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Full disclosure: some of us have never been to an annual general meeting. To get a better idea of what happens at these things, the UNE communications officer was sent to spy on the AGM of Local 70130.<\/p>\n
This particular Local represents all members of the Passport Program at Citizenship and Immigration and Service Canada in the National Capital Region. It\u2019s a Local that represents close to 900 members! To be precise, it includes members working at the mail-in centre, the call centre, headquarters and at the two passport counter offices in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.<\/p>\n
Given the mix of French and English-speaking members there, Local President Rose Touhey and Local Vice-President Karl Lafreni\u00e8re took turns explaining the proceedings in both official languages. This allowed everyone to fully participate.<\/p>\n
And over and above the tasty coffee and snacks, members were also treated to a few words from their elected representatives and union staff.<\/p>\n
We heard that the commissionaires were starstruck when they saw PSAC Regional Executive Vice-President Larry Rousseau walk into the building \u2013 let\u2019s just say that he\u2019s been spending a lot of time on TV these days!<\/p>\n
Rousseau came to the meeting to meet members and talk about how the Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-4) is likely to impact us.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Conservative government is trying to take away our rights as workers \u2013 to take away our ability to get to the kind of collective agreement we want to have.\u201d said Rousseau. \u201cAnd that is what is absolutely unacceptable here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rousseau also took the time to commend the Local for their hard work. This particular Local has worked tremendously hard to achieve better working conditions and establish better relations with management.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I need examples to give to other Locals as to how things can work, I draw them from Local 70130,\u201d said Rousseau to enthusiastic applause.<\/p>\n
Those sentiments were later echoed by Labour Relations Officer Jim McDonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver the past couple of years, we’ve addressed some tough issues. We’ve had some great successes and we’ve set some important precedents \u2013 and all the while, we’ve been able to maintain and foster good relations with our counterparts at Passport Canada,\u201d said McDonald.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis Local works very hard; they sure keep me busy,\u201d he added. \u201cMy phone rings off the wall!\u201d<\/p>\n
UNE National President Doug Marshall also took the opportunity to talk about the important changes to collective bargaining hidden in Bill C-4.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis government is preparing things for us,\u201d said Marshall. \u201cThis bill is designed to weaken our ability to deal with the employer and deal with the issues that you wish to have in your collective agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government wants to eliminate other negotiation options and send us to the Public Interest Commission,\u201d warned Marshall. \u201cWhat the commission is going to look at is the state of the economy \u2013 not whether your wages are fair, not whether your terms and conditions are the same as the outside \u2013 they’re going to look at the economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Needless to say, the economy isn\u2019t doing so well these days!<\/p>\n
Marshall also took the time to encourage members to think about bargaining demands (side note: if your Local belongs to a Treasury Board or Parks Canada bargaining unit, the deadline for your Local to submit bargaining demands is November 15<\/a>!). Local 70130 will hold a meeting to discuss bargaining very shortly.<\/p>\n