Toronto ECCC Branch & Toronto ECCC SP Sub-Group Executive Meeting Minutes Q2 2025

April 14, 2025

Joint Meeting of the:

Toronto Environment Branch Executive

SP ECCC Toronto Sub-Group Executive
(Union activists invited as guests)

Virtual meeting on April 14, 2025.

Attendees

Name	Role - Branch	Role - SP Sub-Group	Present
Andrea Darlington	President		Present
Bill Sukloff	Vice President		Present
Balbir Pabla	Treasurer		Present
Qian Li	Secretary		Present
Alexandre Fischer	Member-at-large		Present
Diane Pendlebury	Member-at-large		Present
Jian Feng	Member-at-large		Absent
Marie-Claude Archambault	Member-at-large		Present
Michael Wheeler	Member-at-large	President	Absent
Anna Deptuch-Stapf	Member-at-large	Member-at-large	Absent
Harry Keess	Member-at-large	Member-at-large	Present
Katherine Wright		Secretary	Present
Kulbir Banwait		Treasurer	Present
Dae Il Jeong		Member-at-large	Present
Kim Laird		Member-at-large	Absent
Helen Yang		Vice President	Present
Jeff Karn		Member-at-large	Absent
Stoyka Netcheva		Member-at-large	Present
Megan Hartwell		Member-at-large	Absent
Shem Willie	Steward		Present

Agenda

Acceptance of the Agenda
Review of previous Minutes
Business of the day
- Updates from Ontario Regional Council
- Updates from SP AGM
- Planning for Info Session - Federal Approaches to Labour and Science
- Retirement Info Session - Confirm Date
- SP Sub-group Vice President
- LMCC Topics
Roundtable
Next Meeting
Adjournment

Minutes

ORC: Not too many new updates.
- Talk about election.
- Motion to have 2 of the 11 exec positions reserved for those under 40. Debate on getting people involved. Motion failed due to points on Canada Labour Code but there are already three execs under 40. Interesting that the SP AGM motion to add 2 positions for under 40 passed.
- No news on effects of tariffs on pension but any changes may take time to see.
SP AGM:
- Google chats (general and per role) if you have a PIPSC address. Email ASK_SP@PIPSC.ca
- Return to Office: unlikely to get what we want but hopeful of some language in the next bargaining
- Bargaining: SP's next round starts in 2026, currently under strike recommendation. SP Mobilization team is happy to hear what kind of materials we need to engage members in our workplace. They will detail a supply list and send out action supplies for all regions.
- Guest speaker presentation on climate crisis and political crisis
- Communications: PIPSC on Facebook and Blusky, no Twitter
- Content Coordinator position became official. Presentations have been banked. If we need any, ask Leslie Nasmith for now.
- New VP Katie Francis (under age 40). Discussion about how to recruit younger and newer members.
- Motion passed on execs, once voted in, determining roles amongst themselves.
- Motion passed on bargaining committee length ending at the beginning of the next cycle
- The presentation on the federal approaches to science and labour
Planning for science info session: Issues with Zoom account (Andrea has now asked for one) so we have cancelled hosting our own sessions. We advertised PIPSC's sessions. Issue with the link that Andrea shared; PIPSC looking into it so we can send out the solution.
Planning for retirement info session:
- Select date: May 6, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29
New SP Subgroup VP: One volunteer came forward, Andrea asked for any other who were interested, there were none. The SP subgroup members voted to confirm Helen Yang as SP subgroup VP.
LMCC on April 24 (Andrea, Bill): topics were added. Gym was not added but will be followed up on. Minutes have finally been posted. Anything else, please add in the next couple days
- Any complaints from members about 2nd floor? Status on kitchenettes on 4th floor
Roundtable:
- Mark Fisher appointed President of CWA (Canada Water Agency).
- Can start thinking about National Public Service week in two weeks. Add to next meeting agenda
May meeting: in-person/virtual on May 7

May 7, 2025

Joint Meeting of the:

Toronto Environment Branch Executive

SP ECCC Toronto Sub-Group Executive
(Union activists invited as guests)

In-person and hybrid meeting on May 7, 2025.

Attendees

Name	Role - Branch	Role - SP Sub-Group	Present
Andrea Darlington	President		Present
Bill Sukloff	Vice President		Present
Balbir Pabla	Treasurer		Present
Qian Li	Secretary		Absent
Alexandre Fischer	Member-at-large		Present
Diane Pendlebury	Member-at-large		Present
Jian Feng	Member-at-large		Absent
Marie-Claude Archambault	Member-at-large		Present
Michael Wheeler	Member-at-large	President	Present
Anna Deptuch-Stapf	Member-at-large	Member-at-large	Absent
Harry Keess	Member-at-large	Member-at-large	Present
Katherine Wright		Secretary	Present
Kulbir Banwait		Treasurer	Present
Dae Il Jeong		Member-at-large	Absent
Kim Laird		Member-at-large	Absent
Helen Yang		Vice President	Present
Jeff Karn		Member-at-large	Absent
Stoyka Netcheva		Member-at-large	Present
Megan Hartwell		Member-at-large	Present

Agenda

Acceptance of the Agenda
Review of previous Minutes
Business of the day
- Retirement Session planning
  - Motion to approve budget
- Summer events
- National Public Service Week (June 16-20)
- SP Executive election
Roundtable
Next Meeting
Adjournment

Minutes

Retirement session: suggest letting in 40-45 people (over the allowed suggestion of 35) because people can drop last minute. Keep wait list for next time from responses (some might say they can't come this time but are interested). Cost of session is $XXX. Attendees get a consultation included. Anyone who can't come can get 10% off a consultation through ServicePlus.
- Motion to spend a maximum of $XXX on this session approved by Branch (Andrea proposed, Bill second)
  - Motion carried
- Motion to spend a maximum of $XXX on this session approved by SP sub-group (Michael proposed, Megan seconded).
  - Motion carried
- Split cost 50/50 between the two Executives
Summer events: 2-day ice cream Wed/Thurs. See notes from last year on improvements for this year (e.g., no freezer, long line). PSAC may have interest in partnering, as way to revive exec. Must look at dates and consider cafeteria usage if select during National Public Service Week
- Other events? ON region does a Sept labour day event. Toronto IT sub-group has a bowling event coming up - this year north of the city. Difficult to get members to come out after work. Mandarin AGM is successful for the Toronto IT sub-group. NCR SP sub-group had success with a boat trip. City is hard.
- Lunch and learns in Fall? (save bargaining for next winter, could loop bargaining into guest speaker at AGM, could do session on arbitration vs strike, look through PIPSC presentations at next meeting)
National Public Service Week: Unsure of PIPSC/other plans.
SP Exec elections: Enzo is still our ON rep.
ON added new steward training in June. Next in Fall
Diane to follow up with the SBO on employee access to the fitness room
Bill will ask Waheed Khan to bring the following question to the CWA LMCC: could CWA provide the unions with list of new employees, as currently done at ECCC.
Andrea to check membership list to see if CWA members are differentiated. - Andrea confirms the list does not include whether members are CWA at this point (this may be present as the PIPSC system gets updated).

June 9, 2025

Joint Meeting of the:

Toronto Environment Branch Executive

SP ECCC Toronto Sub-Group Executive
(Union activists invited as guests)

Virtual meeting on June 9, 2025.

Attendees

Name	Role - Branch	Role - SP Sub-Group	Present
Andrea Darlington	President		Present
Bill Sukloff	Vice President		Present
Balbir Pabla	Treasurer		Present
Qian Li	Secretary		Present
Alexandre Fischer	Member-at-large		Present
Diane Pendlebury	Member-at-large		Present
Jian Feng	Member-at-large		Present
Marie-Claude Archambault	Member-at-large		Present
Michael Wheeler	Member-at-large	President	Present
Anna Deptuch-Stapf	Member-at-large	Member-at-large	Absent
Harry Keess	Member-at-large	Member-at-large	Present
Katherine Wright		Secretary	Present
Kulbir Banwait		Treasurer	Absent
Dae Il Jeong		Member-at-large	Present
Kim Laird		Member-at-large	Absent
Helen Yang		Vice President	Present
Jeff Karn		Member-at-large	Absent
Stoyka Netcheva		Member-at-large	Present
Megan Hartwell		Member-at-large	Absent
Shem Willie	Steward		Present

Agenda

Acceptance of the Agenda
Review of previous Minutes
Review of action items
Business of the day
- Updates from Advanced Steward Training
- Updates from IT AGM
- Updates from LMCC
- Feedback from Retirement Webinar
- National Public Service Week
- Ice Cream Social planning - Discuss new dates
Roundtable
Next Meeting
Adjournment

Minutes

Review of last action items:

-expect fall when the national team will start polling members about bargaining options, so that will be a good time to do a lunch and learn on bargaining

-list of available presentations from national team is in the chat and last meeting's notes, if anyone would like to lead. There are a few options.

-people are using gym. Not clear which machines not to use. Diane will follow up

-mailing list for CWA: no differentiating list, may come with time. People may not be updating their PIPSC info regularly (or even know about this option)

Advanced steward training (Helen and Bill went): covered 1 investigation techniques and 2 duty to accommodate. Takeaways: For 1, check with member that you're helping before going ahead to interview others about the issue, to ensure that you retain trust with member. For 2, cheat-sheet/guide shared. For 2, managers often use "operational requirements" as a reason to deny, which relates to "undue hardship"; as our employer TB has a lot of resources, financial or otherwise, at their disposal, "undue hardship" is very difficult threshold for TB to meet. For 2, requests due to illness wasn't covered.

IT AGM: IT group up first for negotiation. Contract ends Dec 2025. Deciding on strike vs arbitration. PSAC PA table will be before, so will set the pattern. New president for the group.

Labour management committee, May 15 meeting: Raised issue of people using meeting rooms without booking them; reminders will be sent out, info to be posted on Facilities, signs suggested. Asked about Downsview's future but nothing has changed. Rumours of other departments moving into building - was told nothing happening on this front currently or planned. Discussed getting more representation on the OHS committee (members and co-chair). Brought up hearing device in auditorium; interim solution is to take sign down while IT figures out solution. Discussed National Public Service week: opening ceremony, pastries, lab tour, ice cream, 5km walk. Other notes under Labour Management section in Loop.

Retirement webinar May 22: we let in 60, but there were less than 35 who attended. Lots of demand, so could be well attended in the Fall. Suggest expanding the number of people.

National Public Service Week: see LMCC notes. Union wasn't asked to be involved financially but was invited to participate.

Ice cream: moved ours given management planned one for National Public Service Week. Suggest July 16/17 2:30 for after MSC Town Hall. See how NPSW’s ice cream social goes (e.g., outside) to discuss logistics

Roundtable

-survey for bargaining had question on digital surveillance: government has been monitoring through different ways, e.g., # people in building based on IP addresses at aggregate level is known in Downsview but there are more strict measures elsewhere (e.g., time on computer vs idling, info at individual level) so union trying to gather as much info as possible. Management has right to know you show up to do your job, but how varies. Nothing known that they aren't allowed to do, though it does raise trust issues. From the ECCC Guidance on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace:

ECCC Guidelines on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace - ECCC Intranet

Managers are responsible for monitoring compliance of their team members’ work arrangements and aligning them operationally to the present guidelines. To determine whether individual employees are reporting to their correct workplace the requisite periods per week, managers should rely on observation or information directly collected from the employee. Any review of personal information from an administrative tool for the purpose of verifying compliance should occur only after it has been determined, by the employee’s manager, that there is a need for an additional review and generally, HR-Labour Relations will be engaged.