Item

Topic and Discussion

Action

  1. Call to order and Welcome

Brian indicated quorum had been met and called the meeting to order at 5:35PM.

Attending in Person:  Brian Busby, Patrick McIver, James Armstrong, Daryl Boychuk, Art Iwinski, Audrey Wojcik 

Attending Virtually: Andra Weis, Louise Lepore, Earl Loftman - Note: participation was limited as a result of logistics. Difficult to hear due to noise level in the venue for virtual participants to hear and be heard. Therefore, the connection was terminated and the meeting continued with only those “attending in person”.

Regrets:  Tabatha Fuller

Agenda was provided electronically prior to the meeting.

Brian Busby

  1. Approval of Agenda Items

Draft meeting agenda sent Nov. 30, 2023, by e-mail.

Additional agenda items requested via email:

  • Request Item #5 of the draft agenda be stricken from the agenda.
  • Request to add topic of Union-Management Approach (UMA).

Art moved the motion to approve the draft agenda. Motion seconded by Daryl Boychuk. Motion carried.

Patrick McIver

  1. Minutes from Prior Meeting

A draft copy of the minutes of the Oct. 26, 2023 executive meeting was presented to the executive on Nov. 30, 2023.

Motion: To approve the minutes of the Oct. 26, 2023 meeting as presented to the executive.

Daryl moved and Art seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Patrick McIver

  1. Headquarters Regional AFS Representative - Remarks

Abraham Garcia, the HQ AFS regional representative, sent his regrets but wanted to inform the executive the AFS members recently ratified the tentative collective agreement with the CRA. The agreement is expected to be signed on Dec. 14, 2023. The CRA will have 180 days from the date of signing to implement the new collective agreement.

Abraham Garcia

  1. Sub-Group Executives and Steward Requirement

In addition to the circulated draft agenda of Nov. 30, 2023, the executive was provided a written briefing on this agenda item.

 

Any member of the executive who has not fulfilled the mandated completion of the Basic Steward Training and therefore, would be in violation of the Sub-Group’s By-law 7.4.1 which states:

 

"Because all members of the Sub-Group Executive are

required to consult with the employer on behalf of the

members, then, to be a candidate or remain an Officer, the

person must be a member and must be or become a Steward."

 

Patrick McIver moved and Brian Busby seconded the following motion:

 

Motion: “That any executive member of the board still requiring steward training to be complete, will need to complete said training at the next offering of the Basic Steward Training, or the executive member will be deemed to have resigned.”

Motion carried.

Patrick McIver

  1. AFS HQ Sub-Group - Executive open positions

The Sub-Group executive has a vacant Director/Member-at-Large position.

 

Prior to this meeting, Andra advised the president that Nitin Chowdhary was an AFS HQ Sub-Group member who has expressed interest in serving on the executive. Recent discussions with Nitin at the recent meet-and-greet on Dec. 5, 2023 confirmed Nitin’s interest.

 

Patrick McIver moved and Brian Busby seconded the following motion:

 

Motion: To ask Nitin Chowdhary to join the AFS HQ Sub-Group executive as a Director/Member-at-Large.

 

Motion passed.

 

The president will communicate the executive’s decision with Nitin and invite Nitin to the next executive meeting.

Brian Busby

  1. Finance Report

from the Treasurer

James Armstrong sent out updated financial statements to the executive prior to the meeting. Patrick advised that the signing authority over the Sub-Group’s bank account still needs to be updated to reflect the new officer positions, and advised he would initiate this process soon.

 

James advised that, at present, it was projected the Sub-Group would not receive its full allotment from PIPSC in 2024 due to the funds currently in the Sub-Group’s bank account.

 

Discussions ensued regarding fund allocation from PIPSC for the next year.

 

Discussion re: visibility items (e.g. AFS-branded apparel) for the executive members as they are being asked to co-facilitate a significant number of UMA training workshops. This apparel is to be worn during these sessions to identify themselves as AFS executives.

 

Art Iwinski moved and seconded by James Armstrong the following:

 

Motion: The Sub-Group to spend up to $XXXX on AFS-branded apparel and other visibility items for the executive members, to identify them as AFS executive members during the UMA training sessions.

 

Motion passed.

 

Audrey Wojcik agreed to spearhead this initiative.

 

Review of the Sub-Group’s finances with the treasurer indicates the sub-group is in good financial shape.

James Armstrong

  1. PIPSC AGM 2023 Debrief

PIPSC’s 104th Annual General Meeting and first National Convention was held in Montreal, QC from Nov. 26-29, 2023. The following members were selected to represent the AFS Headquarters Region as delegates: Brian Busby, Andra Weis, Patrick McIver, James Armstrong and Earle Loftman. Sub-Group executive member Art Iwinski attended the event as a National Capital Region delegate.

 

Brian debriefed the executive members on the four-day event which consisted of the usual AGM-type events and activities (approval of financial statements and budgets, by-law and policy amendments, etc.) but also included several keynote speakers and delegate workshops.

 

The 2024 AGM will be held in Toronto, ON from Nov. 8-9, 2024.

Brian Busby

  1. AGM 2024 Planning

Brian indicated the location/venue for the 2024 Sub-Group AGM still needs to be researched and selected.

Brian Busby

  1. Collective Bargaining Tentative Agreement Update

On Nov. 24, 2023, it was announced that AFS members ratified the latest tentative agreement reached with the CRA. It is anticipated the agreement would be signed on Dec. 14, 2024.

Brian Busby

  1. Round Table

Advised the executive that CRA has resumed UMA training. Many in-person sessions are being planned in 2024 which require stewards to act as co-facilitators. Andra will be sending out an email to all executive members who are stewards and asking for their help to co-facilitate these sessions.

Various

  1. Adjournment

The date, type and location of the next Sub-Group executive meeting will be determined at a later date.

 

James Armstrong moved and seconded by Daryl Boychuk that:

 

Motion: The Sub-Group meeting be adjourned.

 

Motion passed.

 

Meeting closed at 7:07pm.

 

Brian thanked everybody for attending the meeting, and wished everybody a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a great new year.

Brian Busby