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Postponement of PSAC Convention and Timelines

UNE National President Kevin King attended the PSAC National Board of Directors meeting this past week where motions were passed to suspend the PSAC National Convention, PSAC Regional Conventions and all associated timelines.

Canadian health directives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have banned public gatherings, closed many workplaces and enforced the self-isolation. The uncertainty and changing landscape of regulations were the ultimate factors in the decision to postpone until the picture becomes clearer.

All conventions will be postponed by a calendar year; Regional Conventions scheduled in 2020 will be rescheduled to 2021 and the PSAC 2021 Convention will be scheduled for 2022.

Finally, the Board also passed a motion that timelines related to Component Conventions will be suspended. For UNE members, this was an important decision so that resolutions and elections at our postponed Convention will line up with PSAC. Should the suspensions require further extensions, that will be evaluated by the Board at a future date.

“This is the most democratic decision that could have been reached in this strange time,” said King. “We explored many alternatives, but in the end, postponing conventions and suspending timelines takes into account the safety and well-being of all members and their families.”

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UNE Convention postponed until 2021

 The UNE national executive has passed a motion to postpone its Triennial Convention originally scheduled for August 24-28, 2020 until 2021. As such, all registration deadlines and timelines related to convention business have been postponed to a date to be determined.

  • Timelines associated with Locals to elect their delegates are suspended
  • Convention Committee meetings scheduled for June 7-10 are also postponed
  • If you have already registered online, it has been registered. Registration will remain open, and new deadlines pertaining to registration will be posted at a future date
  • Members can still submit resolutions, as described by the governance documents of UNE

The decision to postpone was not easy, but given the factors outlined by the Public Health Agency of Canada, provincial and territorial emergency measures, and municipal directions, it was necessary to reorganize our logistics and our delegate expectations for their health and the safety of their families, along with UNE Staff, while preserving the integrity of our democratic institution.

 

Respectfully Submitted, and In Solidarity,

Kevin King

UNE National President

 

 

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Postponement of AGMs

Greetings,

The Union of National Employees is requesting all UNE Locals to postpone Annual General Meetings from March 17th onward.

We further ask to possibly postpone meeting requests such as AGMs, for at least the remainder of the month of March 2020.

UNE recognizes this inconvenience, but we are in consideration of health protocols in federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions during the COVID-19 global health crisis and responses.

UNE will be updating this information by email and on its website frequently as circumstances warrant.

Respectfully submitted and in Solidarity,

 

Kevin A. King
National President
Union of National Employees

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Strike votes for Treasury Board bargaining units begin March 16

PSAC National President Chris Aylward has authorized strike votes for members of the PA, SV, TC and EB bargaining units following the release of the Public Interest Commission (PIC) report last week.

More than 90,000 members of the four bargaining units will have an opportunity to vote at strike meetings to be held from March 16 to May 7, 2020. Strike votes for the 27,000 members of the Canada Revenue Agency bargaining unit are already underway.

“PSAC bargaining teams need a strong strike mandate from members to force Treasury Board to come back to the bargaining table with a new mandate so that we can get a fair settlement quickly,” said Aylward.

Aylward noted that the Public Interest Commission (PIC) report on common issues made it clear that to reach a deal the government will need to offer PSAC members more Phoenix compensation and a wage increase in line with the cost of living. The report also highlighted the need to address compensation gaps and recruitment/retention challenges for those groups that are underpaid relative to comparable groups inside or outside the federal public sector.

The government’s current offer falls short on all fronts. They have yet to table wage increases that would ensure rises in the cost of living are met, and their Phoenix compensation proposal remains meagre and unequal across the public service.

“The threat of a strike will give the employer the nudge it needs to avoid more disruption during their minority government,” said Aylward.

“That’s why we urge all PSAC members to vote yes.”

In the coming weeks members will receive notices of strike vote meetings via email and through your locals and regional offices. The information will also be posted on the front page of the national website, as well on PSAC regional websites.

Please check out the following link if you would like more information on strike votes and strike action. We’ll be adding more information in the days ahead to answer a wide range of questions so make sure to check back.

 

Source: http://psacunion.ca/strike-votes-treasury-board-bargaining-units-begin

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UNE Convention and Resolutions Call-out

The 2020 UNE Triennial Convention will be held at Hotel Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal from August 24-28, 2020. Before we start paving the way forward for our union, there are a few important things you need to do.

Make sure your Local is in Conformance
You can only attend convention if your Local is in conformance. For a complete list of documents needed from your Local, see the Convention section of the UNE website.

Elect Delegates and their Alternates
Delegates and alternates are elected during general local meetings. The number of delegates per Local is determined by the number of members in good standing six months before the start of Convention as per UNE Bylaw 6, Section 11:

  1. Four to 100 members = one delegate;
  2. One delegate for each 100 members or portion thereof to a maximum of five delegates for any given local.

Observers
Locals in conformance can also send observers to convention at the Local’s expense. These members can attend convention, but they cannot participate in debate or vote. There is a $75 registration fee for observers, to cover the cost of Convention materials.

Submit Credential Forms
Credential forms for each delegate, alternate and observer must be submitted to UNE. Credential forms for delegates and alternates must include a copy of the general Local meeting minutes showing the election of those members. The credentials forms are available for download on the Convention section of the UNE website.

Registration Deadline

To be recognized as a delegate to Convention, members must complete the online registration and submit the following documents by April 24, 2020 at 4pm Eastern Standard Time:

  1. Credential forms, including meeting minutes showing election of delegates and alternates;
  2. Local financial documents in conformance with UNE Bylaws and Policies.

Members who miss the deadline will not be able to participate on convention committees and are considered late delegates. Late delegates are seated at Convention by way of procedural motion during the early stages of the opening of our Convention.

Questions about Convention Logistics and Registration?
We hope you will find all the answers on the Convention section of our website.

If you require additional information, please contact Suzanne Boucher, Convention Coordinator, at events@une-sen.org or by phone at 613-560-4359 or 1-800-663-6685.

RESOLUTIONS

Option 1

Locals should appoint a convention resolutions committee; these are normally made up of three to five members. Some Locals may prefer to appoint a committee for each resolution topic: constitution and bylaws, finance, and general resolutions. Your Local should issue a notice asking members to submit resolutions to your convention resolutions committee. Allow plenty of time for the committee to prepare a report. Members of the committee should also be encouraged to submit their own resolutions. Each committee’s report and additional resolutions should be presented during a general membership meeting. This meeting should provide ample time to debate resolutions before members cast a vote.

Option 2

Any member in good standing can submit a resolution to Convention by having it cosigned by five other members in good standing.

Submit Your Resolution Online

You should submit your resolutions electronically on our website. Completing this process significantly reduces the time required to prepare resolutions for committee review in June. If you do not have internet access, you can submit your resolutions by mail or fax.

Submit Supporting Documentation

The resolutions you submit online must also be supported by hardcopy versions of either the signed minutes verifying that the resolution was adopted during a general membership meeting or the resolutions form cosigned by five other members in good standing. You can download the resolution template on our Convention page here.

Please send these hard copies to the attention of Ateau Zola by email at resolutions@une-sen.org.

You can also submit by fax at 613-560-5208, or by mail at: Union of National Employees 900-150 Isabella St. Ottawa, ON  K1S 1V7.

Resolutions received after April 24, 2020 at 4pm Eastern Standard Time will be deemed late and will be dealt with after all other resolutions.

Questions about resolutions? Please contact Ateau Zola at resolutions@une-sen.org or by phone at 613-560-4343 or 1-800-663-6685.

 

In Solidarity,

Kevin King
National President
Union of National Employees

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B.C. & Yukon Regional Seminar

Click here to register online.

The B.C. and Yukon Regional Team invites you to participate in their Regional Seminar scheduled to take place at the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront, Vancouver, B.C. on March 13 – 15, 2020.

This event will offer presentations and workshop training that will give you the knowledge and confidence to help your members. It’s also a great place to meet active members just like you and forge long-lasting friendships.
For a sneak-peek at what else we have in store for you, check out the Seminar agenda.

UNE will fund the following delegates per Local:

  • A Local President or designate should be one of the delegates;
  • A member who has not previously attended a seminar should be given priority;
  • Locals will elect a youth delegate to attend the Regional Seminar (age 35 or younger as of December 31, 2020).

Locals are required to encourage the participation of equity members. Locals may send additional members at their own expense.
You must register by Friday, February 7. Unfortunately, we will not consider late registrations.

Should you have any questions about the Seminar please contact Suzanne Boucher at events@une-sen.org.

Delegates to the Regional Seminar should arrive for registration at 7pm Friday, March 13. Accommodations will be arranged for delegates to spend two nights at the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront for the Friday and Saturday night of the Seminar as activities are scheduled to take place into the evenings. The Seminar ends on Sunday, March 15 at 12:30pm.

In solidarity,

Shirley Torres, Regional Vice-President, British Columbia and Yukon
Brian Bakker, Assistant Regional Vice-President, British Columbia and Yukon
Linda Woods, Assistant Regional Vice-President, British Columbia and Yukon
Chelsea Cameron, Regional Representative for Human Rights, British Columbia and Yukon

Click here to register online.

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The UNE Regional Teams from the National Capital Region are getting together!

The NCR Separate Employers, Outside Canada, Ottawa-Treasury Board and Gatineau-Treasury Board Regional Teams invite you to participate in their combined Regional Seminar scheduled to take place at the Hilton Lac-Leamy Hotel, in Gatineau on February 21 – 23, 2020.

This event offers presentations and workshop training that will give you the knowledge and confidence to help your members. It’s also a great place to meet active members just like you and forge long-lasting friendships.
For a sneak-peek at what we have in store for you, check out the Seminar agenda.

In the NCR, UNE will fund the following delegates per Local:

  • A Local President or designate should be one of the delegates;
  • A member who has not previously attended a seminar should be given priority;
  • Locals will elect a youth delegate to attend the Regional Seminar (age 35 or younger as of December 31, 2020).

In the Outside Canada region, UNE will fund the following delegates per Local:

  • Ten (10) members from each Local, of which one (1) must be a Youth (age 35 or younger as of December 31, 2020);
  • A member who has not previously attended a seminar should be given priority.

Locals are required to encourage the participation of equity members. Locals may send additional members at their own expense.

You must register by Friday, January 17, 2020. Unfortunately, we will not consider late registrations.

Should you have any questions about the Seminar please contact Suzanne Boucher at events@une-sen.org.

Delegates to the Regional Seminar should arrive for registration at 7 pm on Friday, February 21, 2020. Accommodations will be arranged for delegates to spend two nights at the Hilton Lac Leamy Hotel for the Friday and Saturday night of the Seminar as activities are scheduled to take place into the evenings. The Seminar ends on Sunday, February 23 at 12:30 pm.

Patrice Rémillard, Regional Vice-President, NCR-Separate Employers
André Miller, Assistant Regional Vice-President, NCR- Separate Employers
Mylène Séguin, Assistant Regional Vice-President, NCR- Separate Employers
Evelyn Beckert, Regional Representative for Human Rights, NCR- Separate Employers

Rose Touhey, Regional Vice-President, Outside Canada
Isabelle Beaudoin, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Outside Canada
Archie Campbell, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Outside Canada
Behiye Cinkilic, Regional Representative for Human Rights, Outside Canada

Cindy D’Alessio, Regional Vice-President, Gatineau -Treasury Board
Steve Racicot, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Gatineau – Treasury Board
Éric Poitras, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Gatineau – Treasury Board
Elizabeth Guerrero, Regional Representative for Human Rights, Gatineau – Treasury Board

Virginia Noble, Regional Vice-President, Ottawa – Treasury Board
Carla Ross, Assistant Regional Vice-President, Ottawa – Treasury Board
Janet Eileen Connor, Regional Representative for Human Rights, Ottawa – Treasury Board

Click here to register online.

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UNE Triennial Convention 2020 – ADVANCE NOTICE

The UNE’s 18th Triennial Convention will be held in Montreal, Quebec in August 2020. Now is the time to start thinking about electing delegates, preparing resolutions and ensuring your local is in conformance.

A) Convention Location & Dates

August 24-28, 2020

Hotel Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth

900 René-Lévesque Blvd W, Montreal (QC) H3B 4A5

B) Delegate Status

The deadline for submitting Delegate application forms will be April 24, 2020. Delegates must be elected at a general meeting of the local members.

C) Convention Resolutions

The deadline for UNE Convention Resolutions will be April 24, 2020.  Remember, resolutions from your Local must be approved at a general meeting of the local members.

Detailed information on Convention will be provided in the formal Convention and Resolutions callout letter in January.

If you have any questions or comments regarding Convention, I encourage you to visit www.une-sen.org/events/convention or contact your Regional Team.

In solidarity,

Kevin King
National President
UNE