation for mental resilience and peace. His message remains relevant today, highlighting the importance of mental and spiritual harmony in the pursuit of a fulfilled life.
I am optimistic that by raising awareness during Mental Illness Awareness Week, we can foster a workplace environment where mental health discussions are normalized, stigma is reduced, and employees feel safe seeking help. The focus on action and inclusion will drive long-term changes in workplace mental health culture, ensuring that mental health care becomes a universal right, accessible to all workers, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or geographic location. Strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities, in particular, will help address systemic barriers and promote collaboration in healing and wellness initiatives.
Prabir Roy UNE National Equity Representative for Persons with Disabilities
In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, PSAC is proud to introduce a new online course – Walking In Our Truth Together. This foundational truth-seeking online education program has been created for members to help support the pursuit of justice and reconciliation.
As a union committed to reconciliation, we aim to foster inclusive workplaces that reflect the unique lived experiences of Indigenous peoples. This course was inspired in part by several Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which urge governments and organizations to provide education on the history of Indigenous peoples. These include the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Indigenous rights, Indigenous law, and Indigenous–Crown relations. These crucial topics are all covered in the 10 modules planned for the course.
We invite you to sign up for the course and begin your learning journey today. The first module is available now, with additional modules to follow monthly. Each module can be completed at your own pace.
This virtual course is more than just an educational tool; it is a vital step towards understanding and addressing the injustices that have impacted – and continue to affect – Indigenous communities across Canada.
Every step we take together brings us closer to a more just and inclusive society. We all have a responsibility and a role to play on the path to reconciliation, whether it’s through education, training, advocacy, or simply listening with an open heart.
Let us move forward with open minds, reaffirm our commitment to reconciliation, and carry these lessons into our workplaces and daily lives.
Today, hundreds gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to honour police and peace officers across Canada. The Canadian Police and Peace Officers’ Annual Memorial Service pays tribute to the those in law enforcement who are killed in the line of duty.
It’s also an opportunity to thank to those who work so hard to keep us safe.
Among these inspirational men and women are park wardens, who are responsible for law enforcement in our national parks. They also happen to be members of the Union of National Employees.
This year, nine wardens were chosen to represent their peers in Ottawa:
Natasha Moore Gros Morne National Park
Chad Cote Kouchibouguac National Park
Nathan Byington Ontario Waterways
Ron Williams Bruce Peninsula National Park
Tojo Rakotoarivelo La Mauricie National Park & Western Quebec
On September 30, we will be observing Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This is a new federal statutory holiday. This is the day everyone wears orange to remember the First Nations children who were sent to residential schools and never returned, and to honour the Survivors, their families, and their communities.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was created between Residential Schools Survivors, the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit representatives and the parties responsible for the creation and operation of the schools: the federal government and the church bodies. The TRC was also advised by a ten-member Indian Residential Schools Survivor Committee, made up of residential school Survivors from across Canada.
When the TRC released its final report in 2015, it came with ninety-four calls to action demanding action by governments across Canada on a wide range of reconciliation initiatives.
The TRC hosted national events in different regions across Canada to promote awareness and public education about the residential school system and its impacts. They also supported community events designed by individual communities to meet their unique needs.
Of the ninety-four recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, only a few have been implemented. The TRC call to action is making progress — but not quickly enough for many Survivors, their families, and Indigenous communities. One of the calls to action has to do with Child welfare. Native children are on average the most apprehended by Child Welfare systems. You could say the cultural genocide is still occurring. 53.8% of children in foster care under fourteen are Indigenous.
The Survivors’ Secretariat was established in 2021 to organize and support efforts to uncover, document and share the truth about what happened at the Mohawk Institute during its 140 years of operation. After the closing of the Mohawk Institute its name was changed to the Woodland Cultural Centre.
The Centre serves to preserve, promote and strengthen Indigenous language, culture, art, and history of the Rotinahshonni people through innovative exhibitions and programs.
The TRC provides a platform for survivors to tell their stories and the TRCs acknowledge their suffering and loss. The TRC has led to major changes in how Canadians understand history, especially regarding Indigenous treatment. However, the term “reconciliation” remains controversial among Indigenous communities due to the lack of accompanying action.
Lenora Maracle UNE National Equity Representative for Indigenous Members
