It is time to look back and reflect on the last three years, and to look forward to the next three years. Under the By-Laws of U.T.E., my official portfolio is that of Finance. This is the third convention that I have the opportunity to report to you on our financial position.
My duties as outlined in the By-Laws are as follows:
- Ensure that the funds of UTE are handled in a sound financial manner and in the best interest of the members;
- Ensure that proper book, records and vouchers are kept in connection with the operations of UTE;
- Supply to each Executive Council meeting such statements and supportive material which will enable the Executive Council to properly evaluate and control the financial affairs of UTE;
- Include in the written reports to the Executive Council and the Convention the dollar amount expended by each member of the Council for the current period as well as the cumulative amount since the last Convention.
Over the last three years I have reviewed each expense claim that has been filed and ensured that it was in accordance with Regulation 13, “Reimbursement of Expenses” of our By-Laws. Other expenditures were approved either by Executive Council or in consultation with the National President.
Each month the Executive Council was presented the internal financial statements of the Union.
At each Executive Council Meeting:
- The most current financial statements were presented for approval
- Recommendations were made to transfer funds from one line item to another for the purpose of staying within the proposed convention budget.
- The statements along with notes explaining the changes were included in the Minutes of the Executive Council, which were forwarded to all locals for their review.
- Each Member of Council was provided a copy of their Current Expenditures as well as a Cumulative Summary since the last convention.
- Expense Claims that were over 90 days old were presented and then reviewed by the Executive Council for their approval in accordance with By-Law 18, Section 3.
At the end of each calendar year:
- The Regional Vice- Presidents were provided Cumulative Figures for their report to their regions.
- Our books and records are subject to audit by an outside firm. In turn, I presented the completed statements to the Executive Council for approval, in accordance with By-Law 15. These statements were then forwarded to each local for their review.
In the National Office, we try to keep current with the financial technologies available, allowing us to maintain a more cohesive control over our funds. We have upgraded our computer software to include the most current packages for our accounting and cheque writing systems.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
The work done by the Finance Committee is invaluable for the operational success of UTE. The Committee took the direction from the last convention to heart. They reviewed all of the financial procedures of the union and made recommendations to Executive Council as necessary. Their work was always conducted in an impartial, professional and respectful manner. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the committee for their work and dedication over the last three years.
I would like to thank the 2005 - 2007 Committee Members: Bruce Wilson, Kent MacDonald, Pamela Abbott, and a special thank you to Sister Donna Nitz for always having the information we needed and for making me look as good as is humanly possible. I would like to thank the 2007 - 2008 Committee Members: Brothers Doug Gaetz, Cosimo Crupi and Sister Esther Burt, with another special thank you to Sister Stephanie Wolff, our New Finance Administration Officer and to Monique Desrosiers, our Assistant Finance Administration Officer for everything during this period.
The Finance Committee’s mandate is extensive complicated and onerous. The Committee fully met its mandate.
The committee assisted in the preparation of the budget that is being tabled at this Convention. I believe this budget, after being reviewed and amended by the Finance Committee, Executive Council and the Convention Finance Committee, reflects the position of UTE for the next three years. It is a realistic budget that will take us into the days and months and years ahead, while insuring our financial stability.
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
I have had the honour over the last three years to chair this committee and work with some very dedicated people; Brothers Barry Melanson and Sabri Khayat and the very knowledgeable and capable Sister Susan Duncan. I would like to take this time to thank them all for their hard work over the last three years. The Committee has published the UTE newsletter and had it mailed to all 26,000 members. We have received very positive feedback on our efforts and we feel that this publication is an important tool to reach the members with information they need and want. The committee has reviewed and updated other forms of communications: the UTE Website, and the UTE Owners Manual, Help Book, Achievement Book, and The Policies and Procedures Manual. The Committee has made recommendations and suggestions to improve our communications as well as having developed power point presentations and a Booklet of Tips for Chairpersons for the use of the Locals.
OTHER DUTIES
As the First National Vice-President, I attended each meeting of the PSAC National Board of Directors as an advisor to the National UTE President, and have sat as the representative from UTE when the National President was not available. I attended many UTE Local Annual General Meetings, Regional and Interregional Conferences when requested. These are opportunities I truly really enjoy. It is a privilege to meet the Presidents and other members of the locals on a more personal basis than at the Presidents’ Conferences or at a Convention. The Annual General Meetings are especially rewarding as I am able to hear first hand what the members are thinking and in what direction they feel the Union should travel. Listening to the membership is the very foundation in keeping our Union strong.
The National President assigned me various tasks and responsibilities such as: Hotel Accommodation Needs Analysis, and Convention Locations Cost Analysis that has kept me working closely with the National Office Staff. I would like to thank Sister Pierrette Labrie and Brother Shane O’Brien for all of their patience and understanding while helping me complete these tasks. A new role with the Communications and Technology Branch of the National Office has broadened my very limited horizons of the Computer World. I must thank Sister Susan Duncan and Brother Alex Thon for their knowledge and assistance in these fields and their extreme patience and understanding when having to explain over and over and over again even the most basic concepts while maintaining a straight face and not laughing too loud.
The following is a list of some of my other responsibilities and duties:
- Monitoring requests for the Local Loan Regulation Funding
- Monitoring the Computer Loan Regulation Funding,
- Maintaining the requests for Donations/Sponsorship,
- Monitoring Alternate Location Fund Funding,
- Monitoring requests for the Local Translation Fund,
- Approvals for Non-Ute Events Funding,
- Approvals for The Members with Disability Fund, and Family Care Expenses.
- Maintaining the National Office Finance and Inventory Control.
- Member of the PSAC Standing Discipline Committee.
Sister Bannon has directed me to manage all of the Appeals on Discipline, and the actions against the Scabs from the last Strike.
Brother Sabri Khayat, Regional Vice- President – Montreal, and I were assigned to represent UTE in the Union Management Initiative (UMI) working group. We worked alongside management in the redesign of the Agency’s ADR Program. We were successful in developing the new Conflict Resolution Policy that was signed and endorsed by the three parties involved; Management, PIPSC and UTE. This new policy will be rolled out across the country over the next few months to come. I extend my thanks to Brother Khayat for all of his help on this assignment.
During the last 3 years there has been a concerted effort to promote our Union in the workplace through the sale of promotional items. A special thank you to Sister Monique Desrosiers for all of her help in this area. We have made available a vast array of items for every President’s Conference and other National events. We have developed our own calendar, lanyard, our own line of wearing apparel, plus other items too numerous to mention. Based on the sales and demand for items that we have provided, it looks like our efforts are being rewarded and UTE is becoming more visible all the time.
As a member of Council, I have had the opportunity to work with a group of very dedicated people and for that I thank them all. While the nature and responsibilities of our work are sometimes controversial, we have remained a cohesive and respectful working group, always in the best interest of the membership.
This is a time when our locals must be the strongest they can be. We must be open and proactive leaders, and most importantly, encourage and allow membership involvement. The Locals, with the help of their membership, are the key to our success. They must become part of the solution.
Remember - all you need to know can be learned from Noah’s Ark:
- Don’t miss the boat.
- Don’t forget that we’re all in the same boat.
- Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.
- Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone might ask you to do something really big.
- Don’t listen to critics; just get on with what has to be done.
- Build your future on high ground.
- For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
- Two heads are better than one.
- Speed isn’t always an advantage; the snails were on board with the cheetahs.
- When you’re stressed, float a while.
- Remember that the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic was built by professionals.
- Remember that woodpeckers inside are a larger threat than the storm outside.
The above is a broad overview of some of the work that I have been involved in over the last three years. It has been a pleasure working for the benefit of UTE and its members and I hope to continue to do so for many more years to come. Being a member of UTE is both a pleasure and an honour. It is being part of a family that can grow as strong as it wants to be. Thank you all for letting me serve in this position. I hope that I have filled it to at least part of your expectations.
In Solidarity,
Bob Campbell
1st National Vice-President