| News - June 2009
The headlines
for news items published during this month are listed immediately
below. Click on the headline of your choice to see the entire
text of the article.
Arrivals, retirement sees shuffle of LRO responsibilities
Welcome Robin Kers, our new Labour Relations Officer
RCMP Harassment Policy - Have your say!
A Huge Win for RCMP Detachment Clerks!
Has your address or work e-mail changed? Let us know!
Application deadline June 30 for 2010 Labour College residential program
Pacific Region session wraps up a highly successful 2008-09 USGE national training program
National Office Job Posting: Communications and Research Officer (Bilingual)
2009 National Local Presidents Meeting set for September
Quebec Region members profit from USGE’s in-house training
Photo marks CSIS contract signing
USGE and PSAC launch major campaign to save prison farms
Moncton training session for USGE Atlantic members highly successful
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Arrivals, retirement sees shuffle of LRO responsibilities
The arrival in the National Office of several new faces, coupled with an imminent retirement, has led to a shuffle of responsibilities for USGE Labour Relations Officers.
Effective immediately, Suzanne Gauthier assumes responsibility for our CSC members in the Atlantic, Ontario (including the NCR) and Pacific Regions. She will also be working with NCR Locals representing our members in the following employer groups: Public Safety Canada; the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP; the Canadian Human Rights Commission; the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal; the Law Commission of Canada; the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada; and the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
Fred Sadori will be responsible for our CSC members in the Quebec and Prairies Regions, along with our National Parole Board members across the country.
Robin Kers assumes responsibility for our RCMP, Department of Justice and PPSC members in all provinces west of Ontario and in the three territories.
Denyse Saumur’s responsibilities remain unchanged.
This shift in responsibilities sees an even distribution of Locals among our four Labour Relations Officers. And, for the first time, our National Parole Board members across Canada will be dealing with only one LRO.
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Welcome Robin Kers, our new Labour Relations Officer
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We are pleased to welcome Robin Kers as a new term Labour Relations Officer in the USGE National Office.
Robin is well acquainted with the issues facing our members, having previously worked for many years with our sister PSAC Component, the Canada Employment and Immigration Union.
When he officially starts his year-long term with the USGE on June 29, Robin will be responsible for our RCMP, Department of Justice and PPSC members in all provinces west of Ontario and in the three territories.
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RCMP Harassment Policy – Have your say!
As you know, USGE Service Officer Marion Fitzgerald is on a one-year Interchange Canada agreement with the RCMP’s Respectful Workplace Program.
Part of her assignment is to review the RCMP Harassment Policy – find out what is working, what is not working and recommend changes that will hopefully translate into a more harmonious work environment.
Marion’s role includes interviewing employees across all categories to solicit opinions on the policy. However, as you know, not every employee can be personally interviewed. That’s where you come in!
The USGE National Office has agreed to place the RCMP Harassment Policy Questionnaire on our Web site to ensure as many survey responses as possible find their way to Workplace Relations Services.
The following survey form will be sent directly to RCMP Workplace Relations Services.
Our union has always been committed to eradicating harassment, in all its forms, from the workplace. This is just one more way we can help.
Whether you are a Public Service Employee, Regular Member or Civilian Member, respond to the survey and have your say.
Let’s make this policy – and the entire program – work!
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A Huge Win for RCMP Detachment Clerks!
Some said it couldn’t be done! Some said it wouldn’t be done! That, in a nutshell, was our first conversation with RCMP representatives over the need for a complete review and overhaul of work descriptions covering over one thousand Detachment Clerks who assist RCMP officers in front-line policing.
Recognizing the need to change direction, USGE National President John Edmunds took his concerns to the then Acting RCMP Chief Human Resources Officer, Superintendent Kevin Mole.
Chief Superintendant Mole, never being too far removed in his mind from operational policing, agreed that something should be done to recognize the value and contribution these employees make, and continue to make, to the RCMP and the communities they serve. A review, while time-consuming and no doubt labour-intensive, was not an insurmountable task.
Building on a similar USGE-Correctional Service Canada project involving approximately 500 Case Management Assistants working in Community Parole Offices across Canada, we put RCMP management in contact their CSC counterparts to share experiences and project similarities.
The CSC project (under the guidance of Bev Arsenault, CSC Director General of Community Reintegration; Ken Hazard, USGE RVP NPS/NPB East; and, Donn Reid, USGE Labour Relations Officer) resulted in complete, current and accurate work descriptions and upward reclassifications for all Case Management Assistants – a complete success from everybody’s standpoint.
Darrell Madill, RCMP Deputy Commissioner, Contract and Aboriginal Policing, took on the championing of this project upon the transfer of Chief Superintendent Mole. A national committee was struck.
Management representatives consisted of Inspector Sean Sullivan, Contract and Aboriginal Policing; Steve McGirr, Project Lead and Public Service representative; and, Linda Hearty, Classification Officer of RCMP Organization and Classification.
USGE representatives included Jackie Oswald, National Vice-President and RCMP RVP for Manitoba and Saskatchewan (a contract policing Detachment Assistant); Janet Hauck, RVP RCMP Ontario (a non-contract policing Detachment Assistant); and, Denyse Saumur, USGE Labour Relations Officer.
All took on the massive workload and consultation necessary to complete the project. And complete it they did!
The results of the National Detachment Clerk Review – one of the most extensive joint efforts in RCMP and USGE history – are contained in the following joint RCMP-USGE communiqué, downlaodable in either RTF or PDF formats:
USGE considers the National Detachment Clerk Review an ultimate success. Unlike other departments, where approvals for reclassifications involve only the Treasury Board, the RCMP must also seek approval from all its contract partners. After all, they ultimately pay the bill!
RCMP Commissioner Elliott, during the Senior Executive Meeting of May 28, 2009, gave instructions to make that approval happen. Deputy Commissioner Madill held meetings with contract partners during the week of June 8, where he sought and received final approval. Now, it’s only the final details that need to be sorted out.
The RCMP has prepared a Q&A document for distribution to affected employees which will hopefully answer most of your questions. USGE representatives will also be available to answer your individual questions and assist with any concerns.
While the USGE is pleased with the results of the Committee’s findings and the decisions taken by Senior Management to implement a new classification level for Detachment Assistants, we also recognize this work was difficult and carried out using outdated classification standards during a period of economic upheaval. We applaud their decision and we thank the Committee members for their tireless work, commitment and the energy put forward in seeing the project through to conclusion.
This may not be the last review for Detachment Assistants. We expect that once the Program Administration Classification Standard is implemented by Treasury Board, a classification conversion will be required. This, too, could affect the pay scales and levels of all our members in this group.
The USGE is committed to working with the RCMP on the Phase 2 review of other positions not captured by the National Detachment Clerk Review. We will keep you informed as this phase progresses.
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Has your address or work e-mail changed? Let us know!
The USGE National Office relies on an up-to-date address and other contact information in order to ensure that you, the member, receive important union information concerning your job and other workplace developments.
Of particular note is your e-mail address at work. A number of our employers are revising, or plan to revise, their departmental or agency e-mail addresses.
Thanks to our Web-based electronic Member Information Update Form, updating this information is quick and easy. Just click HERE to start…
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Application deadline June 30 for 2010 Labour College residential program
The Labour College of Canada is resuming its yearly Intensive Program following significant changes to course design and delivery. (Please note that the Program is delivered only in English.)
The theme for the 2010 Labour College session of Labour is ‘Our Economy, Our Jobs, Our Future.' Students will develop analytical and research skills to empower their work as union activists, while learning about our movement's history, values, and challenges
The 2010 session will have the following components:
• First residency period: January 3-15, 2010 (NAV CANADA Training and
Conference Centre, Cornwall, Ontario);
• Inter-session student project: January 16-May 1, 2010 (completed by
students on their own time between the first and second residency
period); and
• Second residency period: May 3-15, 2010 (Location TBA).
As per the revised application process, Labour College students will be chosen by and financed by their unions after meeting national standards set by the College's Board of Governors..
Deadline for application is the end of this month, June 30. An application form can be downloaded HERE.
Elaine Ouimet, the USGE’s Coordinator of Organizing/Training, is herself a Labour College graduate.
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Pacific Region session wraps up a highly successful 2008-09 USGE national training program
The USGE’s 2008-09 national training program ended on a high note with the June 2-4 Organizing the Locals training course for our Pacific Region members.
The photo below shows the participants at the three-day session, held in Vancouver.
While our latest cross-Canada training cycle may be over, the USGE National Office will not be resting on our laurels. Work on 2009-10 course offerings is already under way.
As always, we welcome any suggestions from our Locals for new or improved training opportunities.
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National Office Job Posting: Communications and Research Officer (Bilingual)
The USGE has an immediate job opening for the position Communications and Research Officer (Bilingual) in our National Office in Ottawa.
Priority will be given to candidates who are USGE employees, employees of the PSAC and its Components and USGE members in good standing.
Those interested in this position may download the job poster in either RTF or PDF formats:
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2009 National Local Presidents Meeting set for September
Each year following our Triennial National Convention, the USGE organizes a National Local Presidents Meeting in Ottawa. The official call for this year’s NLPM, to be held September 27-29, was mailed to all our Locals in early May.
This Meeting is both a networking opportunity and a chance to exchange views, share experiences and develop new representational skills. There is a high educational content, with time given over to workshops and seminars.
The National President, Regional Vice-Presidents and Presidents of Locals and Sections are eligible to attend the National Local Presidents’ Meeting.
Deadline for receipt of registration for the NLPM at the USGE National Office is June 12. The completed form can be faxed at 613-232-3311. Applications received after the deadline date will not be accepted.
Information and forms concerning the National Local Presidents Meeting can be downloaded by clicking on the following logo, which is also located on the main page of this Web site:
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Quebec Region members profit from USGE’s in-house training
It was the turn in late May for our Quebec members to gain from the USGE’s in-house training program.
The above photo shows the participants at our popular Organizing the Locals training course, held in Montreal from May 27 to 29. Several dozen members, as well as two of the region’s Regional Vice-Presidents, were in attendance.
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Photo marks CSIS contract signing
While our members at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service officially signed a new collective agreement last April 7, the USGE just this week obtained a photo from management of the union and employer team members.
We are nonetheless pleased both to have received the photo and to be able finally to publish it.
From left to right, the individuals in the above photo are: Gerry Bilodeau (employer); Tina Crête (USGE); Daniel Langevin (management negotiator); Marilyn Derksen-Lansey (USGE); Patrick Martin (USGE); Jaime Pentland (employer); David Sauve (PSAC negotiator); and, Carole Gagnon (USGE).
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USGE and PSAC launch major campaign to save prison farms
The USGE and the PSAC are launching a major campaign to block plans by Correctional Service Canada (CSC) to close farming operations at six Institutions over the next two years.
Elements of the campaign − entitled ‘Save Our Farms’ − include:
• A specially-designed, comprehensive Web site (www.saveourfarms.ca)
that provides information on the prison farm program closure issue,
our alternative, access to an electronic petition and the ability to send
a protest e-mail directly to Prime Minister Harper.
• Thousands of coffee sleeves, featuring our campaign Web site address,
are being distributed at or near coffee shops in strategic areas across
the country.
• Organizing protest meetings and community support events in the
communities most affected by the elimination of the prison farm
programs.
• Downloadable poster and model letters to the editor.
• Launching an Access to Information request to force CSC to divulge the
contents of a secret Strategic Plan that includes the rationale for
ending prison farm programs.
• Working closely with organizations, such as the National Farmers Union,
that share our concerns.
Over the past few weeks, our union has been consulting with farm organizations and holding meetings with our bargaining agent, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, to develop this strategy. It is hoped that growing public pressure will lead the Conservative government to reverse one of the most incomprehensible and short-sighted decisions ever taken inside CSC.
“Neither the Harper government nor Correctional Service Canada can offer a sound rationale for eliminating prison farm programs, said John Edmunds, USGE National President. “It is outrageous that this major decision was taken without an understanding of the true costs and benefits.”
Edmunds pointed to the many positive contributions prison farm programs deliver to inmates and the general population:
• training in skills that directly or indirectly boost inmates’ employment
chances
on release;
• more effective rehabilitation and integration of offenders into the
community;
• a low-cost procurement of food products for all federal penal Institutions,
leading to taxpayer cost-savings;
• public confidence-building in Canada’s food chain through an
exceptionally
high-standard of animal husbandry and slaughter; and
• creating an effective, positive and visible presence in local communities
through
contributions to food banks and other charities.
“Rather than eliminate prison farms,” Edmunds suggested, “Correctional Service Canada should be moving in the other direction – increasing the availability of such programs and widening their scope.
“Expanding farm programs would, in one fell swoop, increase successful rehabilitation and generate even greater financial returns for CSC, the government and taxpayers.”
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Moncton training session for USGE Atlantic members highly successful
Some two dozen activists from our Atlantic Locals participated in a highly successful USGE training session held in Moncton from May 12 to 14.
A group photo of participants at the well-received Organizing the Locals training session appears immediately below.
The USGE has been taking advantage of the current round of cross-country training to swear in groups of newly-elected Local officers. A second photo above shows a number of the Moncton participants taking their oath of office.
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