Quebec Region DND SH Sub-Group- Minutes- December 12, 2023

2023/12/05

Quebec Region DND SH Sub-Group

AGM Minutes

1. Opening Remarks:

• The Sub Group President introduced herself and extended a warm welcome to all. She informed the members that the agenda and the By-laws were available in the chat.
• Introduction of the current Executive members. Introduction of the guests: Éric Massey and Pierre Potvin.

2. Attending: Josée Girard, Sonia Richard, Sophie Lévesque, and Renée Lessard from the Executive, two guests (Éric Massey and Pierre Potvin), and one member of the Sub-Group.

Regrets: Julie Tremblay.

3. Review and adoption of the agenda: Moved by Sophie Lévesque, seconded by Sonia Richard. The new By-laws will be sent to the Institute.
4. Review and adoption of amendments to the SH Sub-Group By-laws: Moved by Sophie Lévesque, seconded by Renée Lessard.
5. Elections of the Sub-Group Executive Officers: Under the new By-laws, all clinics/garrisons will be represented, this year. Positions up for election are in Longue-Pointe (1), Valcartier (2), and Bagotville (1).

• For the position of Vice-President: Sonia Richard nominated Pierre Roberge, seconded by Renée Lévesque[CM1] . No one else applied for this position. Pierre Roberge was elected by acclamation for a two-year term.
• For the position of Secretary: No candidates were proposed. The position remained vacant, and the situation will be discussed at the next Executive meeting with a view to filling the position until the next AGM.
• Two Director positions:
  • Anne Leblond was nominated by Sophie Lévesque, and this nomination was seconded by Sonia Richard. No one else applied for this position. Anne Leblond was elected by acclamation to the position of Director for a two-year term.
  • Sonia Richard nominated Julie Tremblay, and this nomination was seconded by Josée Girard. No one else applied for this position. Julie Tremblay was elected by acclamation to the position of Director for a two-year term.

6. Financial Statements: Renée Lessard presented the financial result of the Sub-Group. There was $3,022.28 in the bank account. $50.00 will be deducted for the AGM door prize draw, today.

Sweaters will be purchased for the Sub-Group members (objective: visibility).

Eric Massey suggested that the Executive purchase swag for the Quebec Region SH Sub-Group members, swag that will raise the profile of the DND SH Sub-Group and be useful in the daily lives of professionals. Moved by Sophie Lévesque and seconded by Josée Girard.

7. Introduction of our guests:

• Eric Massey: He presented his role within the SH Group’s bargaining team and gave us recent information on the SH Group’s bargaining team. The team tried to get the COVID-19 bonus for its members, without success. The bargaining team was very pleased with the response to the survey on members’ priorities for upcoming negotiations. Key issues raised by members: wages (wage catch-up for social workers, psychologists, pharmacists, and nursing officers), work-family balance, and domestic violence. The members of the team said they are very proactive and ready to go to arbitration to achieve the goals of our members. Several mobilization actions are coming up to support the bargaining team. Visibility items also show the employer that employees are behind their bargaining team. The cost-of-living increase is one of the priority issues for the bargaining team and the PIPSC central bargaining table. Members can visit the SH Group page on the Institute’s website to see the status of the negotiations, including issues raised. Negotiations on the Wellness Program that was intended to replace our sick leaves are on ice and must be restarted from the beginning, following the change of government which has led to a change in the players in place. The next round of negotiations is not expected to end before 2023. Phoenix will be replaced in the next few years. Two systems are currently being tested in two different departments. When a choice is made, it will be implemented one department at a time. We don’t know when this will happen. This cannot be done until the current payroll problem cases are resolved.
• Pierre Potvin: Presentation of his role as Director for the Quebec Region. Mr. Potvin gave a brief review of last November’s PIPSC AGM and informed us that there will be an analysis of the comments received from the various working groups. He informed us that the Quebec Region is in preparation mode for training activities, in February 2024, and that elections are coming up in the spring, for the Regional Executive. Mr. Potvin solicited members’ interest in joining the team of trainers – FTQ and peer training. Focus also on the concern about Union leave, mainly for the Quebec Region.

8. The door prize, a $50.00 Renaud-Bray gift card, will be awarded to Tania Dubé of the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu CFB. She was the only participant attending the AGM.

9. A word from the President: The President outlined the various activities of the past year, including the PIPSC and SH Group AGMs, the consultation with DND stewards in Quebec, and the regional and stewards’ councils. She explained the reasons that led to the postponement of our AGM twice. She highlighted the departure of Karine Régimbald as Secretary and of Sophie Lévesque[CM2]  as Vice-President. She underlined their invaluable expertise within the Executive. She presented the various activities offered by the Institute to the stewards (training school, Steward Council) and to the regular members (Regional Council and OHS training). She tried to mobilize members to participate in the various committees and groups of the Quebec Region.

10. Miscellaneous:

—Discussion on the difficulties associated with Union leave. One of the difficulties is linked to the number of hours of the leave, which is not sufficient to enable the steward to carry out the preparatory research they need to perform their Union duties. Éric Massey presented several different situations to illustrate the difficulties involved.

11.[CM3]  Adjournment: Josée Girard moved that the Annual General Meeting of the Quebec Region DND SH Sub-Group be adjourned. Proposed by Sonia Richard and seconded by Renée Lessard.