UNDE - Report of Meeting - September 29, 2003

September 29, 2003

Report of Meeting

held in Ottawa, Tuesday, September 16, 2003

UNDE is represented at the UMCC HR Sub-Committee meeting by Mary Chamberlain, VP ON/OPI Human Resources; Debbie Graham, VP NL/NB/OPI Employment Equity and Human Rights; and Anne-Marie Lusignan, USO Prairies. Each Bargaining Agent is permitted one representative at the table, so the UNDE representatives occupy the chair dependent on the agenda item being discussed. However, observers are welcome to participate, keeping translation in mind.

UMCC HR Sub-Committee inter-department website:

http://hr.dwan.dnd.ca/admhrciv/umcc/engraph/home_e.asp

Mary Chamberlain is in the chair.

Previous Minutes - June 6, 2003. On behalf of Debbie Graham, the following amendments/comments were put forward:

- last paragraph page 2, under Designations and the release … to read "Debbie Graham, UNDE, thanked the Department on its efforts to ensure that consultation would be conducted at the levels, however, management in some areas …"

- Debbie also asked "why an advance review of the ESR and a meeting with the DDWB [prior to this meeting] did not occur?

Old Business:

HR QUICK SERVE (link is on ADM HR Civ homepage)

http://hr.dwan.dnd.ca/admhrciv/applications/hrquickserve/engraph/home_e.asp

Ms Read, DGRCHRS, provided an overview of the latest HR tool which provides Management and the HR community with the necessary resources for staffing, model work descriptions (WDs), templates for statements of qualifications (S of Qs), rating guides, existing eligibility lists (geographic boundaries must still be respected), and other related links.

The website is only available from within the department and is apparently the busiest ADM HR Civ website - averaging 45-49,000 hits per month.

EMPLOYMENT SYSTEMS REVIEW (ESR)

Ms Gianetti, DDWB, provided the committee with background on why the ESR was conducted; the non-compliancy issues with the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) audit of 2001; the areas with under-representation; and the consultant lead survey of May 2003 (429 interviews with Management, unions and employees (represents 2.2% of civilian workforce) and 38 interviews with military personnel were conducted at 14 sites across Canada).

Ms Gianetti went on to state that the Corporate Employment Equity Plan addresses all the identified concerns: image of DND; selection/staffing processes; access barriers (in consultation with ADM IE); attitudes and understanding; accountability; training and awareness; and, the regional and NCR differences.

Ms Gianetti believes that consultation at the national level is good, but is limited locally and regionally. Debbie Graham identified UNDE's concerns on the breakdown of consultation on the ESR, it was available to her regionally before it was distributed nationally. Debbie stated that UNDE represents 14,000 of the DND employees and we have an obligation by law to consult whether the other bargaining agents are available or not. Various levels of Management are making proposals and decisions - the unions must be at the table when these decisions are being made. The deadline to respond to the Corporate EE Plan has already passed, yet Debbie only received it a week prior to this meeting.

Debbie questioned the status of the second audit of the CHRC, which was due in May 2003? Ms Gianetti responded that the date has yet to be confirmed, however, DND is continuing to provide updates to CHRC and that DND is now compliant in two of the 12 statutory requirements (Self-identification survey and the Workforce Analysis) and it is felt that they will achieve compliance with the third requirement with the completion of the ESR.

Debbie asked if PSP and CSE come under the DND EE program. The response was no.

Note: Debbie was aware of this and provides the following info for clarification. CSE is currently undergoing the CHRC audit (information provided from Sharon Diotte) and that PSP VP Daniel Verreault has met with the CHRC Officer responsible to conduct the audit for PSP.

Ms Siegel, ADM HR Civ reminded everyone that DND is under tight deadlines. Debbie agreed, however, she reinforced that there is still a requirement to consult. And the requirement to consult extends to the CHRC, with whom she will also be addressing her concerns of non-involvement to. Debbie stated that she is not trying to undermine the process, she is trying to help.

Ms Gianetti also provided an update on the Co-Development project that is currently underway. A joint team of union, management, Advisory Groups and HR personnel are working together in the development of a DAOD on Duty to Accommodate. There have been three conference calls and one three day strategy session held and the first draft has been reviewed while another conference call to refine the DAOD will be held in October. Debbie Graham is the UNDE representative for this exercise.

DESIGNATIONS - TABLE 1 AND 3

Ms McCusker, DGER, identified that agreement was signed off with UNDE in August (Table 1 - 383; Table 3 - 316) and that we are continuing consultation in an attempt to reach agreement on the disputed functions/positions. Table 2 consultations are in progress and it is hoped that it will be finished by end-September (returns to TB were due 15 September). Consultation for Tables 1 and 3 took place over a period of five weeks.

Secretarial note: UNDE National President John MacLennan has addressed UNDE's concern about the e-mail distributed within the HR community with regards to the number of positions identified as agreed to. Although the number of positions agreed to are reasonably accurate (UNDE has identified a few discrepancies), a breakdown should have been identified as code 1, 2, 3 as applicable.

Reminder: designations are not final or formalized until approved by the PSAC and Public Service Commission.

UNDE VP Ontario voiced frustration in the process - yes, Local consultation took place with all Tables. However, following the Table 1 and 3 consultations, it was agreed that "staff checks" would be done regionally. For various reasons, consultation at the regional level only occurred in three regions across the country. ADM HR Civ had previously stated in an e-mail to the UNDE National President that the HR community would not be involved in the consultation of the designations, yet that is what has occurred across the Department. Further, it has been determined that approximately 50% of the necessary paperwork for Table 2 has been received from the regions and commands. Therefore, national consultation may not be finished for Table 2 as soon as is hoped.

Furthermore, reaching agreements at the national level is hindered by the lack of authority given to the DGER staff persons involved in the consultation process; they are expected to go back to local managers with UNDE's counter proposals and, in some cases, local managers are not returning phone calls. The majority of the "disputed" positions from Tables 1 and 3 are actually UNDE counter-proposals pending responses from local managers.

DGER agreed to meet with UNDE to hear our concerns and attempt to reach an agreement on the way ahead with Table 2.

(Meeting occurred on September 17 - it was decided that consultations would not resume until all necessary paperwork was received. Consultations scheduled to re-commence October 6, 2003.)

Submitted electronically by,

M.Chamberlain
UNDE VP Ontario/OPI Human Resources