As second national vice-president, I took part in meetings of the Executive Council and the Executive Committee (which is more active under the current chair). At the national level, I sat on the Honours and Awards Committee and the Health and Safety Committee. In addition, I participated in many annual general meetings of the locals.
As national vice-president responsible for bargaining, I chaired the Standing Bargaining Committee and the National Bargaining Committee. I was also on the bargaining team during the bargaining process that led to the signing of the agreement of December 12, 2004. I participated in many meetings of the PSAC/CCRA strategy committee, in the PSAC multi-table strategy committee and in the meetings of the regional strategy committee. I took part in the strike vote and ratification vote meetings of the locals.
At the very least, it can be said that bargaining is a portfolio that keeps us active and busy over long periods of intense activity.
HONOURS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE
As a member of the Awards and Honours Committee, out of an ongoing concern to increase members’ sense of belonging and UTE outreach, I worked with the other members to continually make gradual changes to the awarding of honours and awards, and we amended the By-Laws accordingly. We continually seek to improve the honours and awards system. We also administered the system of bursaries offered to children of UTE members.
I wish to congratulate and thank the other members of this committee; it was a real pleasure to work with them. I would also like to mention in particular the open-mindedness, integrity and professionalism of the committee chairperson.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
The members of this committee made sure the committee functioned smoothly, especially since, with its special status (Union-Management subject to the laws) it is responsible for keeping the locals properly informed. This committee also made a number of changes, including the combining of regions at regional conferences.
I congratulate and thank the other members of this committee for their commitment and knowledge, with special acknowledgment of the staff member attached to this committee. No price can be put on workplace health and safety, because one life lost is one too many. A healthy workplace is necessary for us to carry on our livelihood; it is up to us to provide it.
BARGAINING
Bargaining is a constantly evolving file that must continue to attract the interests of members without driving them away, because bargaining can be a two-edged sword: while bargaining is a good tool for bringing members together and building solidarity, it can also have the opposite effect if we do not play fair with the membership. Until now, the primary purpose of getting members interested in bargaining has undeniably been to bring them closer to the UTE. However, the government’s absolute power to impose the wage aspects during the bargaining process must be reduced, if not eliminated. How should we go about doing this? That is one of the questions UTE must ponder. We must keep in mind the changes and advances made in these bargaining processes in order to retain the interests of members and continue to develop their sense of belonging to UTE.
We might recall our role in bargaining in the days before the Agency. It was limited to that of one participant among many others, and we had to assert ourselves in order to win our place on the bargaining team. We might note the changes made to PSAC By-Law 15 improving our role as a union: notice to bargain 90 days before the end of the current agreement, improvement (expediting) of voting procedures, better information (PSAC Info-Nego), regular update of the Web site, establishment of strategy committees immediately upon notice to bargain, new strike management methods, gathering of bargaining demands, and so on.
And what about UTE’s progress in its bargaining activities and day-to-day organization? Once recognized as bargaining leaders, locals have managed to adapt, redefine and refine the methods and activities linked to innovations in the bargaining process and the strike process. The effect has been to raise the UTE’s standing in the PSAC as a leader. UTE has also provided better support to locals that successfully met the challenges. Hats off to all local executives for their commitment and determination.
But we must not ride on our achievements, because the employer and the government have seen to it that our job is made more complicated with the adoption of the Public Service Modernization Act (Bill C-25). We will have to adapt if we are to get the results our members expect. We will also have to take the time to analyse the various bargaining processes to ensure that we have the best one.
There is no magic formula for reaching the objectives our members have set. With perseverance, hard work, the best possible use of the right information, the support of locals, respect for all in a spirit of trade unionism and solidarity, we, as workers, will win respect and hold on to our jobs.
In today’s capitalist society, work is not a privilege; it is a right.
Respectfully submitted,
Denis Lalancette
2nd National Vice-President
Encl.: Annex 1: Looking back at our bargaining process