Prairie/NWT executive meeting minutes
Date January 27,2024 from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Sheraton Eau Claire- Calgary
In attendance:
Samah Henein, Regional Director
Nancy McCune, Vice President and Small Branch Representative (virtual)
Marvie Ong, Treasurer
Jay Krishnan, Secretary
Cory Graham, Winnipeg-Southern Manitoba Branch President
Courtney Walker, Calgary Branch President
William Stewart, Saskatoon Branch President
Katy Windl, Regina Branch President
Ira Hill, Small Branch Representative
Sharon Losinski, Edmonton Branch President (virtual)
Guest:
None
Regrets:
None
- Call to Order - Samah called the meeting to order at 9:06 AM.
The regional executives observed a minute of silence in memory of Pam Kubicz.
- Land recognition – Courtney read the land recognition.
- Equality statement – Katy read the equality statement.
- Approval of Agenda - Motion to approve the minutes made by Ira, seconded by Sharon, motion carried.
- Approval of the last meeting minutes (Dec 8, 2023) - deferred until March meeting.
i. Matters arising
ii. tracking report review - action items in the tracking list were discussed and updated
- Strategic planning review and goals
Discussion on future regional events during executive meetings.
-Have PRE meetings in small branches during non-winter season. This gives us the opportunity to meet members there and for them to meet our executive.
- Ask ERO events to try to hold the next one during lunch hours and explore if it will be better attended.
Action item: Courtney to communicate with Kris
- Meet and greet events are always good to have, well attended and appreciated. We should look for new sites, especially ones with easily accessible parking locations.
-Samah suggested doing events for NPSW from the region.
Action item: Jay and William to bring ideas forward to the executives.
-Mirror regional events on regional Facebook page, please forward events to Katy.
Action item: Katy to update regional page with information received regarding regional events.
- Director Report – Samah
-There were some tentative applicants for director of financing, but didn’t have the experience
-In relation to the financial statements, there were some concerns about staff vacation pay, a significant increase in spending, 65% increase in meeting. Some of the invoices from 2021-2022 but paid in 2023.
-Board approved by the CLC rep (3 yrs. term).
-PIPSC board of directors’ election cut off will be during the AGM on Nov 8 @noon.
-Environmental Policy is being worked on.
-Board decided on Legacy foundation to give an extra scholarship to BC for last year as they won the Cup and did not get their second scholarship.
-Our region will get two scholarships this year as we won the Legacy Foundation Cup.
-Food bank donation discussion held, voted down by the Board.
-Administration policy under 8, union dues more than 2% of annual income can get a refund, it was not posted, now posted, retroactive claims for 2022 are entertained. Expected related claims will be small.
-PIPSC rebranding voted down by the Board because of budget concerns.
-Know your history Report was approved.
-Our region could not fill three delegate spots because of last minutes cancelations.
-Samah shared 2023 AGM states for the survey results
Total number Delegates invited = 742
Total number registered = 802
In Person Delegates = 650
Virtual Delegates = 39
In Person Staff = 55
Virtual Staff = 2
In Person BOD = 14
Observer = 1
Sergeant at Arms = 5
Award Winner = 2
Total number of kids who attended childcare = 20 (+2 Gala only)
Orientation Sessions:
- Attended November 17th Orientation Session = 96
- Attended November 23rd Orientation Session = 44
Gala:
- Number of people who attended the Gala = 604
- Code of respect
- 38% of respondents felt it was adhered to, 44% felt it was somewhat adhered to
- Only 28% of women respondents felt the Code of Conduct was adhered to compared to 43% of men
-2024 AGM: Nov 8-9, Sheraton, Toronto
-PNYPC new member small Branch representative attended first virtual meeting.
PNYPC sent welcome email, planning to do every 3 months.
Next PNYPC meeting March 8 in Edmonton, they will invite BST participants to their event on March 7 and invite the Edmonton Branch Executives.
Samah suggested few speaker for the regional council and added a document to the drive. Three speakers are from Canmore and one from US. look at them provide choice or any other speaker of your choice,
Action item: executive to review them and provide Samah with their choice or suggestion by Feb 3. Can choose one for PRC one for steward council.
-NWT had their AGM this month and were able to fill all their positions.
-Samah mentioned that if we need any course to be developed, we have to request it as the Education officers get many requests
- May 30-31, 2025, Saskatoon PRC
- Financial Report – Marvie
See financial report on google drive. Missing receipts from a couple of events from Nancy and their expenses are not included.
Jan 26, 2024, member engagement event
We spent $xx registered and 56 attended. The average spent per person was $xx We received good feedback. Samah mentioned her appreciation for Sunil Maharaj for organizing the event and thanked Courtney for handling the registrations.
Motion made by Marvie to approve the financial report, seconded by Ira, motion accepted as per the following amendment:
Pam Kubicz donation:
Motion made by Nancy to donate $xx to the pet organization of her family’s choice, seconded by Courtney, motion carried.
Discussion about future event at labour school
Samah suggested organizing an event for the labour school attendees.
Up to $xx per member for an event to be organized by WASM during labour school, Motion was made by Cory, seconded by Ira, motion carried.
Action Item: Cory to discuss ideas with Winnipeg branch and bring suggestions to the region.
- Training Report – Courtney
-2024 Spring BST in Edmonton will be offered by Barry and Tesh.
-AGM code of conduct, filing complaints, investigation and potential discipline, come up with few lines to TEAM, then to legal.
-Regional training committee TOR, still being worked on,
-additional questions will be added for the registration of labor school applications. Courses: Duty to accommodate and mental health (full day courses), then half day for burnout and half day for ERO cases. Invites for labor school has to come out next week. Courses on ableism, agism, indigenous issues being developed at the national level, may be ready for labor school next year. Revamped harassment and conflict resolution are other courses being considered.
-Steward council; steward speed dating, backs to basics, pro action café, steward portal, empathy, discrimination course (vulnerability demo).
-OSH training, first week in Dec in Winnipeg: will select stewards/members who are in OSH committees.
10. Treasurer training update – Nancy
3 Sessions, no salary or expenses, ~30 attended, only one registered but did not show up, asked for feedback, power point presentation will be sent to the attendees.
11. Steward of the year criteria – all - Discussed above already under Director’s report.
12. Staff appreciation
Last year, not all staff members were at the steward council, usually they are all at the labor school, should we do their dinner at the labor school? Nancy moved a motion for a 2024 appreciation gift to each staff ($xx value), Marvie seconded, carried
13. Meeting registration
Apply for PRE without delay and before registration deadline close if you plan to attend.
14. Branches Report – branch presidents
- Calgary Branch - Courtney: lunch and learn, yoga/e-wellness upcoming in Feb, steward appreciation brunch at a local hotel, annual member appreciation, family event at the zoo using almost expired passes, options for the AGM in May, too expensive venues to hold an AGM.
- Edmonton Branch - Sharon: PIPSC and You lunch and learn had to be postponed because of AGM, planning to after the branch AGM in March. No speakers, not a good venue for the whole executive, a lot of training being provided to the new executive, which was a great learning experience, because of the constantly changing policies. There were a lot of discussions on the internet and phone claim.
- Saskatoon Branch - William: created a lunch and learn subcommittee.
- WASM - Cory: steward appreciation and member engagement in Winnipeg and Brandon, active members in Brandon to organize events there, we had our Jan exec meeting, AGM will be in May, another member event attempt at the ballpark, subsidizing the cost as opposed to pay for the entire event to manage no-shows, event at the new airplane museum, another attraction is the leaf.
- Regina – Katy: new member (RCMP Chaplain), voted in, did not attend meetings, including another member, given show cause notices to both, one was away being sick for an extended period, but decided to quit. We do have 2 spots to replace, AGM coming up, 60 signed up for the bowling event.
- Suffield - Ira: nothing to report.
- Lethbridge – Nancy: planning an upcoming meeting with Ira for the small branches.
- Regional Council chair
Samah suggested having one of the presidents from the small branches to chair the 2024 council. Motion made by Cory for small branches president to chair the PRC, seconded by William, motion carried.
15. Date and location of the next executive meeting of the year- Mar 9, 2024 Edmonton JW Marriott
16. Round Table
17. Meeting Adjournment - Adjourned at 4:05 pm