(back to index)

Canadian Forces Health Services

OPI - Mary Chamberlain

REPORT OF CFHS UMCC – 19 June 2008

Sister Leanne Coleman-Kamphuis, PIPSC Representative, opened the meeting explaining that funding has been made available and that she will now attend in person, vice teleconference, when it is her turn to co-chair the UMCC. Following a round of introductions, the minutes of April 3, 2008 were accepted with an amendment to the title to read “UMCC” vice “LMRC” (attached in Word)

The following items were added to the agenda: Update LMRC, Hiring of Public Service, Bargaining, and Minutes of Meetings.

Old Business:

LMRC Shilo – Ms Dupont, HRBM, stated that the medical and dental clinics have started the process to establish a joint committee and they will no longer participate at the Base LMRC. UNDE EVP added that she has been in contact with the Local President and has received confirmation that consultation is ongoing.

LMRC Kingston – In response to UNDE’s questions from previous meetings, Ms Dupont stated that she has yet to receive the information in regards to the LMRC training conducted at the clinic in Kingston.

LMRC Training – Ms Dupont stated that the previously scheduled training for the corporate participants had to be postponed and is now tentatively scheduled for October 2008. When asked who should attend the training, UNDE EVP suggested that the members of the national UMCC should attend and that it would also be beneficial to have the members of the Alta Vista worksite committee participate as well.

New Business:

PIPSC Union. Sister Coleman-Kamphuis, PIPSC, stated that PIPSC has done a reorganization of their representatives and that she has been appointed as the national representative for medical issues. She went on to identify where PIPSC is participating in various LMRCs and where PIPSC has concerns in regards to the status of some committees. For example Greenwood has not met since 2007 and there may be a problem with the Petawawa committee.

The COS reinforced his support for the establishment of joint medical and dental clinic committees [where feasible] and directed that an email be sent requesting the status of each of the sites and the identification of the committee co-chairs.

Public Service Staffing. Sister Coleman-Kamphuis, PIPSC, updated the committee on the hiring progress being made at the various sites.

Collective Bargaining. Sister Coleman-Kamphuis, PIPSC, provided an update on collective bargaining.

UNDE EVP took the opportunity to provide an update on the recent TB offer of 1.5 [2007], 1.5 [2008], 1.2 [2009], 1.2 [2010]. She stated that it is ironic that this is public service week and that the employer is telling and showing us at workplaces across the country how important we are. Yet at the same time, hundreds of PSAC members have just spent the noon hour closing off the street in front of TB – and across the country – in protest of that offer.

Also, the UNDE EVP added that the majority of the DND ESAs have been sent to the PSAC in dispute. Unfortunately, although CFHS delegated the authority to make decisions to the person sitting across the table from UNDE, DND/DGLRC did not. As such, although an agreement in principal was reached between CFHS and UNDE, the CFHS proposals are now caught in the larger group of proposals sent to the PSAC.

Minutes of Meetings. It was agreed that the review of various Clinic Committee Minutes will be a standing agenda item at the National UMCC. UNDE EVP added that she has provided comments back to individual committees in order to provide for consistency in the process and the Terms of Reference – that the national committee is called the UMCC, minutes of meetings should be kept vice records of decision or discussion, and who should sit as committee members. This information will be shared when the LMRC Enhancement Training is delivered but in the interim consistent guidance and advice should be provided by the national UMCC members.

The meeting adjourned at 2:00 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for September 15, 2008, 1:00 pm, COS to chair.

In solidarity,

Mary Chamberlain