VP Regional Report – December 2008

Manitoba & Saskatchewan

National Executive Meeting – December 2008 – Annex 2

MANITOBA AND SASKATCHEWAN

September 15-17 – Ottawa for UNDE officer orientation
October 7 – AGM Local 704 Shilo
October 21 – AGM Local 801 Dundurn
October 28 – EAP RADD Prairies
October 30 – UNDE conference call
October 30 – AGM Local 705 Winnipeg
November 1-2 – Separate employer’s conference Regina
November 4 – AGM Local 807 Aramark/Sodexho
November 5 – AGM Local 800 ACTO
November 6 – AGM Local 802 MJ
November 6 – LMRC with Sodexho
November 26 – PSAC mobilization meeting

REPORT BY Locals IN MAN/SASK REGION

Local 40800 ATCO – Moose Jaw

The executive in Local 800 have been focusing on generating enough interest in the local to get members to step up to the plate and sit on the local executive. Management is using scare tactics that employee will be targeted if they are involved with the union.

The local was able to get one member Darcy Hallick to attend the SFL.

The local was also able to provide two members Darcy Hallick and Dave Hovington to attend the first every PSAC Prairie Region Separate Employer’s Conference.

Dave Hovington’s Report: I attended the separate employer conference in Regina. It was very, very good. It opened a lot of members’ eyes about the fact that we are not alone out there. There are a lot of locals dealing with the same issues. I’m still waiting for the contact list which is supposed to be provided to us, these contacts will be the way ahead to deal with issues in the work place. Previous experience will help other locals to avoid making the same mistakes and be guided appropriately.

The way things were run over the two and a half days felt very well. A lot of interaction between members and locals, we talk about topics which were important for most of us. The parking lot idea was very good as well; we had to deal with these issues before the end of the conference. The two staff which organize and ran the show did an excellent job. It is difficult to get a bunch of people which don’t know each other to interact the way we did. As far as I’m concern this type of conference should take place every second year. I realize budget is a factor but it makes the separate locals feel like we are part of PSAC. Critical if we want any local to be strong.

Brother Alex Johnson was elected to a new term as President.

Local 40801 Detachment Dundurn

Local 40801 has difference issues in the local itself for it has two CO’s from two different commands, one command in Ottawa and one from 17 Wing Winnipeg and both manage in different ways. One Command has no money for staffing for the SWE budget is tight. Where the other command has said lets get the position filled so we can do our job and do it right. The issues and differences with having two commands managing our members in one local as small as Dundurn is an ongoing challenge for the local executive and the members.

Members have gotten involved locally in the Union and 801 now have a new Vice President and Chief Shop Steward. The President Brother Glenn King is hoping to stir up enough interest in the local for members to start taking part in training.

Brother Glenn attended the SFL here is his Report:

The SFL conference was held in Regina this year at the center of the arts and was attended by one member from our local. They had several guest speakers during the conference which I found very interesting. The one speaker talked about is the province getting the appropriate return on its natural resources. I thought that was interesting because it made you think long term goals verses short term dollars. There were various other speakers including Buffy Saint Marie all gave good insight to the political and union movement.

The highlight of the speakers was the Saskatchewan Minister of Labour. It became clear early in his speech he was there for the cameras not the message. He stood proudly and sang the accomplishments of the government and how he personally took pride in the work the government has done for labour. This was a great speech for any anti union audience but was not well accepted in the house of labour. I took great pride in getting up and joining the members at the back of the convention in a show of solidarity that we were not going to sit ideally and watch the government walk over the union members.

There was a lot of information that was of interest and affects locals no matter if you are federal or provincial. The way management manipulates the workforce to try to get everything for nothing, the way they try to take advantage of the young and vulnerable workers. I feel that all the information although at the time may affect the way we do business sooner or later that info and the contacts you make there pays dividends.

Glenn King
President 40801

Local 40802 CFB Moose Jaw

As the local is fairly spread out with members in Moose Jaw – Regina – Yorkton Sask communication with the members has been a challenge but with the use of email the local President Della Bennett has made it possible to ensure that all members are being kept informed.

Sister Della and her executive have been able to stir up enough interest with the two CO from MJ and Dundurn to have informative LMRC with management. Hopefully this will continue and management will appreciate the value of having the Union at the table in a participative management environment. These LMRC have made sure that the members in local 802 are able to take place in training from the employer.

Sister Della and her executive have rejuvenated member’s interest in the Union. The local will be electing a Vice President to reside in Regina so the members in remote area will be able to have a closer connection to the executive.

The local sent Brother Kiran Rach to the SFL here is his report:

Hi, I hope I do okay I have not been to too many conferences and written a report.

Numbers of members attending daily were about 585, number of resolutions passed 42. Two of them had to be rewritten twice before they got passed. I did not vote on them because I had a hard time understanding them. They were to do with Employer checking up on Employee’s Credit check and also Criminal report check. Minister of finance was there to give a speech. Before the speech a few delicates asked a few questions pertaining to Bill C 5 and C 6. He did not answer them and started to talk around the subject. He got into his speech, delicates from the floor were at this stage started to walk away from their tables and stood behind a picket line that was allowed in. The picketers were from potash Mosaic I think iron workers union. More and more members started to do the same until there were very few members left at their tables. We did not boo him but sang Solidarity Forever; we were so loud that his speech could hardly be heard. He keeps speaking and finished his speech with a red and frustrated look on his face. I hope this is okay please let me know how I did.

Kiran

Local 40807 ARAMARK – Moose Jaw

This local is one of the most challenging of locals to be on the executive. With two separate employer SODEXHO that employs most of the membership and is a sub contract for Bombardier and ARAMARK, which employ 7 members, and is a direct contract for DND. One employer will not deal with the Union Executive member if that company does not employ them. This makes it very difficult for the executive.

This local was also able to send members to the PSAC First Prairie Region Separate Employer’s Conference. A member also attended the SFL.

The President Kevin Roh and his executive work hard for this local and have been able to bring a lot of knowledge to help the membership.

Report on SFL By Brother Kevin Rosnes local 807:

This was my first convention of any sort and found it very interesting. The convention training prep course I took in Winnipeg gave me a basic understanding of how the process worked but now seeing it in action I understand a whole lot more. I will be looking forward to my next. One of the highlights for me was meeting people from all over the province, and realizing the similarities between all unions small and large. One low point was Rob Norris minister of Labour speech and showing his arrogance by not answering any of the questions put to him. This same speech also gave me another high when the delegates stood and started to sing solidarity forever you just got goose bumps.

Thanks
Kevin Rosnes

Local 50704 CFB Shilo

Brother Randy Walker has been elected into another term as local President. Randy and his executive have had trying times in keeping the sprits up in this local. With a lot of their military co workers being deployed over sea to Afghanistan live on the bases can be very trying at times.

Their LMRC are up and running with input from the union been appreciated by management.

Members in this local are becoming very frustrated with how long it is taking to get a new contract for all tables. The executive tries to keep them informed but not enough info is out there.

Local 50705 CFB Winnipeg

The newly elected President Sister Mona Simcoe has been working hard to understand fully what her new roll in the local is. Sister Mona and mostly a new local executive, have a lot of work in front of them just dealing with the issues that come up within such a large local.

With more and more decisions coming down from management on what the members can and cannot take part in unless they take annual leave. These decisions are becoming a bigger divided in the working relationship of military and civilian.

Members of the local are also frustrated with the bargaining process. The zone issue is a big deal in this local. The executive try to have the local participate in the days of action but with short time frames that PSAC gives, it is very hard to mobilize such a large number of members.

To finish off may all of you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Dale Buck
VP Man/Sask